Tuesday

Yesterday morning: the buds on my red maples are coming along...

and the tulips are starting to look interesting, too.

On Tuesday, when it was raining cats and dogs, we went to the Botetourt County History Museum, which is behind the courthouse in Fincastle.

Here's a view from a window in the museum. A bit bleak, maybe? I just imagine this scene in a few short weeks. The grass and trees, green, the mountain behind the hill, blue sky... it's coming.

However, inside the museum was cozy.

That's my mom, below. Looking through a window in the museum. She's visiting us in the bleak end of the month of February and doing things like scrubbing my basement bathroom (you don't want to know any more details about that, trust me), de-cluttering my front hall (finding lots of unmatched gloves, soccer socks, muddy boots, shin guards), re-arranging my basement (cheerfully!)

And doing all of this (cheerfully!) while I sat in a rocking chair by the window and knit Amie's Little Buds spring sweater and ignored my children.

Thank you so much, Mom.

That's me, below, in the antique mirror looking-glass.

We joined the Botetourt Historical Society, which maintains the museum. I love this museum. It is open everyday, seven days a week, which is quite a feat. The museum contains over 1000 artifacts, all at least 100 years old, all coming from Botetourt County.

And that was our Tuesday, quite pleasant, really.
Also today:  we are part of a Blog Carnival, Bird Edition, at Handbook of Nature Study. Visit and see our bird observations for the month of February, as well as many other bird watchers!