Happy Valentines Day! Once again, Mike has totally outdone himself in the wonderful bouquet of roses for this day. I just love being spoiled like this. I cannot imagine this bouquet.....then stems on these roses are so long and the roses so very perfect.......what an incredible treat this is!!! I am soooo spoiled and I sooooo love it!! Photo manipulation aside, I really cannot see over this when I am seated at my desk. My staff asked me to leave it overnight so they could also enjoy it again tomorrow. Of course, I complied since I get to enjoy all day again as well. I will try really hard not to gloat.....at least not too much. Ha Ha.

I find I will be able to have a wood stove installed with my tax refund. I can barely believe that I am really able to do this. This year is the first tax year (2006) that I have owned my home for the entire 12 months and I didn't really have any idea what the benefits would be. It turns out that my refund will pretty much cover the total cost. I found a wood stove that is probably about the smallest one made that will accommodate a "real" log (18") and not drive me out of the house. It is a Lopi 1250 stove, manufactured in Washington state, that will heat 600-1200 sq ft and has a cook top as well. It has a glass door so one can see the fire and only needs 11 1/4" clearance from the back wall. Of course, it requires a fireproof floor underneath and I plan to create that myself. I like what Mike did with ceramic tile under his wood stove and would like to do something similar. I am looking to do a Navajo Rug design pattern with brick red, black, gray & white. Mike wisely suggested that I make it flush with the oak hardwood floor and repeat the pattern up the wall, perhaps 30". I like that idea and have procured graph paper, colored pens and am trying out patterns to try. Tonight I bought a bunch of construction paper and will make 4" squares in my chosen colors to further try the patterns. I have always wanted to try laying tile and this seems to be an intriguing project to begin.

I will take photos as I go along with my wood stove and tile project to keep you posted. Hopefully, I can have a wood stove warming that everyone can attend. I don't know what you do for a wood stove warming, but I guess we could improvise. Could be fun anyway!!

This evening, as I exited my truck, as I heard the frogs croaking, but I also heard another sound. It was geese!!! At first I thought, "Oh, it's only our resident river geese that never leave," but then, it continued. As I stood on my porch for about 6-7 minutes, I heard many, many geese talking as they flew over. As my eyes adjusted to the light, I could see "V" after "V" of geese flying over and hear their constant chatter of encouragement to one another. I guess Spring really is coming again. This will be the second Spring here in St. Helens that I have witnessed the geese returning. What a wondrous phenomena this is that repeats year after year and how very privileged I feel each time I witness it.