Rose Cottage Ltd

I’m not sure why these pea-brains were mowing so close to the area where the crocodile was swimming, but I imagine they won’t try it again!

From Rose Cottage Ltd…

…from a few of Rose Cottage Ltd’s favorite vendors!

FedEx 2-day air – Today at 2pm CST
FedEx Next Day – December 22nd at 2pm CST

Premium Shipping – Today at 3pm Eastern
Express shipping – December 22nd at 3pm Eastern

Check out Dunhill’s E-Gift Certificate Program – Great for you “emergency” shoppers!

Next Day Air – December 21st at 8pm Eastern

FINAL DAY! FREE 2-day air upgrade!

And the best-selling garden fountain of 2011…

I don’t believe in flu shots and for most years, manage to avoid the dreaded stuff – but not this year. There is “flu” raging in parts of North Carolina right now. The particular strain that caught up with me starts with a tickle in the throat and itchy eyes, progresses to headache, fever and chills, and then you get the coughing and head congestion – followed by a day or two of exhaustion. Survivable but annoying.

I decided to put together a little “Surviving the Flu” checklist for things you’ll want to have handy in case the flu catches YOU this season. Fingers crossed that it doesn’t hit you later this holiday week or the next – but still never harm in being prepared.

First, you’ll want a box of Theraflu, 2 boxes of Kleenex, and a big bottle of Vitamin C. I’m a firm believer in Vitamin C. I think it makes you want to drink more fluids which in turn flushes germs from your system that much faster. I started slamming 6000mg of Vitamin C per day on Friday last week – and will continue through probably Thursday this week. The body removes any it doesn’t need so no worries about overdosing.

Theraflu just makes you feel better and warmer – and who suffering from flu doesn’t want that! This also means more helpful fluid intake for you – sometimes drinking another glass of just plain water doesn’t sound very appealing.

Drugstore.com is a good place to shop and stock up for any and all of these flu survival items. Echinacea is also good, but for flu, less successful. Flu hits fast and hard – if you haven’t started or been already taking Echinacea, it might not be able to keep up with rapidly increasing flu symptoms. Some Visine for relief of dry and itchy eyes was also beneficial.

This year’s flu came to me with a day (#2) of fever and some nasty, nasty chills. A nice warm blanket, a warm sweater and a comfortable bed or sofa WILL be required. You won’t be functioning well on Day Two.

If you’re like me and don’t get sick very often, you’ll be reminded and amazed at how hot AND cold you can feel – at the same time! Fever is the body’s way of burning out the germs so for most this is not a panic situation. Just know your body is working as it should to rid you of the viral invaders. My flu fever reached 101.7 before finally breaking late Saturday. Drink as much water as you can – it will keep you from getting dehydrated during this part of the process.

ShopIrish.com has some beautiful and VERY warm wool sweaters, blankets, and throws. Having a “favorite” of each available will make you at least mentally feel a bit better until the flu runs its course!

I am a stickler for hand-washing, etc. to avoid germs – but flu still caught me this year. If it gets you, being prepared to fight the few days worth of symptoms will help speed your recovery and make you feel a bit less miserable. The one thing you can’t buy is rest – and you’ll need it.

Looks like I was right about this snake. Somehow it found itself above ground, maybe fooled by the unusual warm and sunny days, and died – most likely from the morning’s cold temperatures.

It does provide an opportunity to get a few more pictures of the Eastern Garter Snake…

And this particular snake’s length and size:

And the markings on its back:

I’ll file this info away for future reference and future walks around the lake. Since I don’t see many snakes, it gets easy to forget what’s likely to be seen here, and what they look like.

Okay then…

It’s 64 degrees here today in the beautiful Piedmont Region of North Carolina. The sun is out, the sky is deep blue, birds are singing, and there’s – a snake!

After working hard this past weekend when the temps were in the mid 40s to mid 50s – chainsaws going, wood being split, I decided that today would be a nice warm day to haul some more of that split wood to the shed at the back of the house. If it ever rains here, I’ll be that much further ahead of the wood stove “supply.”

I’m making my second trip and was about to take a step – carrying 9 split logs when…I notice something on the ground:

Do you see him? It?

Okay, I did give you a clue. But I, who am notoriously careful about where I walk and am always watching for snakes, never saw this one the first two times I (must have) walked right over it.

By the time I got my camera and returned, it had moved to an even more hidden position:

You can’t say the little so-and-so is not well hidden from all but up close and personal view. Actually the little “so-and-so” has a name – this time it’s a Eastern Garter Snake. Thanks to the Snakes of North Carolina web site once again for allowing me to quickly identify this latest “visitor.”

While my first thought might have been, “Off with its head” I decided since I all but stepped on it and it didn’t strike or bite me – to live and let live – and gather my firewood on a cooler day! This snake is also not poisonous – which would have changed my tune otherwise.

The news for the today is that since for the past few weeks I have been out on the property tramping around in leaves and debris as high as my knees – to note that snakes are still moving as long as the weather stays warm…FYI to self!

UPDATE May 2012: The vendor linked below just – quit.

No worries though thanks to Amazon.

Please visit Rose Cottage Ltd’s new Wood Stove Store for access to all sizes, shapes and colors of wood stoves – brought to you from manufacturers you can trust and often with Free Shipping!

Find your wood stove accessories there too!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Believe it or not, two weeks from today will be Christmas Day.

I’m a bit ahead of the game this year but one year I was down to Christmas Eve and had forgotten to get anything at all for the Christmas stocking. A stocking can look pretty forlorn just hanging there by itself!

Drugstore.com has some great products for stockings – and over 55,000 products to choose from:

Here’s a special offer for customers new to Drugstore.com:

New Customers: Receive $5 off $30 or $10 off $50 on your first non-prescription order! Offer ends 12.31.2011

Spend $50 minimum to get 20% off – good through December 18, 2011

And a free, quick, and easy crab appetizer recipe!

Crab Meltaways Appetizer Recipe: Courtesy of The Crab Place

1 pound fresh crab meat
½ pound butter, softened
1 jar Old English sharp cheese spread
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing
½ teaspoon garlic salt
½ teaspoon seasoned salt
English muffins

Mix together the butter and the cheese until blended. Add the salts and mayonnaise. Stir in the crab meat.

Cut each English muffin half into quarters.

Put a teaspoon of the crab mixture on each quarter.

Put the quarters under the broiler until light brown.

Buy your Fresh Crab Meat online.

Visit The Crab Place for all your crab meat needs…

Seafood Gift Certificates
Seafood Gift Cards

I’m ready to do some Christmas shopping for my “best friend.” He has his own Christmas stocking and he expects there will be some special treats waiting for him Christmas morning!

Here are some savings for my pet and yours!

Take 15% Off Your Entire Order at PetSmart.com!
Offer valid 12/8 through 12/11/2011…

Save 40% on all PetHoliday by Top Paw clothes & collars at PetSmart.com! Offer Valid 12.8 – 12.11.

Save 50% on Grreat Choice faux suede/fleece dog bed at PetSmart.com! Offer Valid 12.8 – 12.11.