Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Shoveling Out. Again.

Gee, does it never end?!? Another 1 1/2 feet of snow came down Saturday. The chickens were surprised at the drift that  hemmed up their coop -- for that matter, so were we. But Colorado's warm sun is already making headway. The driveway and sidewalks are already clear.
     Actually, it felt good to stay home and watch a movie or two. I still am not completely over this flu...and the Brick started into it. Sigh. 
     While we snuffle and shovel, here are some goodies from the Internet:

A chance look at the Smithsonian Magazine's ads produced a link to John Helmer, a haberdasher who offers basics for properly brought-up British gentlemen...plus a wide range of hats of all types and makes. I had a lot of fun gawking at the hats on their 'special occasion' page, which includes not only the hats below, but everything from taxi-driver and military caps, a pith helmet, and even a fez! (P.S. Oversized French floppy berets for $14-18, too.)
    Where else can you find such an unusual mix of hats...and if you're desperate for a Depression Era milkman's cap, now you know where to go. 

Civil War reenactor's leather 'kepi' - they have suede, too. $45

Sherlock Holmes' deerstalker - $125

French Foreign Legion - $185

'Coonskin' cap- real fur - well, rabbit skin - and a steal at $65!

Taking winter by storm, foodwise...in other words, how to  stock up, in case bad weather hits. (Or zombies, as the case may be.) Sure, it may seem to be almost spring -- but in the past three weeks, we've been hit by as many storms. And two of the three dumped more than a foot of the white stuff. I just happened to stop by King Soopers just before storm #3, and the store shelves were nearly empty of eggs and milk. Either people were stocking up, or the trucks weren't getting through. (Shades of the Really Bad Winter we had some 5 years ago, with storm after storm. It only took three days for nearly all of the cold stuff to disappear off the shelves. Seriously.)
    Anyways, thanks for the mention, Frugal by Choice.

Bouncing back from failure. Good, stiff advice from Trent at the Simple Dollar.  We all have it happen at least once in our lifetimes...as he points out, it's not just how it happens -- it's how you deal with it.

An easy citrus vinegar cleaner, from Smockity Frocks. (The cuties are almost gone...time to make some of this.)

Warren Buffett's tax rate, via Five Cent Nickel. He talks a good story...but he's still paying less, admittedly, than everyone in his office.

Got one of those large spools that you'll occasionally find by the roadside? Turn it into a combination stool and bookshelf, thanks to Diary of A Crafty Lady. Whoa, the things people come up with nowadays...

An interesting (and reasonably-priced) greenhouse -- dug into a hole! This makes more sense than you would think -- take a look. (A how-to guide for a 'Walipini' is here. Now, where can I get my hands on a rammed earth form?)

Also, 3 more greenhouse ideas that don't demand a lot of money. Plus a geodesic dome greenhouse in Colorado, only about 1,000 feet higher than we live. (6250 ft altitude)

A guy who's getting $60,000 for a 'rock' he found on the beach. (Turns out it's ambergris. Yep, "whale upchuck," as the site so elegantly puts it.)

An incredible number of freezer cooking tips, including ways to minimize waste and cook ahead. (Thanks, Our New Life in the Country.) 

Glissade chocolate mousse -- easy to make and absolutely incredible in taste. The only issues: you must make it at least some hours ahead of time (or the day before) in order to allow it to set. Oh, and it uses raw eggs. (I'm thinking you can minimize some of this by adding the yolks before she specifies.) Take a look...thanks, 101 Cookbooks.

 And a heads--up for what's coming on Sunday...God bless Ireland! Have a good week.