Birthdays, Nerf Bullets, and Snow!

Quote of the Day:  The first fall of snow is not only an event, it is a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up in another quite different, and if this is not enchantment then where is it to be found? J. B. Priestley

It looks like we got about six inches!

 

Minnesota is beautiful after a snowfall.

 

Leo is hesitant to go out, despite his snow camo!

 

I think the first snowfall of the year brings out the best in people. The gals at the coffee shop were wearing their holiday hats and were as cheerful and Christmas elves. Drivers were being cautious. Of course, it was a Sunday, so people weren't in too much of a hurry. The Chef came over on Saturday and in anticipation of the big snowfall, took a look at my snowblower. He thought it might be too gummed up to run properly. We used it just once last year because we had such a mild winter. So, we hauled it over to a nearby shop where they fixed it for $2.00!  Merry Christmas! All it needed was to have some fresh gas run through it.

 

 

We also celebrated second son's birthday this weekend. He's a Pearl Harbor Day baby. He had some friends over on Saturday night, and his auntie Joy baked him a most delicious chocolate cake, from scratch!

 

He's 15, not 10. That's all the candles I had.

 

We spent the snow day, Sunday, indoors rearranging furniture, cleaning, and decorating a little. We found Nerf bullets in every nook and cranny! We still need put up the tree and decorate for the holidays. In the later afternoon, I asked the Birthday Boy to go out and use the snowblower. He went out to the garage, then yelled back into the house, "Mom, come here and look at this!" A kind neighbor had plowed out our driveway! All Zach had to do was shovel the walk and the area in front of the garage doors. Of course, the city snowplow came by around 2:00 a.m. which is great, but it woke me up and I couldn't get back to sleep. Also, I'll need to be the first one of the season to use the snowblower and clear out the end of the driveway and the part around the mailbox. Otherwise, they won't deliver our mail. Snow is pretty, but it does create work.

 

Hope all your holiday and winter prep are going well!

 

Go. Create. Inspire!

 

Journaling Prompt:  Do you like snow? What's your favorite holiday song?

 

 

 

 

Jacket Weather

Quote of the Day: Snowball by Shel Silverstein

I made myself a snowball

As perfect as could be.

I thought I'd keep it as a pet

and let it sleep with me.

I made it some pajamas

And a pillow for its head.

Then last night it ran away,

But first - it wet the bed.

Here's a picture of our first snowfall of the season.  It was October.  We were excited.  It was pretty, and it was sticky enough for snowballs and snowmen, and it was fun.  Now, the driveway is packed with ice, as are the intersections.  A big lump has formed under my mailbox, requiring me and the mail carrier to lean down to get the mail in and out of it. 

Plus, it's darn cold!

Even with temps well below zero and a wind-chill advisory, and warnings of frost bite, this new driver refuses to wear a warm coat. (This picture was taken last year when he got his license.  I must have threatened him with refusal to pay for the license if he didn't wear a coat.)

Last year he lettered in football, so I got him a Letterman's jacket for his birthday, thinking, ah-ha, NOW he'll wear a warm jacket when it's cold up here in Minnesota. 

Nope.

Somehow, the wearing of the jacket has become a power struggle.  It started young.  Yes, he's a hot kid.  As a baby he wouldn't wear the hot jammies with the feet (cute as they are).  He kicked off all of his covers and ran around in t-shirts in the middle of winter.  He'd cry if I tried to get him to put on a long-sleeved shirt.  When he was in the 6th grade, he wouldn't wear his warm coat, so I brought it along in the van.  "Love and Logic" parenting guide says that if they're cold, they'll put on the jacket.  He refused to even carry it with him.  So, I threw it out the door at him when he got out of the van.  He picked it up and threw it back in. I tossed it out.  Finally, he picked it up, gave me a dirty look, and carried it into the school.  When I picked him up later that day, after a swim practice, he tossed it at me and said, "I never put it on."

I determined that he's channeling Bud Grant, former coach of the Minnesota Vikings.  Back in his day, the Vikes played outdoors.  He never wore a coat, often was in short-sleeves, had his players practice outdoors in any kind of weather, and didn't allow heaters on the sidelines.  Tough guy.

All we see is white snow, ice, and the occassional brown sand/salt mixture.  I'm longing for color and warmth.  How about you?  Here's a visual to give you warm thoughts.

After our spring thaw and flooding season, we'll have days like this.  Picture yourself there, now, cool glass of iced tea or lemonade, chatting with your good friend, watching the days melt away.

To get myself even more in the summer spirit, I'm working on a story today about my friend Georgia and her writer's hideaway on the banks of the Crow Wing River.

Journaling Prompt:  Where is your creative corner?  Do you have a warm summer memory to get you through cold, winter days?  Do you have any ridiculous power struggles?

Embracing Winter

Quote of the Day: 

Blizzard

by Bill Holm

After midnight the blizzard howls itself out,

the wind sleeps, a tired lover.

Before bed, I think of you

and play the Meistersinger quintet

over and over, singing

along on all the parts,

dancing through the house

like a polar bear who thinks

it has joined the ballet.

You are in my arms, dancing too;

whirling from room to room;

frost crusted on the window

begins to glow like lit up faces.

My five fingers, now on fire

like these five voices singing,

imagine touching the skin

over your shoulder.

It took some effort, but I was able to embrace winter today.  I needed to remind myself that my word for the year is embrace. It's been a little rough up here in the North Country.  We've had freezing rain (the worst!), blowing and drifting snow, ice-packed roads, hazardous road conditions, and sub-zero temps.  Oh, and I hear there's a "Siberian blast" or something like that coming our way.  Anyone up for a visit?

Despite all that, you can't help but look outside and marvel at God's creation.  The trees are heavy with snow, icicles drip from frozen oak leaves.  We have fresh snow for winter sports.  My friend Denise was raving about the trails and beauty of the Arboretum here in the Brainerd lakes area.  I said, before I could stop to think, that if she was going out cross-country skiing this weekend that I'd like to join her.

I played piano for church today.  It was a good service, Baptism and water theme, played a few of my favorites.  After the service, Denise said, "We'll be going skiing this afternoon."  I had thoughts of a long winter's nap, but at 2:00, I got up and met her and her husband.  They were patient instructors.  I'd been on skis before, but didn't really know what I was doing.  I was a bit tense.  I was out for less than an hour, but my calves were burning and I worked up a sweat. Part of it was from not knowing what I was doing, feeling tense, not wanting to slow them down, afraid of falling and busting up a knee or something.  Our first hill had a curve.  "Um, I don't think I can do it."  But, they didn't let me quit, or crawl down.  I made it.  I'd go again, after I rub out the muscle tension.

This is kind of a dumb, staged picture.  It looks like I'm heading for a tree.  In fact, I stayed on the path and took this photo of my skis and backyard when I got home.  I didn't want to worry about my camera besides trying to ski and not fall or embarrass myself.

It's hard to get enough fresh air and sunshine in the winter here.  You have to make an effort to embrace winter, enjoy the kinds of outdoor sports that only happen in cold climates, and tag along with friends who know what they're doing.

Before you go praising me for getting out there and exercising in the cold, I'm going to admit that yesterday I did my preferred winter activity which is staying inside and sitting in my reading chair all day.  I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett, and oh, my it's good.  And, now, I'm drinking tea, listening to jazz music and writing up this blog post.

Go. Create. Inspire!

Journaling Prompt:  How do you cope with winter, if you live in a wintery climate, or cope with your environment when it's not your favorite, or difficult?

Goodness and Light

Quote of the Day:  from the song Do You Hear What I Hear
Said the King to the people everwhere,
"Listen to what I say."
Pray for peace, people everywhere,
listen to what I say!
The Child, the Child,
sleeping in the night,
He will bring us goodness and light

To hear Martina McBride sing this song of hope with an orchestra and choir, click on this Youtube video.

Here's a glimpse at what it looks like in Minnesota this week.  We don't need to just dream about a white Christmas.  This is nothing to what happened south of us.  The Minneapolis/St. Paul area was pounded with snow.  The Metrodome roof collapsed.  You might have heard about that on the news or seen the video.  OMG! The Vikings game had to be postponed and moved to Detriot. 

The good that happens from a hard knock by Mother Nature is that you quickly see neighbor helping neighbor.  The one with the snowblower helps out the ones who only have a shovel, and the ones with a shovel band together to make the work go faster. When my neice's car got stuck in the street, friends and strangers alike dug it out.

Snow is easier to handle than the subzero temps.  We wake up to the weatherman warning us that the thermometer reads negative 18 degrees Fahrenheit with a windchill factor of minus 40.  We just want to stay under our flannel sheets and down comforters.  Who wants to go out in that!  We start to feel isolated.

Isolation is not good for me.  Add to that the short days and long dark nights and the increased illnesses that happen this time of year.  Well, it gets harder and harder to stay in a happy holiday mood.  I feel sad for my friend who's four-year-old son died this summer.  It's so hard for her this Christmas.  I feel sad for another friend who is recovering from an abusive relationship and worrying about her kids when they're with their dad.  I just learned that a friend of mine was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer.  I can hardly type that and not break down crying.  That sounds really scary.  She has a 12-year-old daughter and triplets who are seven (two girls and a boy).  She's been in our Mothers of Multiples group.  My age.

So, yesterday, I was getting cranky at Christmas.  What is helping me is being with people IRL (in real life).  Human contact with good people who care about those who might be having a blue Christmas.  Loving people who don't expect you to be happy just because it's the holidays.  And, nurturing people who shine light on those dark emotions.

If you're experiencing the dark days of December, know that you're not alone.  Reach out to others.  Look for the light.  "Do you hear what I hear?"  A child is born to bring us goodness and light.

Journey on, even through the cold and the dark.  Nothing ever stays the same.  Cling to the the promise of new life.

Journaling Prompt:  What are you feeling blue about this season?  How can you reach out to someone to find goodness and light?

Wintersong

Quote of the Day:  Wisdom comes with winters. - Oscar Wilde

I woke up to this wintery, crystalized scene at my parents' farm last weekend.  It reminds me that beauty comes with every season.

Top 10 things I like about Winter:
1. frost decorating everything outdoors
2. Sun dogs on the coldest days
3. ice-skating
4. using the cold as an excuse to stay inside to read
5. same excuse to watch movies & eat popcorn with my boys
6. the holidays
7. how the fresh, white snow covers everything, like wiping the slate clean for a fresh start.
8. Winter fashions, including cute sweaters and long pants and not needing to shave your legs
9. Watching the neighbors help each other out after a snowstorm
10. Music

Last night my oldest son and I went to the Madrigal Dinner put on by the high school choirs.  They served and sang, performed and played.  They had kings and queens, beggars and peasants.  Some of them stayed in character throughout the three hour evening.  The skit was fun and funny, the food delightful and delicious.  And, the singing was wonderful wintersong.  They sang my favorite choral winter piece, "Hark of the Bells."  I love how it starts out soft, just sopranos, then adds each part, building, then coming back down, and oh, how that low-note dong at the end always gives me shivers.

 What is broken and full of cobwebs can be beautiful with the coverings of ice crystals, a reflection of light, and a song that sends the kind of shivers that warm.

I'm looking forward to hearing the high school choir again in two weeks as they join their voices with my favorite choir, From Age to Age, in a holiday concert.  Stay tuned for details.

Journaling Prompt:  Make your list of top things to like about winter and/or the holidays.

Out of Sorts

Quote of the Day: Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves. ~John Muir

It took me some time to find the just the right quote today. I was feeling out of Sorts, so I went outside to find some. I thought of it like the response one of the boys had when he was small. He wanted to ride on one of those moving cars where you deposit a couple quarters and move back and forth to motor noises, but he couldn't because the sign said, "Out of Order." He came over to me and asked if I could give him some Order so he could ride.

I did not find Order that day in my extra large hand-bag made especially for mothers of multiples, but I did gather my Sorts as I walked today. First, it is something to celebrate that I could walk outside without freezing up on January 15 in Minnesota. We had temps. so far below zero last week that we didn't dare stand outside for more than a second. And, if we did have to go somewhere, we practiced our sprint from house to car to grocery store, or whatever shelter was available. We bundle up so tightly. It feels like hibernation within yourself. Let not one inch be exposed lest you get bitten, by the frost.

Just before I went out for my walk to find my Sorts, I glanced at my friend's blog. Peace Garden Mama wrote about the light, the healing effects of sunlight. Although her blog discusses the healing of living in the light, I felt the healing of the natural sun on that bit of skin I did expose today, the part between the cap and the scarf. I felt the contemplative movement of one foot in front of the other. A few neighbors were out pushing the crusted snow off their driveways. A slight breeze of hope for spring was in the air, and it soon entered my step.

I remembered the first time I felt honored as a writer. I was in the 5th grade and Mrs. Buchholz (sounds like book holes) read my essay out loud to the class. I blushed 17 shades of red and giggled through the entire reading, but I felt like a real writer. The topic was "What would you do if you knew you would lose one of your senses?" I chose hearing. I remember writing about taking the time to really listen to the voices of people I love. I'd go out into the woods and listen to the birds and the crickets and the rushing of the water. My teacher said she really liked it. She shared it with the class, and I felt honored.

A walk in the woods helps you remember who you are. A walk in the neighborhood helps you see who you're connected to. A walk down memory lane helps you remember your hopes and dreams from when you were a child. A walk outside of yourself helps you get your Sorts back and gives you energy to keep moving forward.

Journaling Prompt: Describe a favorite place or time where you took a walk. Who was with you? Were you alone? Did you sort out any of your life's ponderings?