Changing Of The Guard

photo by Mrs. Mac

We had a beautiful extended autumn this year .. warm and mild.  Then it all changed when we woke up with a few inches of snow yesterday morning ... with another four inches during the day.  Bright autumn day to .. beautiful white and black scene .. just with a few winks of sleep.  Our winters can last a long time in the North Woods ... five to seven months of the year can be expected.  This winter is supposed to be a 'la nina' weather pattern with heavy snowfall.  The first few months are great and a time of rest from gardening and kitchen canning work.  By February I'm ready for a little vacation to a warm sunny spot for about a week.  That's just long enough to get over the winter time blues and make spring and summer easier to wait for.

Have a blessed Sunday!

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

Psalm 91:1

Winter-scapes

Ann enjoying a bleak winter day

Finding beauty in bleakness .. it takes just a little imagination to develop this sense.  Living in a winter scape affords a person the ability to eventually see summer in technicolor.  Never one for wasting a good day, I try to find the beauty within each one.

Bleak .. cold ..

snowy .. sunny .. in-between .. leafless

emerging .. emerald .. first leaf .. first bloom ..

scents .. fruit of the vine .. harvest ..

swirling leaves ..

naked sentry trees .. wind .. ice ..

cold .. bleak. 

As each day unfolds, there is a beauty to behold.  Even on the bleakest day of winter, somewhere in the landscape .. beauty is waiting to be discovered.  No special glasses required .. just open eyes to pinpoint the God given abundance that is ours to discover .. if we just  observe His ever changing landscape.

You will go out in joy and be  

led forth in peace; 

the mountains and hills

will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field 

will clap their hands.

Isaiah 55:12

Thankful For Not Much Snow

... this winter.  Now eager for spring to arrive to green up the landscape.  Without a cover of snow this winter, brown, dead, crunchy landscape has been the view from my windows for quite some time.  OK, I won't complain ... no snow to shovel off our roof ... no gutters to fix ... no snow piles that take until June to melt ... no waking up an hour early to blow the snow off the driveway.  With such a winter reprieve, I've grown fat and sassy;)  Sorry about sending the snow to the four corners of the globe ... but ... winter is what it is:  Fickle ... just like the Snow Queen!

Top photo: Mr. Mac and Jacob ... sledding on two inches of snow ... taken in December, 2009

Bottom photo:  Mrs. Mac's unplanted garden ... oh so brown

A Good Day To ...

.... put all of last year's Christmas decor away. This will free up my date on Monday with hubby and give the new year a fresh slate to begin my cleaning frenzy this month.

Our weather turned balmy (mid to high 30'sF) ... warm enough to allow the snow to melt. I can see places in the backyard that need to be regraded a bit after last winter's flood ... and having a heavy duty bobcat scoop away the 'icebergs' ... the snow melt has pooled in one area.

Daylight's burning (can you guess which western movie star coined this phrase?)

Good Day (another ending from __________?)

PC Blues

My computer has needed additional RAM for quite some time. It's been slower than molasses .. couple that with a bad part on my satellite dish ... taking me back to the stone ages of the information highway. I'm trying different things ... getting back my laptop on (permanent;) loan to daughter, and using a USB connect device on loan to me from my son-in-law. He fixed the lack of RAM and installed an external backup device. Sometimes I'd like to 'chuck' the PC out the same window that our TV satellite went out ... but I just don't want to be completely isolated and dependent on the public library's computer. I have pictures in my camera to share on my three blogs that perhaps can be uploaded with ease now (keeping fingers crossed)

Today has been rainy. Thank you Lord for the precipitation. It means no work outside today! No watering the garden or mowing the lawn. Last week was a doozy with busyness, company, gardening, running Nathan to/from day camp, home maintenance, etc. I hate to say it since summer is a much anticipated time of the year, but such a time that makes me look forward to the coming autumn and winter months. Each season has something to offer .. and towards the end of summer and winter (especially) I long for a change.

JPN - Thunderstruck!

Just Plain Nuts!

Last week ended rather nicely with a lake cruise.

This week has been up and down with nutty things happening. There was a rather wicked storm that blew through several nights ago. I found Nathan 'holed' up sleeping in the bathroom .. on the floor .. near the toilet .. with a few towels and his pillow .. exhaust fan and lights on .. Why? Was he sick?? No, just trying to drown out the thunder and lightning that had him in a tailspin meltdown. Of course, that meant the dawg went nuts as well. She was pacing back and forth in the garage .. the likes of a mad dog. I put up a baby gate to block her from coming up the steps leading into our home .. gate now has bent wires. Said dawg was put in her kennel (willingly) .. but proceeded to paw and tooth her way out .. chipping off her top canine teeth (her nickname is DAD .. dumb a$$ dog). We have a sedative to use for such 'events' .. fireworks on the Fourth .. etc. I had already given her a few doses the past few weeks so didn't want to have her 'pop' so many pills. The effect is pretty much a triple margarita hangover (so the vet says .. not from my prior experience and lasts for an entire day. I'm taking up a collection for the vet bill should anyone wish to contribute ;)

Where Is Spring?

The calendar says it's nearly spring ... but it eludes our area ... at least my particular street. I have seen the birds of the field, and a few trees just beginning to form leaf buds ... but my beloved snow is holding tight and not wanting to give up the good fight. That 'old man winter' is a pesky fellow to say the least ... rather grumpy, a bad penny ... I'm going to take the welcome mat out from under his feet and sick my dog on him. Yes, the Snow Queen has spoken ... be gone!

A View From My Mountain Lake

This morning brought a quick trip into town before I took charge of my grandson. On the way back Jacob and I took a drive around the still frozen lake. With camera in hand, it was a perfect time for a photo op. He was content to sit in his car seat, while I was able to stop along the shoreline to breath in the frosty air.

Hoping For A Breeze

The past few days our area has experienced frozen ground fog. Yesterday around 10:00 AM the sun broke through on my little mountain and wondrous blue skies did appear. Having to run to town in the afternoon brought me down the hill to a still frozen world with very limited visibility. Heaviness hung in the air and gave me claustrophobia. The trees were frozen and white. The road was black and slick. Today my little mountain is encased with frozen air. I am hoping for a breeze to once again reveal the sunshine.