Warmer.

 Warmer.

 

The snow has begun to actually turn into water instead of just more ice. SO glad that is happening. We needed the moisture for sure. And here it is only a little past five in the afternoon, and the hens have all gone up to their roosts. Yep, it is still pretty cold out there. And the hens are not in the least bit fond of this white stuff.

 

Reading another whodunit that involves a family whose father has been president of the local college for quite a few years. No one in this story wants to just be open about their feelings involving anyone. Sounds kinda familiar compared to a few families in my acquaintance. Funny how entire counties can be wrapped around the nature of politics, athletic rivalries, and wealth—or its lack thereof. City or town rivalries can become silly to gruesome in some instances. Remembering how one family in Petrolia became the brunt of some really mean guys from Henrietta once. The brothers were considered strange when in fact they just had a genetic problem that had nothing at all to do with their sexual inclinations. But that did not prevent the Henrietta boys from nearly killing one of the Petrolia boys. Some of the Petrolia boys took a trip over to Henrietta one night and settled the problem and set the record straight. Even so, the entire situation was just plain stupid. Guess there are hardly any scenarios that don’t come up in some novel somewhere.

 

Recently noticed a post on FB about how folks have to box up and give away or sell some of the mementos from their parents. So many little things hold memories from when the children were young: little figurines, paintings, cards, pictures, and assorted boxes or framed things that held special meanings. It would never do to try to write down what each item is, where it came from, why it mattered. The cowbell on the front door, the longhorn sculptures hanging on the walls, the bookcase Lewis made, the cutting block table Fred made from the cross of an old church and the Singer sewing table legs, and the desk my daddy made for me for a graduation gift. My sister-in-law said that the little green window in our front door has to go with us when this house is sold or whatever because it always meant so much to her. Go figure. Our babies and grands used to enjoy looking out that little green sliding window, too. Anne just looked out of it to see if her dates were here yet. Yep, memories.

 

Jennifer told me when we were getting ready to put a roof on the house that they could put a new roof on the green house at the same time. It seemed like unnecessary expense to me, but it is certainly easy to see how many holes the hail put in that plexiglass now. The snow melts slowly and the water is just coming down inside the two big coops. Oh well. Not like it will rain all summer long! It would have really had to be a good stove to keep the vegetation from freezing in there, too. Will start over in the spring maybe. Or not. Just about rather put pot plants around the place and see what grows out front.

 

AnnaBeth Graf said that they got a freeze down there in Mississippi, too. Her lemon tree froze. She was sad, but it is not like she is alone in losing trees. Florida got hit pretty badly with weather, too. Guess we might as well get used to the idea of doing without citrus fruits. Life goes on.

 

Had some kind of meal this afternoon that mostly tasted like some wild fire spice. It contained rice, a bit of corn, pinto beans, black beans and some HOT spices. Healthy Choices meant eating what one could as quickly as the fires were put out!

 

 Dumber than a salted slice of dirty ice tonight. Not looking forward to many more times when we get more cold weather. In fact, we could just cancel winter at this point as far as the dogs, the hens, and the old woman are concerned. May have to let the kitchen faucets drip and the cabinet doors stand open for a week longer, but ready to see some days with temps in the 60s! Who knows: some grass might come up out there in the back yard!

 

Remind me not to gripe when the lawnmower needs to be brought out of the workshop this spring. Will have to talk to a Smith boy about that, but will enjoy watching the yard turn about any color except brown.

 

Remember to pray for those who can’t even begin to dig out of the snow and ice. Pray for those who are having to repair electric lines and water lines as well. Our world is not ready to exempt us from winter just yet.

 

Rest and find joy in whatever your hands find to do. You are loved.