Winter in the Northern Hemisphere

I started this post yesterday, so references to Monday are still in the post.

I am certain you all think this post is just about the wintry weather of this past week, and continuing. I considered that, but decided that such a post might come off as whining about the deep snow and deep cold. Not the case. The whining I mean. The deep snow and deep cold are very real. There are so many topics to cover, I hardly know which way to go. But, here is a photo of my back yard. I think you can see the blowing snow.

If you are a football fan, did the weekend games go according to your liking? One of my Sons-in-law has been a Cowboys fan since he was 6 years old. Now that is fan loyalty. I haven’t spoken to him since they were defeated by the Packers, but I am certain he is beyond disappointed. Cowboys fans thought this was THE year.

It is also Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so that could be another topic of discussion.

Then, here in Iowa, it is caucus night. How much turnout will be affected by the weather remains to be seen. I had planned to attend, but at the moment am undecided. I want to go. I should go. But do I want to fulfill my opportunity to make my voice heard badly enough to brave the cold and roads? It is only about a 5 mile drive. But, in the end, will it really make a difference?? However, it is my one chance to make my preference known at a level that MIGHT make a difference.

I will add a couple photos to show some of the snow, but, folks, in spite of how treacherous this weather can be, it is beautiful!!

My late husband would have said, “You can say that because you don’t have to go out and do the chores.” I will state here that that is not the case. I did my share of bucking snowdrifts carrying buckets of feed, breaking the ice in the water tank so the animals could drink, and shoveling snow. That was when I was younger. (What? Am I not still young? My grandma, at 86 or something, said, “I still feel 19 inside.” I do too, but the body says differently) There are benefits to aging (Not many, but some). For example, my neighbors, Rick and Jake, came and plowed out my driveway with their tractor and Bobcat. Had they not done that, I would have had to shovel several feet of snow, which, by the way, is heavy and wet, or wait until spring for it to melt.

Jake also scooped a path to my car, then started it as it hadn’t been started for 6 days. He also carried in 2 bags of bird seed for me. See? Benefits.

The neighbor children scooped a path from my front stoop to the heated birdbath and filled it for me. The first photo is before the scooping, the second shows the after.

As you can see, there was considerable scooping done here, that I did not have to do. Benefit!

In addition to all the hard work they all did in the bitter cold, once Rick had cleared some of the drifts from the road so it might be possible to get out, they did a test run to see what roads had been cleared. I then received a phone call saying I should stay home as a 4-wheel drive vehicle would be best used to get out the one way we could get out to get to town. Otherwise, roads were still blocked by huge drifts, and the one way out was one lane. They offered to get groceries if I needed anything, adding that it is supposed to be nasty later in the week.

Now, lest you think I am a selfish old woman who takes advantage of the kindness of others, I really don’t believe that to be the case. I recognize the blessings of good neighbors and others who care enough to do good deeds. In return, I will do what I can do for them. It might only be a meal that I can prepare for them, or some other small thing, (like maybe a hand-crafted thank you card?), but they will know that they are appreciated and loved.

You may ask why depend on neighbors when I have adult children. In the first place one daughter is in Minnesota. With impassable roads, there was no way for anyone else to provide help. They did call to check on me.

Time snowed in is good for reading

Or Cleaning

Or any of the other jobs I should be doing and choose to not do!

It is also a good time to finish a couple of quilts I am working on, do some paper crafting, or take down my Christmas tree. I may leave it for awhile. I’d rather look at it than the snowy landscape outside the window, though it does hamper my view of the birds.

Speaking of the birds,

I am able to feed them and fill the birdbath, thanks to my good neighbors.

OK friends, (if you still are after reading this) it is time to get busy doing SOMETHING. Probably making some cards as I have several January birthdays and now I also need thank you cards.

YAY! The snowplow just went by, so now the road is clear enough to be able to get out should I need to. Probably slick though, and too cold to go anywhere anyway (-4currently, was -15 overnight)

Disclaimer: the books and the cleaning lady are images from the internet, not my own.