Eyeballs Frozen to the Snow Drifts

     Is it still Winter where you are?  It is here.  In fact, it is snowing, even as I type.  This morning when I woke up the snow was coming down so hard that I was sure we would be buried by noon.  Fortunately, I can still tip-toe an' reach my eyeballs just above the line of the toppest snow.  Sorta'.  Actually, if I'm not careful, my eyelashes rest on the top of the drifts an' I'm afraid they might freeze there.  I don't want that to happen 'cause then, a car could come sliding down the driveway an' not see me an' my eyeballs an' I might wind up with tire tracks in my hair.  Talk about a bad hair day!

     So, I'm gonna' hide out here, in my office.  If you want me jus' walk right across the top 'uh the snow an' tap on my second-floor window.  I'm sure I'll be able to let you in... the window, that is.  Who knows?  Maybe it will keep snowing an' you will be trapped here with me.  Then, we can have a grand party an' stay awake all night watching summa' my videos on accounta' I don't have TV piped in.

  We can sit in front of the heater, downstairs, an' not be able to see out.  It could almost be like sittin' in front of a fireplace - - - if we squint.  Okie-dokie?  We'll put our cookies an' milk on top of the heater an' chat all night an' laugh 'bout how the snow has pro'lly trapped lotsa' folks.  When its all over we can go back to growing old an' plan on tellin' 'bout our adventure to our grandies.  Are ya' in?  I'll be watchin' for you.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

A Poetry-Perfect-Photo

     Have you ever done something an' felt really good about it?  Then later, you see somethin' that reminds you of that proud moment?  I did that.  A long, long time ago, I was traveling either to or from North Dakota with my good hubby-buddy in the middle of winter.  As we drove, we were struck with how beautiful the snow was over everything.  At one point, I recall seeing fields an' fields of hay in huge round bales, each one covered with a sprinkling of snow.  Without one instant of hesitation, I hadda' grab my notebook an' start scribbling 'cause a poem had leaped into my head an' demanded to be written whilst it was fresh in my thoughts.

     Yesterday, while visiting a new neighbor on the web whom I had previously never met, I was surprised to see a picture that perfectly matched what I wanted to portray in that poem.  Believe me, I was quick about emailing the owner of that blog an' askin' if I could use her photo.  Imagine my excitement when she wrote back (about two minutes ago) an' said I could.  Below is that beautiful photo, followed by the poem I enjoyed writing, such a long time ago.  If you'd like to see some more amazing photos, be sure to go to Once Upon A Rose Haven's blog.  You won't wanna' leave.  I a'ready know you're gonna' love the picture an' I hope you enjoy the poem as much as I enjoyed writing it.

AFTER THE HARVEST

Look out across the wheat fields,

And, Oh!  What a surprise!

The shredded wheat is blooming,

I see it with my own eyes!

Where's the sugar?

Pass the milk,

It's breakfast time, I'm sure,

When shredded wheat starts blooming,

That's all I'm wishing for.

So, farmer, build a table,

Build a chair,

And build a bowl,

'Cause shredded wheat is blooming,

And it makes my hunger grow!

Just Joany 2006

 

     Thank you so much, Once Upon A Rose Haven, for letting me use your beautiful picture.

     How about you?  Do you like to take pictures or write poetry?  What is your most memorable experience?

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

Thank Goodness For Global Warming!

     Well, it seems that more than a year has passed since I last wrote. Anyway, a whole new year has arrived, so I guess that proves it. I was beginning to enjoy the excellent weather we were havin'. Then all at once, winter pounced. Everywhere I look, the only color I see is white. Now, I have nuthin' against the color white, but there are some other shades that I enjoy, as well. Ah, well; I guess winter has to have her day, too.

     I've always loved this time of year. I've lived from Washington to Florida an' Maine to California an' everywhere in-between. I've seen every possible mood that weather can offer, within the United States, an' I still love winter best. 'Course, with the onset of what some of our fine leaders have deemed as Global Warming, I may not get to enjoy too many more of these beautiful white winters. According to the Powers That Be, we could be in the process of warming ourselves right into oblivion. That is, if we don't all freeze to death, first.

     Rumor has it that no one took the time to tell Ol' Mother Earth that she's warming up. I guess no one felt that she needed to be informed. I s'pose she'll figure it out in her own time, eh? In the meantime, I hear from friends in California that snow an' rain have sent lotsa' folks --- nowhere. Yup! That's what I said; nowhere. Between the rain an' snow, I hear tell that some people are virtually living on the freeways. At least, that's what I call it when people park their vehicles on the freeway for hours an' hours at a time. It just doesn't make any sense to get in your car an' sit still, otherwise; do you think? I sure don't.

     Folks aren't doin' much better on the east coast, either. With record snowfall filling highways an' blocking passages from point A to point B, all over the country, I really think it would be in the best interest of everyone concerned to contact Mother Nature. It's jus' possible that she might be able to work somethin' out with the Powers That Be so's we could all relax an' be a little more comfortable.

     I love winter, but even I think things are goin' a little haywire. If I din't know any better, I'd say that Mother Nature is trying to prove a point. Maybe she thinks that since man wasn't there to cause all the other fluctuations in weather for the past ever-how-many thousands of years, then man should keep his opinions to himself an' let her go about doing what she has been doing for all those thousands of years, without man's input. At least, that's what I'd be saying if I were Mother Nature. All I can say is thank goodness for Global Warming or we might all freeze to death!

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

Livin' In The Ditch

     I hope you survived our most recent blizzard. 'Course, if you're reading this, chances are, you survived.  I think.  We decided to travel to the far east over the weekend.  That is, farther east than here.  We made a judgment call;  which was better; spending a frozen night in the car in a blizzard or staying the night in a nice, warm motel room?  We were rescued by a sheriff's deputy who took us to a place called Freeman; not Jailman, not Prisonman, but Freeman.  We were free to go if we wanted to, after all.  We chose to stay.  I'm sure you have it figured out which way the verdict went concerning the judgment call, right?  Just for the record, we got caught in the worst white-out I've ever seen.  'Couln't even see past the window.

      Although you prob'ly learned a long time ago that it's best not to travel in inclement weather, we're still studying that subject.  One of our sons came home to see us.  We hadda' take him to the airport a few hunnerd miles away so's he could get back home.  When we started out, things were reasonably acceptable outside.  We left early an' got our son to the airport just in time to catch his plane.  Before leaving the airport, we checked to make sure his flight would actually be happenin' an' then, we headed home.  Trouble is, the further west we went, the worse things seemed to be.  Somewhere west of Turkey Ridge, we connected with somethin' an' wound up in a ditch  (Ouch!  Further updates pending).  Thankfully, my good hubby-buddy had packed all kinds of STUFF, in case of an emergency.  For the next three hours Sheriffs from two counties searched for us.  We were finally discovered by a deputy who din't look old enough to be outta' school, much less rescuing blizzard-stranded old people.

      Our child-hero soon whisked us away to safer surroundings, where we were forced to relax, recoup an' watch Christmas movies on actual television until noon on the following day.  Since we don't have TV connection at our house, we din't really mind giving in to these demands.  A little before noon, things started happenin' rather quickly --- until we got in the car.  Then, we hadda' drive very slowly, all the way home.  But we made it.  We're here an' sooooo happy to be home.  An' jus' for curiosity's sake, I'd like to know what it is about bein' stranded in a car, in a blizzard, that makes a person consider how useful certain facilities are?

     Before I go, I'd like to apologize to ya'll.  I've been tryin' to comment on some 'uh your blogs, tryin' to Follow others an' tryin' to respond to emails.  Unfortunately, I can't seem to figure out what's goin' on with my computer.  I keep getting messages that keep me from doin' any of those things, so I do hope you will be patient with me.

     Both my good hubby-buddy an' I desperately need new computers, but we haven't figured out how to make that happen.  If any of you know of a secret computer fairy who has a couple extras, we'd sure appreciate it if you'd send 'em our way.

     In the meantime, please be patient an' know that I am tryin' my best to stay in touch with everyone.  I am able to read some 'uh your blogs an' I enjoy 'em all so much.  My computer won't lemme' go to other blogs, though.  Bear with me an' hopefully, I'll be able to get a computer that likes me.  Who knows?  Maybe Santa will show me some computer love; I doubt it, but one can always hope, can't we?

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

     ~ Yaya

Inventory In December

     Have ya' noticed? It's coming fast; December is upon us. You know what happens in December, right? Yeah; me, too --- all kindsa' fun stuff. Except for the other eleven, the month of December is one 'uh my favorite months of the year. Well, depending on the time of year, that is.

     How's come December is one 'uh my favorites? Well, jus' sit yourself down an I'll tell you summa' the things that make me look forward to this time of year. Alrighty; let's take inventory 'bout the tail-end of the year. First, of course, is the wonder of nature. Snow. I love snow. Shhhh; don't tell anyone what I jus' said on accounta' I've heard that snow isn't necessarily the favorite thing around these parts. Remember; keep it on the QT.

      Naturally, there's a reason I like the white stuff. Wanna' know why? KIDS! As far back as I can remember, wherever there was snow, there was sure to be kids. 'Course, there don't seem to be quite as many kids as when I WAS one, but some of 'em still come drifting outta' the woodwork when the flakes start falling.

     Next on my list of Can't Live Without It is that awesome feeling I get whenever I hear the sounds of Frosty, the Snowman or Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It's hard not to love a season that causes people to create whimsical characters; don't you agree?

     Have you ever noticed how friendly an' happy people are during the last month of the year? Oh, don't get me wrong; I think most people are friendly an' happy most of the time. But in December, it's almost as if we are all bit by the same bug; the Cupid of the holiday season, you might say. The joy is so contagious, in fact, that it might almost be considered an epidemic. Let's hope no one with authority finds the time to wrap their minds around that thought or we might hafta' find new an' creative ways to express all that happiness.

     So, by now, you're pro'lly wonderin' how I've managed to make it this far without a word about the big day. It wasn't easy, lemme' tell you. Christmas is absolutely my favorite, Favorite, FAVORITE day of the year. Nope! Nope! Not for the presents, but for what it represents. You see, it is at this time of year that funny things start happening. I like to think of it like a maple tree whose sap is spilling out at Sugaring Time.

     Look around an' see if you don't agree. You just might catch your neighbor smiling even more than usual. Or, when you aren't lookin', someone might leave a prize on your doorstep; maybe hurry to help you during a difficult time. Could be, you'll find  yourself inviting someone over for a cuppa' hot cocoa an' a chat. See what I mean? For the whole month of December an' maybe even a little longer, you're gonna' start seein' the love come pourin' outta' every person --- like a Maple Tree.

     Now, here's what you wanna' do: act real nonchalant whenever someone is near. Then, when they think you're not lookin',  jus' casually start noticing what's goin' on around you. Uh, huh! See there? Without them even knowing it, you're gonna' catch someone right in the act of bein' nice. Keep on your toes 'cause it's gonna' happen a lot more than you expect. I'd be embarrassed to have anyone mention it, but I sure hope I get caught in an unexpected act of kindness. An' you can be sure I'll be watchin' YOU. Oh, an' guess what I jus' noticed? Whilst I was writing, December jumped in.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

White Thanksgiving

 

     I used to live in South Carolina; Charleston, to be exact. Beautiful city. Summa' the homes have the taste of Old-World Southern Mansion to 'em. I really liked it there, but I've liked pretty much everywhere I've ever lived. We lived there 'bout a year; maybe a little longer. Until I moved to South Dakota, Charleston was the closest thing to feelin' like home, to me. Dunno' why.

     I recall the year I was in seventh grade. From the get-go, there were surprises. I had lived previously in Maine, where snow was just  a way of life; kinda' like the Dakotas. In Maine, the snow could be ten feet deep an' life went on like always. Stores opened, kids went to school, business din't really change all that much.

     Things are different in South Carolina. In fact, I woke up one mornin', shortly before Thanksgiving an' was thrilled to see snow on the ground. I was a kid; that's what kids do. Everything was covered in that thin layer of white that, in some places, might almost seem like frost. The locals seemed to think it had snowed durin' the night. A full quarter-inch of snow had been recorded at the weather bureau.

     7:00 in the mornin' an' there was a knock on the door. Our next door neighbor was wrapped tightly in her robe, hair still showin' pillow-friendly signs an' teeth chattering. Even before we could invite her in, Mrs. LeBeau was talkin' a mile a minute. The panic in her voice was unmistakable. She din't know what to do. Should she send her son to school or keep him home? It was snowing, after all.

     I recall the difficulty that my mama had in keeping a straight face. She was a veteran driver in ALL circumstances. It took her awhile to realize that the locals were not used to driving on slippery roads. While she tried to calm our neighbor, she casually turned the radio on to listen to the weather report. Before long, we heard the news that would be the final word in calming Mrs. LeBeau; all schools would be closed until further notice, due to unsafe driving conditions. That was Monday, before Thanksgiving. It snowed again, that night an' the next. I sure wasn't complainin'; I was a kid an' school was out, unexpectedly.

     We din't hafta' return to school until the Monday following Thanksgiving. Only time I ever recall havin' a full week off for Thanksgiving. Truth be told, it was a sorry time for a vacation; we din't even have enough snow to build a miniature snowman. Sure makes me glad that I live where I do; where snow falls for real.

     Let's hope we all get a week's vacation for Thanksgiving, this year, but not for the same reason. Otherwise, we might never dig outta' the snow.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

I Do Not Like Cat Food

     Cat food does not taste as good as you might think.  I'm sure that cat's love it, but it is definitely not my first choice for a meal.  I speak from first-hand knowledge about this.  You see, when you are face-down in the cat dish, lying in several inches of snow, it gives you time to realize jus' how unappealing that dish happens to be.

I don't want the cat food!

     I wish I could tell you more, now, but I will be gone from my computer for awhile.  We are tryin' to get many important things accomplished an' I will be up to my eyeballs in Stuff.  When I am next able to get on my computer, I will tell you the very untasty story of how I came to know that cat food is not somethin' I ever hope to taste again.  In the meantime, please know that I will be thinkin' 'bout you all an' missin' you.  I hope you will come back to hear it all.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

That's One Amazing Log!

     Its Spring!  Well, almost, anyway.  The snow is almost gone and I can see dirt.  Dirt, dirt, dirt.  I never thought I'd be so happy to see dirt.  We are s'posed to have rain tonight, turning to snow.  I'm thrilled.  NOT!  Ah, well.  Maybe this is the last-ditch effort of Mother Nature for this year's winter blast, ya' think?  I surely hope so.  I love winter, but I am waaaaaaaaay tired of struggling to get out of my driveway.

     Wanna' hear somethin' funny?  We have a woodburning stove.  We've been very thankful for it, since this is how we've kept warm, this winter.  Well, its still kinda' chilly, so of course, we're still burning wood.  Running dangerously low, so I really hope we will get to stop soon.  I mean, we will get to stop burning wood on accounta' we're about to run out.  But I mean, I hope the weather cooperates so we can stop burning wood 'cause we wanna' and not because we hafta', ya' know?

     Anyway, the night before last we put the largest piece of wood we could into the stove.  Its one of those old-fashioned cookstoves with the little shelf.  To load the wood, we lift two little round parts and a center piece, all of which keep the fire from letting smoke into the room.  So we loaded this piece of wood, about a foot and a half long and a little bigger around than a large coffee can.  Since there were coals left-over from the previous sticks of wood, it wasn't necessary to go through the steps of starting a fire under the new wood... we thought.

     Naturally, we did add a little bit of extra paper to the coals, just to be sure.  After we were sure the fire was going good, we went upstairs; each to our own office to write.  That's what we enjoy doing, writing.  In about an hour, we heard the sound of treats and drinks, calling our names.  Back downstairs and, as long as we were there, anyway, we checked the stove to see if more wood was needed.  More wood was NOT necessary because that one log was just setting there.  NOT burning.

     Now, I could stretch this story out for forty years and forty nights, giving you every little detail during my long and ridiculous night-fight with the woodstove.  I don't wanna' do that, though, on accounta' you might get bored and just up and leave.  So I'm gonna' give you the shorter version.

     Eight times, throughout the night, I poked and prodded, stabbed and fed that woodstove with everything I could think of to get that fire going.  I am not one to use ugly names, but I can tell you, I was sorely tempted to give that stove and/or that log a whole new vocabulary.  When my good hubby-buddy woke up, it was his turn to play at keeping the stove lit.

     So, here's the short version (finally?).  Thirty-one hours ago, we started burning that log.  It burned so slowly (yes, it actually burned the whole night and day) that there are still, now, embers from that same log.  I have never seen a log burn that slowly.  If you ask me, that's something of a miracle.  After all, we're running out of wood and tonight its gonna' snow.  Wouldn't you say that's a miracle?  Stay warm and 'til the next time, keep a hug on.

Yaya

Mother Nature's Best Trick

     Its not quite 7:00 AM and I have been up for several hours.  It appears that the blizzard is calming down, although I am very guarded about whether this is true or just a lull in Mother Nature's fury.  Maybe today will bring warmth and sunshine, eh?  I certainly hope so.  On Red Wagon Flights, I have posted about my very first giveaway.  I would love it if you'd check it out and enter.

     Mother Nature does seem to be carrying an attitude, this winter, don'tcha' think?  It might interest you to know that last Friday the United States was blessed with a remarkable phenomenon.  Originally, I thought that snow had fallen in every state in the US, except Hawaii.  As it turns out, I was wrong.  Hawaii also had snow.

     I don't know how this information makes you feel.  I am doing a happy dance because it happened in MY Lifetime!  Can you believe it?  Snow in all fifty states on the same day!  Very, very coooool, if you ask me.  No pun intended, but of course, it was kind of a neat accident, wasn't it?

     Be sure to wrap up warmly and stay inside.  I'm not sure that Mother Nature is ready for us to go outside, quite yet.  Until the next time, keep a hug on.

Yaya

Escapades With Flu

     Yaya sleeps fitfully, dreaming that she is making hot chicken soup for her pals, Just Joany and Wordy.  Flu is not a fun place to live and she tries to remember that she is not the only one suffering.  Feverish and out of sorts, she reaches for the chocolate pudding to flavor the chicken soup.  Something tells her this is wrong, but she can't seem to figure out why.  Chocolate is always in season, she tells herself.

     Still dreaming, she thinks she is carrying two huge pots of soup, one to Wordy and one to Joany, across the yard.  Suddenly, she is awakened by the sound of her name being called.  She looks around and realizes that she has been dreaming.

     Dismissing the sound as part of the dream, she rolls over to go back to sleep.  Must get plenty of rest if she wants to get well.  Again, she hears her name and gets up to investigate.  Outside, she sees Joany, lying in the snow and hurries to rescue her.

     Joany tells Yaya about Wordy's plight and the two of them work together to scoop up the blob that is their friend, Wordy.  It is not easy.  Finally, three personalities manage to work their way back into Yaya's house to sit in front of the fire and hope that none of them gets sicker as a result of their middle-of-the-night escapade. 

     Meanwhile, hubby-buddy sleeps on, struggling with his own flu symptoms.  Poor hubby-buddy.

     Stay well and keep a hug on.

Yaya

Watching the weather go by

     What a thrill it has been to sit indoors and watch the weather go by!  Of course, I might have enjoyed it juuuuuuust a little more if the weather hadn't chosen to live inside with me, but who am I to complain?  A little snow in the house, using the doors and windows as coolers and even freezers... it builds character, right?  Yes, we had so much snow inside that we were able to use those pockets of frozen areas to keep our sodas really, really COOOOOLLLLLDDDD.

     On the plus side, we now know that, as much as we love our new house, this is probably not where we will choose to settle down for the rest of our lives... hopefully.  Several friends are keeping their eyes open for something a little more cozy.  We still love our beautiful house.  Ourtwardly, it is everything we ever wanted.  That is, if you don't count the fact that we want more land than we have here.  Unfortunately, as the old saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover and the book we are living in is filled with stories, untold.

     Take, for instance, the many places where Old Man Winter seems quite comfortable in making himself at home... inside our house.  Personally, I wouldn't mind so much, but he does insist on bringing that cold, cold air and snow inside with him.  Makes it very difficult to heat the old place.  Of course, I shall always have a special place in my heart for this dear old house.  It is beautiful and, with enough money, I would so love to make the repairs that would allow us to live out our days here.

     Still, to all things there is a season and this home is not the thing for the winter season.  Thus, when the weather warms up, we shall spend some serious time searching for something more cozy and warm in the winter and cool in the summer.  Stay tuned for futher updates, but don't hold your breath; its still pretty frigid outdoors and I am not quite ready to venture out.  Until we do, keep a hug on.

Curious About The Seasons

     When I was a child, I noticed that seasons never seemed to follow any particular pattern. Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that I never stayed in one place for very long. Christmas in Florida, for instance, feels nothing like Christmas in Maine. In Maine, there's snow and lots of trees smelling like Santa Claus is just climbing into his sleigh. Florida, on the other hand, has Palm Trees and beaches. Nothing wrong with either place, mind you, but to a child such a difference is significant at such an important time of the year.

     The same holds true when preparing to spend the day at the beach. Go to any beach in America, south of say, the Mason-Dixon line and you know why you're there. The day is hot, the sun is comfortable and the water is pleasantly cool for the heat of the day. Head north and you may be in for a surprise. At least, that's the way it always struck me. The day was generally cool, the sun pleasant and the water {{{{{ c~o~o~o~o~l~l~l~d~d }}}}}.

     There are other telltale signs of seasons being individual, depending on what part of the country you are in, as well. Have you ever witnessed Fall in someplace like Oregon? The leaves change colors and really begin to show-off. Each tree fills with more variety than the next and every leaf tries to out-do all the others. Counter that with the changing of the seasons where Palm Trees grow. Although exceptional in its own way, the announcement of season's change is not as pronounced.

     I love everywhere I ever lived. I love the Palm Trees and the Pines. The Oak and the Redwood. And every single variety I have been fortunate enough to witness. There is no spot on this Earth that I don't think of as beautiful. In fact, I consider every creation from here to outer-space to be a mark of glory.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

This is a re-post, with a few minor adjustments.