Dear Winter,

     It's so nice to see you again. Please leave. I was thrilled when you arrived an' I took special pleasure in the snow you brought so we could have a white Christmas. In fact, that was very considerate, on your part. In spite of the fact that my heart raced with joy when you arrived, I'm beginning to notice murmurings of discontent among the masses. I fear you may be reduced to tears, should your old, cold ears pick up the whisperings that might travel on the wind. No disrespect intended, of course, but it would not be a good idea to give in to such frozen showers, if my opinion counts for anything.

     In case you haven't been keeping good tabs on just how busy you've been, may I remind you that evidence of your extended visit is virtually everywhere. Although I'm sure the farmers are thankful for the moisture so their crops will benefit, I rather think they would not like it if you should continue to shed tears and turn an already messy situation into an impossibly dangerous one by adding your icy personality. Keep in mind that 'Safety First' should always be your motto.

     I've noticed that you seem to have forgotten to be safe in some of your ventures. Recently, when you arranged for my good hubby-buddy and I to spend time in a ditch, we did not feel that you were practicing 'Safety First.'

     Rumor has it that Spring is impatient for her vacation here. We have enjoyed getting to know you soooooo well, this year. Now, its time to move on an' let Spring have her time with us. Yes, I realize that it may be a little early for such change, but I'm tired of being so cold. I'm looking forward to lilacs an' tulips. Two-lips is my kinda' season; not Blue-lips.

     I have your bags all packed an', though you may be very comfortable where you are, please don't let the door hit you in the rear, as you leave.

     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

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

Frogs In The Fog!

     I'm hiding indoors.  Shhhh!  Don't tell.  I don't want that Ol' North Wind to find me.  He's out there, waiting.  Blowin' at about a million miles an hour and lookin' for me.  That's why I'm in here, hiding.  I thought about hiding behind the snow, but its cold out there.  If you see Ol' North Wind, don't you tell 'im where I'm hidin', k?  Maybe someday, you'll wanna' hide from him and I can keep YOUR secret.

     Funny thing about this whole Extended Winter thing... it seems to have put me into a really silly poetry-writing mood.  Naturally, I had to post one of my silly poems, just to show you how the weather is messing with my brain.  One can only hope that you are not having the same problem with unruly weather.

     Someone, pleeeeeeeeze... SAVE ME!  I don't wanna' do Winter Any More.  HEEEEEEEEELLLP!!!

 

Fog Spit

Fleeg, flag, flog,

I think I ate a frog.

The weatherman

Said, "Get your Tan,"

But I'm wrapped up in fog!

I cannot see before me!

I cannot see behind!

But just before I heard a croak,

My mouth was open, wide!

EW, Ptooey!  EW, Ptooey!  EW, Ptooey, SPIT!

I cannot think of other things with Frog Juice on my Lip.

When this fog's gone and I get home, I'll wash and spit and clean.

Until that time, the fog is thick and I just wanna' scream!

     I hope you're surviving winter.  Stay inside, where its warm and cozy.  And, until the next time, keep a hug on.

Yaya