Give A Thought

The Allegra Rose

Paul Barden Photo

My dear friend Allegra needs all the help she can get. She is very ill and needs my peeps to give her their prayers, positive energy or whatever can be sent her way. 

I have become very fond of this amazing woman. She is strong in spirit, but her body is betraying her. If you are so inclined, give her a thought today.

Of Sparkles and Mothers

As dawn approached this morning it unveiled one of the wonders of the world; hoar frost. My landscape is sparkling in its' shroud of diamonds. Soon it will blow away, but until then the trees shine.

We have been through a series of firsts this year. The year my father died. The year my mother has lived alone for the first time in her life. She comes from a time when a daughter went from her father's house to her husband's. The daughter of Irish immigrants who identified herself as his wife. Struggling to understand a life alone.

So I made a Christmas for her. I strung lights in the house, sparkles on the house plants, ornaments glistening in bowls. I set a formal table, something I learned because of her insistence on finishing school for me. Doesn't that sound quaint and archaic. I thought so as I had to attend because she insisted. I made manicotti, something my mother would climb mountains for.

And it was good. It was peaceful and happy and bright. The fire snapped, the lights glowed and my mother drank champagne, ate cake and was smiling. She is not accustomed to smiling. I did right.

For now, there is the hoar frost. Nature did right as well.

Lest You Be Fooled

American Gothic

Grant Wood

In the barn Christmas morning:

Me:  South of France.

Him:  South of France?

Me:  I'd like to be in the south of France.

Him:  Is that what they are talking about on the radio?

Me:  No. I'd rather be in the south of France.

Him:  Cause they're talking about it on the radio?

Me:  No. I'd rather be in the south of France than here scooping poop.

Him:  You'd rather be in the south of France scooping poop.

Me:  No. I'd just rather be in the south of France. No poop.
            
Him:  Cote d'Azur?

Me:  That will do.

About sums it up.

Peace, Comfort And A Rhyme

A fire burned bright, a lovely sight.

A little nosh before dinner is always a winner.

The room is aglow, so no one would know, the manicotti came out of the oven too slow!

To end a wonderful night, an ice cream cake is sure to delight.

A new nutcracker stands tall, the envy of them all!

I wish you all Peace and Comfort. 

Taking a Moment

Snowstorm at night

 Morning light

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Up A Tree

Or is it the tree is up.....finally.
The little tree is brought in and placed in the stand. Some of my blogging friends have been doing tree posts, so I thought I would as well.

How much easier this is than those very tall trees I used to buy. No falling over. No fights. No muss, no fuss. Sometimes a person does get wiser with age, but what I really think it is, is the body starts to refuse and the mind just has to finally give in. But getting wiser seems a good cover for getting old!

Howard is keeping a vigil. He doesn't want to miss Santa Claus and the bag of biscuits. I told him it's too soon, but he wants to be thorough.

I am done. It took me days to get this little tree finished.

It's snowing again. If you don't hear from me, I'm buried under a mountain of snow. Actually I am buried with work, so I won't be around for a little while. I need to get myself caught up, as the weather and the approaching holiday have overwhelmed my life. See you in a few.

A Recurring Theme

My Winter Wonderland. And my wintry Mr. Wonderful, aka Zing.

I wrote something yesterday in response to a comment which has caused me to spend a little time contemplating that statement. I said I no longer thought that I, as an individual, made a difference anymore. I thought about that throughout the day, I thought this a statement someone who is accustomed to a certain amount of privilege would make. A person whom is used to their point of view being heard and mattering. 

My life circumstances have changed some, but if I am open about it, I still have it easier than many. Our situation is more precarious than I would have ever thought it could be, but this reinforces my belief that most people are closer to the edge than they realize.

Now you would think this thinking would have put me deeper into my sadness, but it did not. Overall, we are all in this mess together, some of us simply don't know it yet. The only way we are going to get out of the mess is to come together. I do not believe we will enjoy life in a banana republic. I, for one, have too much to lose.

So, I am going to stop wallowing. I will limit my exposure to the madness going on around me, but I will not give up. Grassroots movement is the only answer to an incredible situation. The workings are there, it's just a matter of moving. The alternative is to buy a Panama hat.

A Short Read

Put in a nutshell, why I am so very sad.

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Because

It is what we have.

It really is beautiful. I know there are those of you out there whom have never experienced winter as I know it. The frozen landscape is foreign, as recognizable as the terra of the moon. This year, as I am struggling with sadness I find the beauty of my landscape comforting. There is a peace about it which slows my mind a bit and causes me to stop fretting for a time. It allows for the quiet joy of watching the horses, tails up, prancing and snorting as they make their way through the deep, fluffy whiteness of their pastures. I laugh out loud when they come to the gate wanting in, faces covered with snow from rooting around in it like small children.

I believe I will put up a Christmas tree this year. I have displayed my little collection of nutcrackers, which has sparked an interest in decorating. Even a heathen such as myself can enjoy a pretty tree. Today seems perfect for venturing out to the tree lot in the small town a couple of miles from home. We are having a beautiful snowfall, everything is covered in down. Straight out of a Currier & Ives print.

Enough of my dusty musings, it's time to get myself up and out to face the day. The good part is, I get to watch those marvelous beasts play like happy children as they romp in the new snow. They really are amazing; they notice everything and they will know the snow is fresh and ripe for rolling about in. Then jumping up and chasing the nearest victim, just because.

My Land, Wish It Were Your Land?

What I did on Sunday. ALL DAY. A couple of feet of snow that needed to be cleared while the wind hitting my poor old self was -30 F. It's not all soup and bread!

And this is what money going up in smoke looks like. Vapor from the furnace. It was -10 this morning, but it feels brutal. Happy Days on the Farm!

Don't Try This At Home

I am not an eventer and I know very little about the sport and the people who are in it, but I came across this video and thought it would be fun for others to watch. Consider how fit and focused the horses that compete at this level must be. It is long, about 12 minutes, but it's fun. At least I think so. The rider likes his horse and calls him by name throughout the ride. You can see him patting the animal's neck several times. The horse's name is Henny and the rider says it often in encouragement and appreciation.

A Mighty Blow, With Snow

We are having a full-fledged blizzard. It's been awhile since we've had the combination of light, airy snow and strong winds. I can't see anything but white beyond the spruce. There are areas where it has drifted so that the snow is up around Mark's thigh. Mark always thinks of the dogs, so short stuff, aka Howard, can get out via the path Mark shoveled for him.

The weather makes me want soup, so I put together a vegetable/bean/barley soup for lunch. It was good, even if I do say so myself. I used some of the frozen zucchini from my garden, now a distant memory.

This is what a screen looks like when it is cold and snowy. When warm and full of good food, it is easy to find beauty in something so harsh. The dogs, horses and people on the farm are snuggly holed up inside. The very elderly barn cat, Lucy, has her mound of hay in the loft that she burrows into to keep  warm. She must be a very smart cat, as she is as old as Margaret and has lived her entire life in the barn. Those kitties rarely reach a geriatric age.

We are in for some severe weather over the next couple of days. We will all be trapped inside until the deepfreeze breaks its hold. Of course, there are the trips to the barn, but they hardly count. Except at the moment when my face nearly cracks open as I walk up the incline to the house, full on into the deeply below zero wind. Ah, my. You've gotta love it. So we Minnesotans talk about how hardy we are, instead of openly admitting someone, somewhere along the way, made a terrible mistake settling this land. They must have come here in June or September, because those are the only two months that I could understand someone thinking it would be a good idea to live in a cabin, wind whistling through the chinks, with nothing but a fire to warm the place.

It is strangely beautiful. From the warmth of the house.

Two Dog Night

Twilight, cold, and the dogs needed to play. Howard long ago learned he cannot keep pace with Grace, so he wisely stands at the alert as she speeds around the yard. If she comes within a reasonable distance, he will dart out at her, hoping he can at least touch her. She is fast.

The joy of running; She literally bursts with it as she races the yard. Howard is a living, breathing cartoon, which tends to overshadow the greyhound, but he is almost invisible when Grace runs. Of the greyhounds I have had, this is the fastest and she is the one who exalts in the  race. Odd, as she is from show lines and the others were racers. I wish I could bottle what she has when she is at speed. She enters complete, total happiness. And it is the one time the little stub is left without a plan.

This old gal has decided that anything soft is meant for her laying pleasure. She believes with advanced age comes privilege. This is what greeted the dogs and me when we came in from their play. I had dropped some things on the kitchen table that I intended to put in a bag for giving away. Nothing like a cat in repose on the table. I am not one who allows the cat on the counters and such. But the old lady has decided she will take her pleasure wherever she finds it. Perhaps it is a lesson I should heed myself.

I could learn something from all three of them. Accepting my limitations and exercising patience whilst I wait for an opportunity, as is Howard's way. Rejoicing in what I do well and expressing the happiness it gives me, ala Grace. And doing what I damned well please and offering up no apology, as my wise old Margaret so gracefully does.

Now if I could also sleep away half of the day, as do they, I might be onto something. 

Out In The Cold

It is a cold morning; -2 degrees Fahrenheit when I got up this morning and currently 8 degrees. My little patch of frozen land is cold and beautiful. We will be out in the barn all day. Injury and illness have put the work behind. I have been keeping up with the basics only.

Getting up to such a cold morning caused me to make a nice pot of minestrone to have for lunch. We need something warm and fortifying to get us through the day. 

I will back to visiting my blogging friends next week. Life is backed up and I don't like it when my world starts to lose its' bearings. My knee is better and Mark is getting better, so life picks up where we left off. Now it's time to venture out and start pitching!

Lost

I believe I have lost my voice. 

I am sorry for my unexplained absence. I have had nothing to say and I have not had the impetus needed for me to try to engage in what others are saying. In short, I believe I am despondent and need the time to get myself back.

I read too much. I am very worried about the future and the daily news does not help my cause. So I have put myself to the work on my farm and little else.

We had a beautiful snowfall overnight. I will be spending considerable time plowing us out, but the beauty of the landscape is worth it. The horses will appreciate the cushioning it provides, as the frozen, rutted ground was hard on the feet. I appreciate the lift it gives my spirit.

I am thankful for the kind people who check on my welfare. As I have mentioned in the past, I lead a somewhat isolated life and winter only increases the solitude, so it is welcome when someone wonders what has happened to me. I am alive, I am well. I'm just bummed.

Unprepared

For this.

We awoke this morning to heavy, wet snow. And it is still snowing at quite a pace. We should not be unprepared, we live in Minnesota. And it was predicted.

But yesterday was spent working hard in the barn and not thinking about the impending storm.

I am feeling better, but wouldn't you know ~ I slipped on the back deck this morning, did the splits as I landed on my knees and heard a tearing sound at my right knee. Getting old is hell. I have a heat patch and a standing wrap (horse equipment) wrapping my knee. The day will be spent in the recliner, I believe.

Other than that, life is okay. I always enjoy the first snowfall. I think it is one of nature's beautiful sights. I think this for a day or two. Then it becomes god's forsaken frozen land. But the first, it's beautiful.

So, it is painful sitting here and I hear the recliner calling my name. Really, I did not need to wreck my knee to spend the day in a chair.

If You Have The Time

spend some of it reading this article.

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November Third

We are watching the unraveling of a nation.

My heart is so heavy this morning I want to burst into tears. It is hard for me to understand how America became this thing that it is. How did we, as a people, become so cruel, harsh and mind numbingly ignorant? How did we become the people, who in two short years decide to put the very people who got us into this trouble in the first place, back into power?  Let us see what happens as these self-professed budget hawks push extended tax cuts for the mega rich, adding to the great black hole of the deficit they profess so much concern about. Let us watch as they continue to support the largest, wealthiest multi-national corporations off-shoring their corporate headquarters to post office boxes in the Caymans, freeing them from paying any federal income taxes as they continue to put their hands out for federal subsidies. Let us watch as the Democratic Senate and President cave in on almost everything. Let us get used to high unemployment and low wages. We have a new normal.

So as the rest of the world moves forward, we will go backward. We will doggedly hang onto our myth of rugged individualism. We will continue to talk about our freedom, our Constitution, our uniqueness. And we will continue down the path we have been following for thirty years. The path which has led us to joblessness, poverty, insecurity, debt, fear. We will continue in our blind belief that the titians of industry and finance, the masters of the universe will allow us to grab hold of their coattails. We will continue to believe in a free market driven economy. We will continue to believe the mantra that all taxation is bad. We will continue to believe that cutting costs, cutting government, privatizing everything, is in the best interest of the people. And as the weight of this belief bears down on us, as it crushes our lives, we will continue to look at the other, the people who are not 'us' and bring all of the forces of our fears and frustrations down upon them.

It is my opinion we have cooked our own goose.

God help America.

Oh Well

It's a windy and rainy day in the northland. I thought a lovely bouquet of tulips are in order.

I have not been very active lately. I will admit I am not feeling well. More than the bad cold I have had. Fortunately, I live in America where we have the best healthcare money can buy. Which is why I have held off going to the doctor, because money is the key component in our remarkably ignorant system.

I will need to part with some of our dearly earned and dwindling greenbacks. You know, I live so close to Canada that I wonder if I could get an honorary citizenship. I'll behave. I won't pollute your civil society with a rugged individualism myth or assail your ears with fear, freedom and talk of the marketplace taking care of everything. I'll quietly sip my tea and be grateful.

Is This What We Have Come To?

Due to a Supreme Court ruling in February, corporations have the right to free speech, meaning they may funnel as much money into the political forum as they see fit and they may do it anonymously. This group got an amendment on the Colorado ballot essentially banning all abortions. No one will know who is funding this.

This is not about abortion, but rather how far we have gone, becoming increasingly extreme not only in our views, but in our expression of said views. This is the sitting President of the United States. I was taught to respect the office, if not always the holder of the title. Obviously there are no lines which cannot be crossed. And just as obvious, it seems there are no limits to the number of people willing to cross them.

I fear for us. I really do.



Pay attention the quote by Jefferson. Funny how the living, breathing life, the life which has been born holds no meaning to these very same people.

A Note

Some people put all of their ducks in a row.

It seems I put all of my plants in a row.

This is the view I saw the other day as I lay in my chair suffering the insult of a very bad cold. Of course the weather has been gorgeous while I have been miserable. Not fair.

Anyway, this is a note to say I am still alive. I'm slowly getting better, but I don't have much energy. It really is amazing how a 'simple' cold can put a person off their feet.