SNOW!!

There's just something about the first snowfall. Ours came today. The total accumulation can probably be measured in microns, but it snowed!

It's cold and damp. That's what happens for a first snowfall. It gets cold, (duh!) but not quite could enough. Much of the snow melts as it hits the still-warm ground. The damp just lingers in the air.

Later in the winter, when it's truly cold, the snow won't melt. It'll stay on the ground, the air will stay dry, and, although it will be cold, it won't be this damp-chill-through-to-the-bone-cold. I can actually handle 5 degrees better than 35 degrees. It seems backwards, but that's the backwardness that is me!

And this exhilaration I'm feeling at the sight of the first snow won't last, of course. As each successive snowstorm comes, yes, I'll enjoy it. I'll enjoy the crispness, and the stark branches against the grey sky, the red of rose hips against the white of the snow, the puffs of steam when people and animals breathe. Come March, though, this very same damp cold and sloppy snow will wear and tear on the soul. That's one of the things that makes spring, true spring ("wuv, twue wuv") so wonderful. That's one of the reasons I would really not enjoy a life in Florida, or Arizona, or even Tennessee. I need, really need a thorough change of seasons during the year. And I don't just mean hot season, less hot season, tourist season, migrating bird season, hot season again.

But for now, I'm enjoying the first snow, the first frosty fingers and nose, the last time I forget gloves and a hat for a while.

High Pressure

If the pounding in my head and neck are any indication, we're in for some storminess pretty soon. Or not. Maybe I'm just exhausted. We had an eventful Thanksgiving.

Without going into any detail, we traveled 19 hours; the usual round trip is about 13 hours. 6 of us in a 5-passenger car. We started out in two cars; one car whose fan motor gave up the ghost along the way, and another which gave up the ghost altogether. Too bad about $1000 was put into the car before it did!

This week will see 3 of the 6 of us moving out of here into another home. 2 dogs, a cat and a guinea pig will join them. I will be cleaning like a banshee. Yay, me!!

Still working on planning a trip to Europe, and am looking forward to (?) bunion surgery in the middle of next month. Stay tuned....

The Advent of our King

The advent of our King Our prayers must now employ,
And we must hymns of welcome sing In strains of holy joy.

The everlasting Son Incarnate deigns to be,
Himself a servant's form puts on To set His servants free.

O Zion's daughter rise To meet your lowly King,
Nor let your faithless heart despise The peace he comes to bring.

As judge, on clouds of light, He soon will come again
And His true members all unite With Him in heav'n to reign.

Before the dawning day Let sin's dark deeds be gone,
The sinful self be put away, The new self now put on.

All glory to the Son, Who comes to set us free,
With Father, Spirit, ever one Through all eternity.