We are in the second week of winter now. I will forget about the countdown sometimes. Other times I will do the math. It is a game for me. We are in for some frigid temperatures. Single teens. I am wondering whether we will face any big snow storms. We will see. We are in the middle of winter. There is no doubt about it now. My periodic countdown is a way I have of marking the end of that season and awaiting spring. As you can tell I am not too thrilled with the cold weather. I just bear it and make sure I am properly dressed for the day.
Tags: frigid temperatures, seasons, second week of winter, snowstorms, spring, the cold weather, upcoming spring, winter, winter countdown
Posted in balance, local, seasons, time |
I could not imagine moving back to NJ, where I had lived most of my life. It has been over twenty-five years in Central Pennsylvania. My roots are now here. I have fallen in love with this area. If you live long enough in one spot you develop roots there. You can’t go home again. You can’t go back.
Tags: NJ, PA, you can't go back, you can't go home again, your roots
Posted in balance, life, local, mental health, relationships, seasons, time, wisdom |
I don’t know how much longer Pax will be with us. Last night the dog came in and walked to the kitchen. He was on his haunches and his hind legs were so weak that he could not get up right away. He has two torn knees and get pain meds twice a day. Our vet said on his last visit just make him as comfortable as you can. There is no more he can do for him. Pax is thirteen and an half–pretty old for a large dog. The time will come when we will have to put him down. Right now I will enjoy him as long as I can. He won’t be around much longer.
Tags: dogs, large dog, Pax, pax has two torn knees, pets, two torn knees, vet
Posted in death, local, pets, relationships, time |
It is so easy to become unhappy. It is so easy to center on what you don’t have. I have to center on the multiple blessings I have been given: food, shelter, a loving wife. Humans have the capacity to want things they don’t have. It only makes me unhappy. For the rest of the Christmas season and New Year I will thank the Lord for the many blessings I have been given. There is so much I have to thank the Lord for. I will think about those things the rest of the year.
Tags: blessings, Christmas, count your blessings, food and shelter, God, gratitude, it is so easy to become unhappy, loving wife, multiple blessings, New Year, thank God, thank the Lord
Posted in balance, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, seasons, time, wisdom |
We are in the middle of a minor four day heatwave. Yesterday was the first day of official winter. It was in the low fifties, today it will hit the low sixties. Tomorrow will be in the low fifties. Then cold again. At least when I start my countdown to spring it is only one season I have to count down. Today I will just enjoy the weather. And the unusually mild temperatures.
Tags: countdown to Spring, first day of winter, mild heatwave, spring, weather, winter
Posted in balance, local, seasons, time |
I looked at my dogs outside. All four. Each was facing away from the large white pine tree forming a circle around the tree in a different direction. I love my four dogs. Each differently. Coco, a female black long haired is simply sweet. Pax the elder likes the sound of his own voice. Sweetie the golden retriever is just that sweet and happy go lucky and loves to gnaw on branches. Tilla and I have a special relationship. I earned his loyalty by almost endlessly rubbing his belly. In fact, he often gives me a hug by resting his upper body on me and then having me pet him. He is no small dog–at least seventy pounds–very affectionate. All of them are big. They are enjoying the snow today. I never in my wildest dreams expected to own four dogs (and that does not include the seven cats who roam the house). To say the least, we have no mouse problem in our house. I could not have imagined this menagerie twenty-five years ago.
Tags: belly rubs, big dogs, Coco, dog hugs, dogs, four dogs, my menagerie, no mouse problem, Pax, pets, seven cats, snow, Sweetie, Tilla, white pine tree
Posted in local, pets, relationships |
Every day is a gift. And a miracle. There is no way to get around that but to lead a life of despair. I chose not to do that. Every thing in my life is only by grace. I chose to believe every day is a miracle. And sometimes I wallow in despair. And have to work through it. The dawn is always around the next corner. In fact, it is right in front of you. And life can be bitter and contain much loss and pain. I have to work through it. And walk toward the Light–the Light that is always there. And sometimes I stop seeing it. It is there but my vision is clouded. I have to remove the blinders over and over. It is a process. I chose to believe every day is a miracle. There is no other way to live. The only other choice is despair.
Tags: dawn around the corner, dawn right in front of you, despair needs to be worked through, every day a miracle occurs, every day is a gift, every thing is by grace, God, grace, life can be bitter, life of despair, much loss and pain, remove the blinders, sometimes stop seeing the Light, The Light, the Light is always there, vision clouded, walk toward the Light, wallow in despair
Posted in balance, beauty, God, health, knowledge&learning, life, mental health, seasons, time, wisdom |
I don’t think the primrose will survive the winter. We are in the middle of an extended freeze. The last two years they never died and bloomed through out the winter. That was somewhat unusual. As hardy as they are they will not make it this time. It has been too cold, for too long. They will come up, again, in early spring and bloom then.
Tags: bed of primrose, flowers, flowers blooming in Winter, garden, primrose, spring, the extended freeze, the hardy primrose, winter
Posted in beauty, flowers, local, nature, seasons, time |
I have been inspecting our bed of primrose in my yard every morning. They like this cold weather but still no more flowers. There are at least five plants in that bed but so far there has been only one flower from the bunch. A few weeks ago. I will keep an eye on them. The weather is to their liking so it should have more buds soon.
Tags: flowers, garden, Primrose and cold weather, the budding primrose
Posted in beauty, flowers, local, nature, time |
I put out all my birdseed. I was out of all my different kinds–regular, sunflower, suet and thistle. A nuthatch immediately found the birdseed (regular) on the platform I laid seed on. I put fresh thistle for the goldfinch. My wife said they all migrated away. I suspected the thistle (which I had bought months ago) had gone stale. I will see who is right. I almost never run out of feed for them. It was only a day so they were not out of feed too long. Anyway, I now will continue to watch the visitors that come to my feeders.
Tags: bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, birdseed, goldfinch, my wife, nuthatch, suet, sunflower seed, thistle, watching the birds out my window
Posted in birds, local, nature, time |
I froze. I quickly dashed out for an errand and was glad to be back in my heated house. Twenty-nine degrees outside. Yes, winter has come. Not officially for another three weeks. The cold is here to stay. Once winter comes I will start a countdown to spring. Anything to relieve the cold. I know before I know it winter will pass and spring is next. It is all an illusion. The cold weather is here to stay. It is going to be a long winter.
Tags: autumn, countdown to Spring, heated house, long winter, the cold weather, the illusion of seasons, winter
Posted in balance, local, seasons, time |
