I was sitting in the living room yesterday morning, watching big flakes of snow drift down, watching the birds at the feeder, feeling the heat from the fireplace warming my toes. Realizing how lucky I was that I had this beautiful place to call home.
Let it snow…let it snow.
And it got me to wondering. When you look out the window…what do you see?
I’m curious…can you share with me the world outside your window?
Katie here. Mama says I can have one more day on her blog because….drum roll please….today is MY 7th BIRTHDAY!
It’s snowing on my birthday!
Mine mine mine mine mine…uh..ahem. I’ve already made my mama take me outside six times this morning. I don’t actually do anything out there except play in the snow…
This is my backyard. Mama got it for me.
…and look gorgeous for my mama so that she can take more pictures. That sort of seems like I’m giving her a birthday present doesn’t it. I’ll have to make sure she pays me back.
My birthday closeup turned out great.
I’m waiting for my cake now. Funny. I don’t smell anything baking. I’m sure she’ll figure it out sooner or later though. I have to give her extra time sometimes cause she’s a bit crazy, my mama.
But I love her anyway.
Happy Birthday to me!
Katie here. I’ve been asking and asking and asking and finally my Mama took me out for a game of Frisbee. Snow makes the game even better. Don’t you think?
Got it!
It’s Tuesday night and that means I was at band practice right? Well sort of. Tonight the high school was doing a holiday concert, and as we have several high school musicians in our community band who would be performing, we opted to attend their event and then claim the stage after for our own dress rehearsal. We have our holiday concert this Friday evening.
Today I had a specially difficult day at work and I wasn’t in the mood for holiday music, but the kids, dressed in their black suits and tux shirts or long black dresses quickly got me in the spirit. They were just so elegant, so confident, so very very young. And did I mention talented?
I watched them enjoy themselves as they produced wonderful music. I watched them lean in and let all that creativity float free. I watched them focus, concentrate, immerse themselves. And I saw in them my own high school band, saw their futures spread out before them, remembered so much of what they have not yet experienced.
I wish them a future filled with music. I hope when they look back 40 years from today they are sitting in the audience watching kids who are sitting elegantly, creatively, earnestly; kids preforming beautiful holiday music which helps to ease the day’s burdens and bring on the Christmas spirit. And I hope they remember tonight and all they felt as they made the music that washed over us. Better yet – I hope 40 years from now they are still playing in a band, still making music.
We gave them a standing ovation, then climbed up on the stage to rehearse our own music. Tired, we ran through the music for the concert, cleaning up a few little things here and there. I marked 4 measures I need to figure out before Friday, others did too. Our last piece is the classic “Sleigh Ride.” You know the one where the horse whinnies at the end? Everyone does it. Every year. Without fail. Still, it’s familiar, it’s Christmas, it’s fun. What better way to end a concert?
The musical version of horses clomping through snow was ringing in my ears as I trudged out to the car through fresh snow, the wind whipping at my legs, my eyes stinging, my fingers freezing. I was kind of loosing all that Christmas spirit. But as I turned on the ignition the radio sprang to life…they were playing “Sleigh Ride” and I began to hum along. And then I took the long way home, through the neighborhoods, looking at the Christmas decorations and singing with the radio.
Seems it just takes a little bit of music, a bit of reminiscing while watching talented kids play, a little music of my own, to let the cares of the day go. I recommend it to all of you. Check your local high school’s website. Every school band is doing a concert about now. Get yourself over there, support them and collect your reward – a renewed faith in kids, in holidays, in kindness and goodness and beauty.
You’ll be humming “Sleigh Ride” on the way home. I guarantee it.
It snowed today. Again. Snow doesn’t seem to mind that it’s the end of April or that we’re all beyond tired of the cold wet stuff. That we don’t think it’s pretty anymore and no one is excited when they notice snow flakes from our office windows.
Pretty – right?!
No this wasn’t today. This was April 6, 2009. Just to put today into perspective.
Still, wouldn’t it be fun to wear flip flops and walk in sunshine?
Maybe sometime soon.
Memories…
Daffy Daffodils
The weather guy forecasts more cold days, maybe even some snow for the coming week. But I’m not discouraged. We were momentarily in the 50’sF (10 C) on Friday and again today. We saw a tiny bit of sun. And repeatedly I’ve heard and seen the sand hill crane screeching across the sky.
But today I heard the red-winged blackbird sing which is proof positive that it is spring regardless of the weather guy’s prediction. On a quick tour of the yard Katie and I found even more evidence; little bits of green poking their heads cautiously out of the mulch.
Sedum hides beneath the fall leaves.
Brave little souls aren’t they.
Poppies poke nervously toward summer.
Katie and I went looking for the snowdrops we know come up behind the house, and there they were! Fewer this year but still blooming their little hearts out for us.
It’s springtime in their hearts.
And the clincher that it must be spring?
Almost got him!
Katie chased her season’s first chipmunk up the drainpipe.
Yep, we’ll probably be roasting hotdogs on the grill any day now.
Geranium greets spring.
Weather people say it will reach 50 (10 C) today. So what if it might rain a little too…we’re still excited.
It’s been a long winter and I am not alone in waiting impatiently for spring.
Stoically waiting for spring.
Lately it seems even inanimate objects are waiting….waiting…
Lonely slide
…waiting for the first soft spring breeze tinged with warmth.
But there is hope. Yesterday on the way to doggie school I spotted a red winged blackbird preening in the top of a tree. I haven’t heard them yet but I am sure I will today when Katie and I go to the park to play.
Missing the children
In fact last weekend while Katie and I were scuttling around avoiding the bitter wind I’m almost sure I heard a sandhill crane’s cry. And earlier in the week I’m almost positive I saw two of them standing on the ice in a marshy area as I was driving to work. I just caught them out of the corner of my eye but I’m sure those were cranes and not geese. Almost sure.
Right now our morning backyard still has snow. (Click on photo to ‘see the light.’)
Morning sheds light on hope
But we’re betting on the weather guy that this afternoon will be amazing. And we listen to Mr. Cardinal as he sings with joy.
Ode to joy
Early morning snow.
Benjamin and Lassiter’s Mom looked at my Wordless Wednesday photo on the tiny screen of her phone and thought it was geese winging their way north, signifying spring. Ah well. Which got me to thinking. Some of us in the northern reaches of the world wouldn’t mind a hint of spring about now.
This morning I woke to another couple inches of fresh sticky snow with more coming down. It is pretty but it is snow. More snow. And as much as I know the snow is good for us and our state crops and our lake levels I am beginning to wish for little green sprouts. I know. It’s way too early and if things were sprouting or bursting into flower here on the last day of February we’d be in the same predicament we were last year when everything woke too early and then was killed in the next so predictable freeze.
Still. If you’re in a part of the country where spring is legitimately beginning maybe you could share a bit of it with us? We like to think of it creeping toward us; town by town, county by county, state by state. Anticipation is the best part and we will enjoy our own spring so much more if you share some of yours.
What’s happening down south? Are you enjoying those first warm breezes that smell of new grass and mud? Do you have peepers in your pond yet? Have you heard the blackbird sing?
Let us know. It will make shoveling that sidewalk – again- just a bit easier.
Sticky early morning snow.
Rabbit Run
Change Is Hard 