winter | Change Is Hard

December 28, 2013
by dawnkinster 10 Comments

Relief from winter

Katie here. You know how I’ve been thinking that maybe my Mama didn’t love me anymore because she’s never around much? Well I was wrong! HA! Mama took me to the park today! It’s been forever since I’ve been at my favorite park and today Mama said that since it was so warm – 44 F (6.66 C) – and there was sunshine too that we just had to take advantage of the break from winter cold and go for a walk! WOW! Did she say GO FOR A WALK? I’m ready Mama! (Mama says click on any picture to see more detail.)

So off we went. I just love this park. And because it’s winter it’s not even officially open. We have to park in a different spot and walk in, but that’s OK, just means fewer doggies are there. Mama said there had been a big dog there earlier in the day because she saw these really big paw prints in the snow. But we didn’t see anyone while we were there.

Sometimes Mama let me be off leash, like when we were practicing my recall. Which, if I do say so myself, is pretty darn spectacular.

Other times I still had the leash but Mama got busy taking pictures of other stuff and I got to wander around a bit. In fact once when Mama was busy taking pictures of boring grass I wandered right off the path. She told me “NO! Katie come HERE!” and I told her that sometimes a girl just has to explore a little bit. Geesh.

Anyway, we had a wonderful time. I walked almost the whole way. It was harder to walk in the snow than on grass, and near the end I asked my Mama to pick me up. My Daddy says I’m a wimp. But I didn’t see him slogging around out there in the wet snow! When we got home I told him all about our adventure.

Then I sat on the sofa next to my Mama. I did not go to sleep. I was just resting my eyes.

Oh who am I kidding.

I needed a nap.

December 26, 2013
by dawnkinster 25 Comments

Holiday spirit?

I’ve heard that UPS had a problem delivering many packages that had been guaranteed for arrival by Christmas. The story was aired all day on Christmas and is still running on CNN tonight. When I first heard heard, listening to the media hype up the horror of gifts not arriving on time, I figured it was just a slow news day. But here it is still in the news.

My immediate thought was of the UPS drivers; those I’ve encountered have been the nicest people I’ve ever worked with. And they work like dogs during the holiday season, so it’s not for lack of trying that some gifts didn’t make the deadline. Frankly, if you order something within a week of the holiday and it doesn’t make it on time you should be prepared to provide a photo of the gift or a link to a website along with a letter to your intended recipient and I bet that person will be fine with the actual item showing up in a day or so. In the big scheme of things getting a gift a day or two or even a week late doesn’t take away from the fact that someone loved you enough to send something to you. And doesn’t everyone really believe that Christmas is about family and friends rather than how many gifts you receive?

So why is this still news? And why are certain government officials calling for an investigation? Sure guarantees were not met. That happens in life more than most people realize, but the world still turns. It’s not as if the gifts were stolen and will never be delivered. It’s not as though anyone intentionally cheated anyone else. It was just a combination of honest, uncontrollable events including weather and unexpected volume.

So how about we let it go. Let’s just enjoy the time we have with family and friends, and let the gifts fall where they may.

December 25, 2013
by dawnkinster 27 Comments

Merry Christmas!

Katie here. My Mama is too busy cooking and stuff so she asked me to tell you all how much she appreciates your support and all your comments on her (my) blog.

From up here in Michigan, which currently looks like a winter wonderland, we’d like to say Merry Christmas!
We hope you all have a lovely day with family or friends, or just with your fur-kids.

My Mama and Dad are going to have a quiet dinner here at home with Mama’s Aunt and then they’re going to go visit my Dad’s Aunt. I guess I’m not invited to go visit Aunt V, but I’ll be under the table for dinner. Just in case someone happens to drop something — wouldn’t want it staining the floor. Like there’s a chance of that anyway.

So Merry Christmas to everyone!

Love, Katie. (and her Mama and Dad too.)

December 23, 2013
by dawnkinster 12 Comments

Weekly Photo Challenge – – One

This week the WordPress photo challenge is One. We had an ice storm Saturday night and I decided to take advantage of the sadly beautiful devastation in my own backyard to show you my interpretation. You can click on any photo to see more detail.

Many of our trees are hanging in low curves over the bird feeder. Sunday the birds tried hanging out on ice covered twigs only a few feet from my window while waiting their turn at the feeder. I thought this solitary finch was perfect for the concept of one.

I thought about stopping there, but I had a plan, even before the ice storm, to hang a single holiday ornament on a tree in the yard. I thought I’d wait until after the storm and pick a snow or ice covered spruce. But Sunday morning I couldn’t resist using the ice on our toppled birch tree as a foil against the red.

The ice is beautiful, but my heart aches for the loss of our lovely birch trees. They’ve all been damaged, most will have to be cut down this spring. I’ll have these images as memories of how beauty can be so damaging.

December 17, 2013
by dawnkinster 33 Comments

What’s outside your window?

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?

December 14, 2013
by dawnkinster 19 Comments

Rousing game of Frisbee

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!

December 13, 2013
by dawnkinster 7 Comments

Santa visits

You’d think Santa would be too busy this time of year to drop in on our little local community band concert. You’d be wrong. We have a very special relationship with Santa, and he stops by every year for our holiday concert. (Photos from last year’s visit – I forgot the camera this year!)

This year he was almost late! He says it’s because he was halfway here when he realized he was wearing his Crocs instead of his Santa boots, so he had to go back to the Santa House and change his shoes.

It was a wonderful concert. Children were invited to come up on stage and shake jingle bells while we played Here Comes Santa Claus. We told them if they rang those bells loud enough Santa would come. And he did. Then the children danced to Rock Around the Christmas Tree while Santa directed the band. That was probably the highlight of the concert for their parents; you should have seen the little one’s faces. Priceless. I almost lost my place in the music because I was watching the kids dance.

The music was therapeutic for me too. It’s been a long week but it ended perfectly with beautiful music and a wonderful and supportive community all coming together to celebrate.

Merry Christmas everyone. Enjoy your weekend.

December 11, 2013
by dawnkinster 17 Comments

Baby it’s COLD outside

I suppose this could be a Wordless Wednesday photo. But it needs some explanation so words will accompany it, thereby rendering it ineligible for an official Wordless Wednesday post.

As most of you are aware it’s cold here. Not as cold as ‘up north’ or ‘out west’ but plenty cold. So we weren’t surprised to see Mr. Cardinal hunkered down in the middle of a privet shrub just outside our breakfast window. What was surprising was how puffed up he could make himself in order to stay warm.

And how long he sat there letting me photograph him. I think he was asleep. Still, I moved slowly and didn’t get too close to the window. Luckily my camera with the long lens was sitting right next to me. Even Katie cooperated and didn’t bark.

He sat there for a long time, and then when we made a bit too much noise he flew off looking for a little peace. Or some supper.

I’m so lucky to have beautiful birds visiting us regularly. So I thought I’d share him with you!

Enjoy!

December 10, 2013
by dawnkinster 21 Comments

History repeats…and repeats

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.

December 8, 2013
by dawnkinster 22 Comments

Mama’s mitten

Me and Mama’s mitten

Katie here again.

So maybe my Mama does love me. We went out to fill the bird feeders this morning and she let me go along. I got to break up sticks on my deck while she filled the feeders. It’s an important job. The stick breaking.

So anyway, then she decided to drag some chairs off the deck to the basement and she let me stay outside. But after she left with the first one I got sort of anxious and wanted to come in. So she let me in even though I was dragging my leash and it got stuck in the door and she was trying to get the other chair in at the same time.

And of course when she went outside to fill the birdbaths I wanted to go with her even though I was still dragging my leash and it got stuck in the door on our way out and she almost spilled the water all over herself. (Mama is sort of clumsy if you ask me.)

And then when she was done with that she wanted me to come in with her because it’s like 12 degrees outside (that’s -11.11 C!!) and I hadn’t finished with my job breaking up all the sticks so I wouldn’t come and she had to come get me.

She can’t get it from me!

And all this time she didn’t yell at me at all! And you know what? When we got inside she tossed me her mitten because she knows how much I love to play chase when I’ve stolen something, like her mitten or her glove or her sock or ….well just about anything I can steal from her.

So we played a rousing round of chase the sheltie-with-the-mitten game. And she laughed and took off her big coat and her hat and her sweatshirt and her scarf and put them all away.

And then I asked to go outside because I forgot to pee while we were out there. And Mama just sighed.

Cause she loves me after all. Yes she does.

Messed my fur up.

Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: winter