Saturday November 21 2015  WHEN TIME STANDS STILL

When I awaken to a first snow of the season it is as if time stands still.  It always makes me feel like a child on Christmas morning.  I can hardly contain myself until first light so I can get up and peer outside to see the world blanketed in white.  The first photo that I took this morning was from our bedroom window, looking out over our terrace below.  It was at 6:40 a.m..  It was as if there was an unnatural or supernatural hush hovering over the earth.  All was still.  All was quiet.  The limbs were laden with thick outlines of heavy wet snow.  The branches bowed as if in prayer.  I just stood there for a couple of moments allowing the tranquility of the peaceful morning flood into me.  I have a love affair with beauty and it was as if today I received a beautiful bouquet.  And so, I told God, “Thank You”.

A day to snuggle in, curl up on the couch and do nothing.  Which is exactly what I didn’t do.  Instead, I baked.  And then I stirred up a second batch and baked it again my way.  My way was better.  I plan to give the cookie bars to a neighbor tonight when we celebrate his surprise 70^th birthday party.  I’m giving him the second batch.  I gave my neighbor the first batch. 

The next endeavor was to create a birthday card for him.  Now that is done.  My next thought was to clean house and then remembered I should write a short blog as I will not want to stay up late tonight when we arrive home.  I love days like this.  I love not having the stress of so much work over my head (just a little bit of work is okay).  So, not too much done but enough that I had a good day doing it.  Sort of a take it easy day.

GOD’S AMAZING ART

By Kathleen Martens

November 21, 2015

A white world of wonder

A blanket upon the earth.

All is well is silence,

Of peace there is no dearth.

Deep within my spirit

Beauty feeds my soul.

The intrigue of perfection,

Nature’s purposed goal.

Within my heart is praise,

Gratitude, and thanksgiving

For God’s amazing art,

In which I am living.

Yes, it is cold.  Yes, it is sometimes laborious to live for months dealing with snow.  But, an ever so louder “YES” is the fact that it is so beautiful I don’t really have a hard time living with it for months at a time.  I love being snowed in (as long as the heat works)!  When you live in a northern climate there are preparations that must be made in advance in order to make life as easy and as safe as possible.  Freezing to death is a real possibility if precaution is not taken in times of blizzards and even milder storms.  A car must be prepared and stocked with certain items for survival, and wise decision made, before venturing onto the highways in severe weather.  It is serious business.  I choose to enjoy each day, prepare for the worse that can happen, and make wise decisions to not put myself or others in jeopardy.  We have taken some chances before but I think we are past that stage in our life now.  I do know that it is sometimes very difficult for some who live so far north.  Perhaps it is not so hard on me because if the weather is bad I have the option of staying home because I do not work off premise.  For the last 27 years I have always had a business in my home where people come to me.  Oh, I did have a few times when I had to do Christmas and New Year’s weddings and driving became quite dicey.  Those years are now past and I am so thankful.  I guess I am just so grateful for everything! 

Dave went to the gym with me the other day to weigh himself and a man that also works out there told my husband that “your wife isn’t normal”.  Dave said he knew that.  This friend had come up to me and was bemoaning that we had seen the last of the good weather and winter was upon us.  He was a bit put out by it.  I told him that I loved the weather and looked forward to winter and how much I loved the snow and the short days and dark evenings.  The friend says he is always grumpy about everything (said in good humor and part jest), and that I am just not normal.  And he told Dave the same thing.  I thought it was funny.  Later, I told my friend that I too was married to a man who was “not normal”.  Mr. G. (that’s what I’ll call my friend) said he had already figured that out.  He said he could tell that Dave was really a very nice and pleasant man and he was happy that I had such a wonderful husband.  Now I am paraphrasing what Mr. G. said, but that is what I heard.  I think being “not normal” was a very nice compliment.  Thank you Mr. G.  And oh, by the way, I enjoy the grumpy you.

Well, I’m off to beautify myself for the party tonight.  It is going to be at a interesting local restaurant.  It is on a farm (where I have photographed many weddings) and their menu is exquisite.  The building is the old farmhouse made of stone and has an underground tunnel  (all stone) that leads to the outside.  Makes for a beautiful place for wedding pictures.  The party is for our neighbor through the woods who is Dave’s closest longtime friend.  He is the one that nearly cut off his fingers and thumb in a saw accident in his basement about two or three years ago.  I’ll tell  you more about that incident later.

Time to go.  It is still daylight so I will say have a great evening!