The Interminable Winter

After snowing light fluffy snow all night Thursday, the weather really got to work all day yesterday, leaving us with plenty to close out the month of February. This has been an extraordinarily long winter - the sundial above wears its cap of compacted snow with resignation. (The inscription under all that pile of snow is the old "Grow old along with me, The best is yet to be.") I took the pictures in the blue-cast gloom of the early morning light. The only slight break we can see in the gray sky is the little glow to the west. Even the yard light wears a little cap this morning. The house at the end of the cul-de-sac and across the street looks closer because I was loathe to put on my boots and get closer. Hurrah for telescopic lenses! Will the snow begin to melt? Did the groundhog see his shadow on Feb. 2nd? Will BYU win the ball game today? (I just threw that in, because that's how we'll be spending the middle part of the day - watching the game and eating homemade chicken noodle soup and maybe even popping popcorn.)

Forecast the Weather!

This weather globe was a gift from friends who purchased it in Billings, Montana. They forgot to give it to us for Christmas, but found it a little while ago. Ron performed the trick of filling it, following directions carefully. Now, we can tell when the weather is about to change. Lots of fun to look every day and watch the green water go up and down in the tube. When we had the bad wind and snowstorm on Tuesday afternoon and evening, the water was pushed clear up to the little fat bulb on the top of the tubing. Today? Cloudy overhead, and rising. (Remember, Mark Twain said something about people talking about the weather, but never doing anything about it.) We just watch - always a topic of conversation. Who would think that we would get so much fun out of a little object.

Does a Christmas Cactus Bloom at Christmas?

This plant bloomed the first part of December, and the show was over by Christmas. Now, it's chosen to bloom again. The plant is in a room where it is much neglected - only gets watered occasionally. It does get filtered light from the east, which it must like. So, now, when the days are often dull and gray and very cold, we have this bit of beautiful color to lighten our days. I'm so glad that God made flowers for us on this earth!