An Old Fashioned Snow Storm

I love family history, especially when stories accompany the pictures! This is borrowed from a family member. Her grandmother painted the picture and this is the story that inspired this painting, in Aunt Harriet's own words:

"I remember a snow storm that caused the one room school house to be closed early. School had been in session only two hours when the skies darkened. The snow was coming thick and fast, which made outside visibility almost nil. Our teacher asked us to close our books as there wasn't enough light by which to read comfortably. There was an urgent knock on the door, and Arthur John Weir burst into the room. He had come on horseback to warn us of the fierce storm that was already upon us. All parents had been warned and were on their way to pick up their children. Dad arrived last as he had the farthest to come. He waited until all the rest were in their sleighs. Then the teacher locked up the school house and rode with us to her boarding place a half-mile away.

The storm was relentless. It was a lark for we children as we snuggled into the soft, sweet smelling straw, with plenty of blankets to keep us warm. We were unaware of Dad's concern. The snow was up to the horses bellies before we got home, a condition that was dangerous to the horses. Going was slow. We finally drove onto our barn floor. Full of energy, we struggled through the heavy wet snow but took time to pelt each other with soft snowballs. When Mother opened the door, warm steam poured out from the kitchen along with the tantalizing odor of freshly made fried cakes. Quickly hanging our wet coats and hats on our own special pegs, we were allowed to enjoy the delicious fried cakes along with the dinner pail lunch.

Dad brushed snow from the horses and put a blanket on each one before coming in. Mother waited to have her lunch of sandwiches, fragrant hot coffee, and warm fried cakes with Dad. As they ate, I heard him tell Mother that he was relieved that the horses were unharmed by the experience. Sometimes in deep snow they will cork their legs, being injured by their own shoes scraping their legs."

Another Post #2

It's been a snowy kind of day. Nate left for work this morning but didn't arrive before sliding off the road and into the ditch. He called his dad who decided they needed a tow truck to pull the car out. Everything looked okay and once the car was free Nate conitnued on his way. Sliding into the snowbank can be a good way to learn some lessons about driving in the snow. I've been there and done that several times. Sometimes it is funny and other times it's downright frustrating.

The mid-week church service has been cancelled and so we will be staying in tonight. My trip out today was to pick Troy up from preschool. I passed a pickup truck with its front wheels stuck in the side of a driveway. I felt bad driving past without helping, but not knowing how to drive a standard there was little I could do.


My mittens did not arrive today as my friend Andrea was not keen on the idea of driving in this kind of snow. I think she was wise to stay home. The mittens will arrive another day.

A Bit Puzzled

The "dead of winter" has arrived; it is cold, it is snowy, it is time to do great inside projects. Last week I started to make a puzzle. The first one is being completed as a trial. I'm not sure whether I should paint first and cut later, or cut first and paint later. It's quite obvious that I did not use an original drawing and so selling this one is pretty much out of the question, but I do love coloring books when it comes to pictures for children. I don't know that I will ever sell toys anyway so I suppose coloring book pictures are fine to use. (If anyone out there loves to draw and has any kid pictures I can use, send them this way. I have a whole stack of boards to paint.)

Post #2- Cold Winds

We woke up to a very cold morning but as the day progressed the temperatures warmed a bit. My house even got so warm inside that taking the trash out to the toter was a welcomed job.

This morning I headed out to Ladies' prayer at church. A few years ago it was a regular practice but since watching Troy, I have kind of fallen out of the habit. I thought it a good time to go back. I have plenty to pray about and I could use the company in the process.

I decided to stop by the boatlaunch on my way to the church. The lake was looking cold and icy, not quite the kind of beach for dipping one's toes in the water. There were a couple of brave fishermen with their poles in the water and several ducks who didn't mind getting their toes wet. I didn't even get out of the van, I didn't have time, and besides I wasn't feeling very brave. My new mittens are coming tomorrow, maybe after that I will be bold enough to brave the bitter winds...

The Salt Mine

One weekend in July of 1975 a 25 year old ex-marine attended a gospel meeting in an old barn in rural western NY. The speaker that evening shared a salvation message and the young man went away touched by the Lord. He couldn't shake the conviction deep in his heart and the following Monday at work he surrendered his life to Jesus.

As the years passed and the Holy Spirit worked in the man's heart, he grew. In 1977 he and his wife opened their home to a Bible study led by a man named Bil. This group grew to become a small church fellowship and later was forced to move from their small meeting place due to large numbers. By the mid-90's the young man was given responsibility for the pastorate at a small church upstate NY.

Although the "The Salt Mine" and its founders appear to be gone, its memory and ministry are still affecting lives not far from where it once operated. Occasionally the Pastor will mention how God used a little place called "The Salt Mine" to touch his heart and lead him to the cross. There, surrounded by people who maybe never knew, are a few of us who remember an old barn on the end of State Rd and the family who ministered there.

(The founder's, by the way, are not gone although the ministry closed it's doors years ago. It was a labor of love that is still producing results today.)

Matchless

The Matchless Name

Oh, the matchless name of Jesus

Great Redeemer, Savior, Friend,

Humble Servant, Lord of Glory

He who died and rose again.

Oh, the matchless name of Jesus

Name above all other names.

Oh, the matchless name of Jesus,

Yesterday, today the same,

Yesterday, today the same.

Sometimes it is the simplest of songs that touch my heart. It is nearly six o'clock, almost time to go back to church for the evening service. Nathan and his friends usually lead worship on Sunday nights. Although part of me would like to stay home and in out of the cold, another part longs to be at church. Kind of hard to explain...

Standing for Something

I wanted to post the video but the embedding is disabled. Here is the link. I'm not certain everyone knows what they stand for but before trouble comes along, we all need to make some decisions. Our children's future depends on it.

Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.

1 Corinthians 13:16

Change...

I'm not quite sure what I want to write today, so many thoughts are swirling through my mind. We are barely three days into the new administration and already the pot is being stirred in a way I had not anticipated. Along with questions come answers people don't want to hear. Why am I not excited and optimistic over the coming change? Well, for one I'm not sure the change promised is the change I am looking for. All my anxieties, arguments and answers matter little to most who ask. What they see they like, and they are astonished that my perspective could be anything other than their own.

Last night my Bible reading was 2 Chronicles 29-30. Hezekiah became king of Judah, cleansed the temple and re instituted the Passover. When all was ready he sent out a proclamation and invited all of Israel to return to the Lord and this was the response, "So the runners passed from city to city through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh, as far as Zebulon; but they laughed at them and mocked them," vs 10. Sad...

On a side note, each of the little ones pictured in yesterday's post has a black grandfather and a biracial parent.

A Not So Black and White World

There has been much talk of race this past year
and while I am thrilled that legislated racism has been drastically reduced in the past 40 years, I am still a bit confused as to what is black and what is white. Is black the color of one's own skin or the color of his/ her grandparent's skin? What makes one black and another white or Asian?
I could almost forget that President Obama was black if I wasn't constantly reminded. Forgetting doesn't mean I don't know, it simply means it doesn't matter... or does it? If it does matter, why? If our great country is coming to terms with racism and everyone is on equal ground then why are we constantly reminded of what race someone is or isn't? Or is it only when a particular point of view is being advocated that color becomes important? I'm really curious.
All the children pictured here are beautiful. (Please forgive me for borrowing...). Can you tell which are black and which are white? Or are you a little colorblind like me?

Inauguration Day

This day America makes history. Never in my life have I seen a President Elect crowned in such a manner. I fear for the future of this once great country.

Yet you have forsaken Me and served other gods. Therefore I will deliver you no more.

Judges 10:3

Winter Reprieve

We are getting a little reprieve from the bitter cold. Since there is no school today the kids thought it would be fun to go sledding. Since I am a wimpy "stick in the mud" I did not think it would be fun. This afternoon I am thankful that Nathan has license and can take Ben and Hannah up to Herbert's Hill for some fun in the snow. Sometimes I have braved the elements and gone along, but not today.

I found a "grandmother" to make me some mittens. Yeah! She promises they will be toasty warm and last me many years. I can't wait to get them. They will be of brown alpaca yarn and sound just wonderful. (Thanks to Shelly for suggesting I call Andrea.) I'm sure there is plenty of winter left for me to enjoy them.

The pictures are from our Saturday drive down to the pier at Sodus Point. Of course we wouldn't dare venture out on the pier with it ice covered but it was pretty to look at. The few trees down there looked cold and barren but beautiful. You could almost believe that was sand on a Pensacola beach rather than snow in a NY winter.

A Frozen Sodus Point

Jim is excited about 20°F! Now if only I had a ski hill...

Kristina is going to try to start the car- it is 18 degrees!

People in Minnesota are happy about the 20 degree weather. I'm sure it's headed this way. It should be here any minute now, we're up to 15 degrees! But then again, it is four o'clock, about time for the temperatures to start dropping for the night.

James and I took a ride down to Sodus Point. Lake Ontario doesn't freeze over here. Only the lake shore really freezes into anything solid, that and the bays. There were several ice fishermen out there with their little tents. We used to know one guy who drank milkshakes while he was ice fishing while everyone else drank coffee. Me, I think I'll leave the ice fishing to somebody else and I'll stay here by the fire.

Only One

It is only one degree outside. They say warmer weather is on the way, in fact the actual temperatures are supposed to rise throughout the day. As the temps rise so will the windspeed making the temperatures continue to feel just like the do right now. Brrrrr!

Looks Can Be Deceiving

It was looking quite nice outside today; the sun was shining, everything was clean and bright, but I knew better. Although I thought it would be a splendid day to get some icy lake photos, I dared not venture out into the cold. The windchill was really more brutal than anything I wanted to face, besides, my van is covered in snow. I stayed inside instead and baked a batch of Honey Raisin Bran muffins from a box mix and I ate one. I took a few photos out the window and vacuumed the floors. I cleaned the kitchen at least twice and washed up the dishes to boot. I looked at the computer for a mere moment... and now it is once again time to feed the dogs. I should be painting or scrapbooking or baking or something... Does anybody want to come over?

The Arctic Blast

It's here, the arctic blast. I'm sure it has mellowed some as Minneapolis appears to be quite a bit colder than Rochester, but it is still very cold.

I had a very unproductive day, one where I had not planned anything and therefore nothing much happened. It would have been a great day to bake, but since we are still on the "fast" it seems rather pointless. Maybe I will bake something tomorrow in spite of it. I'm sure Ben and Hannah wouldn't mind. They like cookies and banana bread.

We have been enjoying a nice variety of veggies the past couple of weeks; sweet potatoes, asparagus, Brussel sprouts, mushrooms, sweet peppers, salads and fixin's. We aren't losing any weight, at least nothing significant, after all we've also been enjoying extra virgin olive oil, whole grain breads, and too many nuts and dried fruits. I'm thinking next week I may add eggs in to my diet. They're sounding really good right now.

Baby, It's Cold!!!

This is good weather for staying home where it is warm and cozy. The arctic cold front has moved in and it is bitterly cold outside. Sure do wish I had a nice pair of thick homemade mittens. Does anyone have a Grandma I could borrow? My fleece gloves just don't do the job 'cause fingers need fingers to help keep each other warm.

I'd really like to stay home inside my warm house tonight rather than venture out to church in the fridgid cold, but Sundays and Wednesday evenings are when I get to hold my newest baby. He still likes to sleep all curled up in a ball with his little hands up close to his face. He looks quite a bit more like my babies than Josh did but I do see Alysa in there too. (She is his cousin.) It will be fun to see how he develops and who he looks like a year from now. Either way he's a cutie.

Can I Have Some Gum?

There is a good reason why long haired little dogs should not chew gum or try to blow bubbles. It gets stuck in their mustaches!

Happy Birthday, Kimberley!

Many years have passed since this photograph was taken. The little boy in your arms turned into my nephew when I married your brother and you became my sister in law. Since that time Jason has grown up and now has little boys of his own. We've added several children to our own collections and many of them are grown up too, but we haven't changed a bit... Where have the years gone?

I have often wished we didn't live so far apart. What fun we could have had homeschooling our passels of children, but God did not see fit to have that happen. Instead He has given us a sprinkling of times together; Indiana 1988, Albuquerque 1992, Boulder 2002, and Albuquerque 2006. I am so looking forward to the next reunion!

Thank you for your friendship and encouragement through the years.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KIM!

Going Nuts

Have no fear, we are getting plenty of protein. We are not only eating lots of fruits and veggies, but we've gone a little nutty in the process. We have raw almonds and cashews on hand, some roasted peanuts, and two jars of natural peanut butter. The peanut butter goes great on celery or that yummy whole grain bread, which is also packed with protein. We've also polished of a container of mixed raw nuts (cashews, almonds, pistachios, and macadamia nuts) and raisins. We won't likely lose much weight eating dried cranberries, banana chips, and raisins but maybe we'll be fooled into thinking we're healthier. The key here is practicing self control, bringing those fleshly desires under subjection and saying no to our wants for a time. My biggest challenge in the whole thing remains drinking enough water.

That's Sno' Way to Be

The sun is bright and cheery, the temperature brisk. I sent Ben and Hannah out for a walk with my camera but opted to stay inside myself. I made James some lunch (tomato, lettuce, sprouts and avacado on whole grain bread) and set out to dust and vacuum the living room. It's a job that is never completely finished in this particular house. I'm not sure if it is the size of the rooms or the fact that we have wood floors and a wood burning stove. It seems as though there is no end of dust and dirt. The fight is long and the battle makes me weary but I continue to press on.

The weather is forecast to get colder and snowier as the week progresses. It will be good weather to stay inside where it's warm and work on unfinished paint projects. Last week I completed a set of three cats I started a year ago. This barn is another unfinished work. I'm not quite sure what to put in the foreground, maybe a fence and some old, dry weeds. I'm also still working on the wisemen to a final Nativity puzzle I began last January. I spent the better part of an hour looking for the pattern before I located it in a stack of magazines.

A cup of coffee sure sounds nice right now...