Wintry Wednesday

No need to shovel the roof, just yet anyway. 

This does remind me, however, that I need to get some sacks of sunflower seeds for the bird feeders.   

The snow birds, in this case,  those which hang around here, entertain us throughout the winter, so we need to provide them a daily reward. 

Yup, this morning it's official:  snow on the flat in North Idaho.  It's pretty sloppy snow, and I decided to coin it snowpe, especially when I heard plop, plop, plop on the roof this morning.  

The cats are still in the garage, and they'll remain there until the little build-up of "snowpe" slides off the roof.  

Even small amounts come down hard, and I don't think my kitties are quite prepared for this yet.  So, I'll keep them where they're safe from any overhead dumps. 

This serves as a gentle precursor to the days ahead.  I don't mind it when Mother Nature breaks us in gently.  I can remember some years where once the snow started, it continued for days and days.

We're supposed to get rain for the next two days, and then we'll be in the frigid zone by the weekend.  Some people say teens while others are predicting single-digit temps. 

As soon as the cool-off begins, the blankets will go on the horses, and they'll probably remain on them for months.  

That will be good for Lily since she is now red, white and green after lounging on her stall floor over the past several nights.  

Green isn't exactly a pretty color in the Appaloosa coat patterns. 

Thank you to Joanne Tharp for accurately guessing Margaux Hemingway in yesterday's photo.  Sharon Nale thought maybe it was Hillary Clinton along with Garrison Keillor (Bill) and Princess Di (me????).  

Sharon's a really nice, kind lady. I must say that's the first time anyone has even remotely compared me to a princess.  

Speaking of which, how about that William and his fiancee!  Beautiful couple, I say.  

I hope their married life goes better than that of some of their other family members.  Looks like they've been around each other long enough to get accustomed to the idiosyncrasies. 

Back to Margaux. 

I was reviewing her life at some online sites yesterday after posting the photo on the blog, and I'm thinking Bill and I must have caught her at a rare good time in her life.  

Her bios indicated quite a troubled soul, to say the least.

The night we rode with her on the Winter Carnival float, along with Shaun O' Higgins from the Spokesman-Review newspaper,  we found her to be the most down-to-earth, fun person anyone could imagine.

That night the organizers did not put a sign on the float, announcing her presence.  So when the float passed by the downtown crowd, we heard a lot of students yelling, "MRS. LOVE." 

Most folks had no idea that a world famous model was standing with Bill and me.

Later, after the parade, a very gracious Margaux announced to the Chamber gathering, "I got to ride in the parade with Marianne Love."  

To say the experience was a thrill for Bill and me is an understatement.  To learn of her sad life and to know of her eventual demise is hard to believe, considering the wonderful and witty lady we got to meet that evening. 

~~~~~

Well, I have almost all my leaves cleaned up, and the lawnmower with the leaf sweeper attached is sitting outside next to the barnyard.  This morning I'll have to wipe the mower dry and put both away for the winter. 

The grill and the trellis near the deck will both go to the storage shed, and that will pretty much wrap up the many weeks of winterizing that have kept me so busy this fall. 

On to other routines and pursuits----like finishing my column and getting organized for Thanksgiving, which is coming suddenly so soon.  

The day after Thanksgiving Willie and I will spend a couple of hours at Vanderford's for a book signing.  

We're considering the event a "mother-son" affair since Mr. Love, now the local teacher and author of one of the Lessons with Love stories will be on hand to sign a few books himself.  

I'll have all three of my books on hand, so please pass the word and maybe we'll see you there.

Friday, Nov. 26 from 3-5 p.m. Vanderford's downtown Sandpoint.  

If you can't make it but would like an autographed book or two, you can call Vanderford's at 208-263-2417.

Yes, it's the book-selling season, and I'm getting the word out.

Happy Wednesday.