Saturday Slight

My neighbor Janice listened to me gripe about snow in general the other day.  

That's when I still had a green lawn and that's when she thought I might be mowing my grass.

After listening to my complaining, she told me her hubby doesn't like snow either.  Then, she suggested, "Why don't you leave during the snow?"

I said I had too many responsibilities to leave---especially when snow can last for several months.

I got to thinking about her comment and remembered a time several decades ago when I was complaining in the school lunchroom about all that seemed to be going wrong in my classroom.

My good friend Mae listened for a while----and I'm betting she had listened to enough before that day.  Then, she broke in to my complaining, probably mid-sentence and suggested, "Why don't you quit teaching if it's so bad?"

That blunt comment stunned me into realizing how others get tired of a complainer. 

I continued to teach for at least another 30 years----griping on occasion but trying not to belabor the point to any one person, except for my patient husband.

Well, this morning I was thinking about the positive aspects of snow, especially while taking my morning walk.

In our conversation, I had told Janice that about all it was good for was some pretty pictures.

Well, this morning is a pretty-picture day, and I took a few, but now I must complain about computers and how they don't always cooperate.

So, no snow pictures----just yet anyway.

The snow is pretty and definitely worth of some camera action today.  

Another positive aspect I noticed this morning is that it creates an extra level of light in the darkness.

"This is good," I thought, "with just 13 days of added darkness, this blanket of snow may just keep things a bit brighter, especially in those early morning hours when I do enjoy going for a walk."

The journey down South Center Valley Road onto Selle Road was magnificent, to say the least.  

Not one car the whole time.  

That was good because with the snow, stepping off to the side is a little more difficult with the deeper unplowed layer paralleling the ditch.  

Walking west past Murray's place, I focused on the quiet beauty of Mother Nature's latest handiwork with a layer of mist rising above a newly frozen lake of what was standing water from a recent downpour. 

When the neighbors' dog started barking, I turned around and headed east, hoping my noisy intrusion with each crunchy step taken and his continued response did not wake his family from their Saturday-morning sleep-in time.

I walked to Taylor's driveway, then turned around.  

This week I've been adding to the Christmas light show at the Lovestead.  As earlier stated, it's not all that creative, but the twinkles are pretty in the darkness.

This morning while gazing across the broad expanse of Taylor's pasture toward snow-laden evergreens, the light show screamed out for attention.  

"Magical" is the word that comes to mind.  If ya see something that's not all that perfect from a distance, you don't see the flaws that stand out so prominently in an upclose and personal inspection.

Now, if everyone would go in the early morning over to Selle Road near Taylor's place and look back at my light show, they'd be impressed.

I think I'll add to it now that the snow is here.

And, so, Janice from down the road, I guess I don't hate the snow nearly as badly as it may have sounded.  

I won't leave----for a while anyway.  I'll keep looking at the bright side of the white blanket that has ushered in this year's winter.  

For now, admiring it seems just fine.

BUT---there IS a mess out there to shovel up so we can maneuver around this place to get our work done.

Happy Saturday.  Off to do some shoveling!

AND:  GO ZAGS; BEAT THOSE ILLINI!  ESPN2--7 p.m. PST

Hey, it worked.  My photo finally appeared.   Skiers will have a great day on the slopes with all the new snow.