I'll start off with local sports this morning.
Willie's team notched another victory in Bonners Ferry last night.
He'll have time to think about it and the next game today because there's no school in the district today.
It's not a "snow" day cuz it rained yesterday and overnight instead of snowing.
"Why no school?" one might ask.
Well, if my walk to get the paper this morning provided any indication, I fully understand the closure.
I could almost see my reflection in South Center Valley Road, no matter what direction I looked AND it was dark.
Our paper deliverer is amazing----through rain, sleet, snow, ice, much, you name it, she drops off the paper almost every single day.
So, after grabbing the paper from the box, I decided to stand there for a moment of planning.
Which route across the road and through the driveway would guarantee me the best place to go "splat" if my trusty Yak Trax quit working.
As I considered the possibilities, it appeared that any ol' place would be nice cuz the driveway was all ice---with water on top.
And, so I took a straight route, at a snail's pace, carefully planning each step followed by momentary euphoria that I had not fallen down.
And, now for a word from our sponsor, brilliant American writer and philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson.
Thank you for your wisdom, Ralph, but with all due respect, I think these thoughts are next to impossible for anyone who lives on a farm during winters like this.
I'll bet Ralph missed out on all the fun where winter-time woes cause us to meet yesterday's pain first thing in the morning.
Hard to put that behind you when the last block of snow has fallen from the barn roof and once again blocked the gate from opening.
Bill and I met once again out at the barn this morning, prior to my feeding the horses, taking them to the barnyard, etc.
Bill was already working at the pile of snow on either side of the gate when I arrived.
He had his tools---a shovel and a pick axe---while I grabbed my trusty shovel with the blue handle, which I had used yesterday as we teamed up to clear a pathway to the dog run.
Puppies need some outside time, and a trip through the canyon down the lane doesn't quite suffice. I even took Bridie and Liam to the shop yesterday so she could run around on a dry surface.
All the while we were in there, a flicker woodpecker was flying from beam to beam, just as it has done for the past several days.
Poor thing can't figure out how to get out, even with the door wide open.
Anyway, we enjoyed some great conversation during this morning's shovel session. As globs of snow flew to the five-foot pile behind us, Bill proudly commented about what a great shovel the blue-handled shovel---which he selected and purchased years ago---happens to be.
"Even at the old place, that was my 'go-to' shovel," he recalled. "It's perfect for shoveling snow."
"Yup," I said, "and it's shoveled lots of barn stalls over the years."
Later, when it looked like our teamwork had cleared the area for the gate to open and close, Bill pulled it his direction and it fell off the hinges in the dark.
Irritating but nice because then we could shovel some more, and then Bill could use the pick axe to clear the area where the bottom of the gate goes back and forth.
While this was happening, I moved around to the other side of the barn where the snow from the roof had slid once more onto my manure spot, and I shoveled some more.
Happily, the warm temperatures have softened the snow, so it was relatively easy to move.
Finally, with more teamwork, we put the gate back on its hinges, and the horses could come to the barnyard for their breakfast.
Where was Ralph Waldo Emerson on mornings like today where pain from shoveling the day before still lingers and new obstacles stand in the way of completing what are usually simple tasks.
The nice part of this morning's shoveling and pick axe adventure: no more snow in those amounts will fall off the barn for a while, maybe even long enough to let our aches and pains subside.
And, so for this new day, I'm now done with my nonsensical prattle about yesterday's challenges.
And, now that morning chores are complete, my spirit is serenely high as are my hopes.
Don't know about any invitations yet, but the day is young.
Other than morning's like this, I think Ralph has written some wise words.
Time to move on to feel rich and to make this Wednesday, Jan. 12 the best day of the year.
Happy Wednesday.
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