Friday

A stunning day! No sunshine. No warmth to it either. Nothing out there for the cats or cheepers to celebrate. But to us -- simply stunning!

We knew it was coming -- a wet snowfall. Not deep, just a few inches of it, but this is enough to transform the farmette landscape.

I am up early, but Ed had already left to pick up the next month's supply of cat food and toilet paper at our big box store. He wants to beat the snow and avoid the store crowds. This is actually a tiny bit amusing, because three years ago we had sort of anticipated that the pandemic, which had shut down China back in February 2020, was going to hit us soon, and so Ed went out to buy... cat food and toilet paper. We have to use a special paper that is good for our septic system and we're always afraid that they wont stock it, so he bought two packs of some 36 rolls. And then the pandemic struck and the toilet paper crisis hit the stores and we felt so guilty! Who knew! 

My morning walk is lovely. 

And it just gets better and better out there.

Breakfast: oatmeal, against a backdrop of snow!

By noon, the snow slows down and the flakes we get are very very soggy. Sadly, it will all probably melt this week, but we don't look ahead to that dreary and drippy moment. We seize our chance and, despite the fact that it's too wet, and not deep enough for skis, and despite the fact that right now I can hardly walk with my stupid busted-up knee, we go out to our local park.

You may be tempted to rate snow falls on a scale of wonderfulness and delight. Don't do it. Stay with the idea that this is one out of the many episodes of beauty nature delivers to us on a regular basis.

We are enchanted.

In the afternoon, I was supposed to pedal my new device and wrap presents. [I finally purchased what all my therapists praised as a good knee exercise for the winter -- an under-the-table bike. Then it stayed in its box for three weeks -- I was too busy to get it out, and Ed was too sick to put it together, and I was too distracted to even read the instructions. But today we did all the above and now I have no excuse not to put in a bunch of bike miles. All under the table or straight from the couch! With book on lap -- what could be easier and funner? Ed says I wont use it and it will be yet another thing we then have to put on Craigslist. I think he is wrong. We will see.] I pedaled for about five minutes and I wrapped nothing. I got the message that Sparrow is home with a fever and so I offered to bring Snowdrop here after school. (She was supposed to spend a pre-holiday afternoon with her mom.

I asked her how I could make it up to her given the sick bro and the change in plans. She suggests a visit to Clasen's before coming to the farmhouse. I'm on it!

In the car today, I listen to a whole string of snow songs on the radio. You can't imagine how many winter themed ditties there are! Winter Wonderland, Let it Snow, Sleigh Ride, Jingle Bells, I've Got my Love to Keep me Warm, Frosty, In the Bleak Midwinter, Baby It's Cold Outside -- all on the radio today and all on my playlist! Oh oh, can you tell what decade I'm from? 

Let me end it with a snowy poem:

Out of the bosom of the air,

Out of the cloud-folds of her garments shaken,

Over the woodlands brown and bare,

Over the harvest-fields forsaken,

Silent, and soft, and slow,

Descends the snow.

(H.W. Longfellow)