Spring is blooming in my soul

Snow walls are fading as sunshine beams its energy through the clouds to me...finally!  Feel like spring...almost.  The cardinals and nuthatches are at the bird feeder outside my kitchen window; the stars in the early morning sky are finally visible through the past week's clouds of gray, and puddles are forming on my sidewalk.  We need to construct a moat to enter the house as the puddles keep enlarging; the accesible path to the front door keep shrinking. 

Pussywillows must be budding in the woods.  Sprouts of vague greeness appear in the gardens where the snow has receeded.   Seed catalogue will be appearing in my mailbox.  My geraniums in the garden window are blooming profusely with red and fuchia blossoms and the begonia plant is outperforming her yearly solo of cascading blooms in the east windows receiving full-blasts of sunshine!

Happy times are back!  Spring is blooming in my soul!

appreciation, "used", take advantage

This morning I'm upset about feeling taken advantage of ....not acknowledged. It takes so little to show appreciation for one's efforts, to celebrate the success of another, and to make another feel good. Why do few people tells others how important they are in other's lives? Why not share the success of someone's work?

Egypt, land of Arabian knights

Today's Egypt, which news people write about and what we see on TV, is vastly differely from the Cairo, Egypt, I experienced. When my husband Dave was flying the NYC to Cairo route for TWA in the 90's , we brought the family along on one of his trips to Egypt. We saw a land of pyramids, traffic jams, statues of ancient gods, little kids weaving silk rugs, spitting camels and Arabian horsemen in flowing robes dashing through the desert. It was a land of romance and smiling people who couldn't do enough for us!

Mohammed was our tour guide. He'd been befriended by airline crews and enjoyed showing off his city's sites. After taking us to a bazaar which had existed from times before Christ, to papyrus factories, rug weaving shops, The City of the Dead where squatters had claimed tombs of the rich as their homes, we rode camels past the pyramids and a flooka sailboat ride on the Nile, he invited us to his home for dinner. Thank goodness we knew NOT to use our LEFT hand when we ate. The left hand is dirty, used for wiping only...hummmm Though we never knew what we were eating, it was tasty and we never felt ill.

Egypt remains a delightful memory of an exotic desert land filled with pyramids, spitting camels, colorful tents of Ramadan, and smiling, helpful people. I hope their new government will be peaceful, successful, prosperous and a friend to the United States of America.

Let the sun shine in!

Shrinking walls of snow re-energize me, especially when the sun shines on the frozen lake so brilliantly! It's been a lethargic period of time for me; no energy. Then I feel guilty that I'm not accomplishing anything. Why is it that a first born kid never gets rid of the guilt of not achieving? I could have been a catholic for all the guilt I harbor. I've been spending days doing a jigsaw puzzle and reading...remembering Dad telling me to "get your face out of that book and go outside!" Well, reading is another world for me...what a great escape when I'm discontent with the present. Grayness darkens my mood...let the sun shine in!

Snowy days to write short stories

This is January, a month of ENDLESS SNOW! I'm aching from shoveling the driveway daily with my new scoop shovel...it's faster and easier, but..........it's LOTS of WORK! Give me time to think about constructing a short story with a new character...I'm tired of my old characters. I want fresh blood in my shorts! New class starts Wednesday on "Crafting the short story" which I'm quite excited about. We'll be studying short stories by several authors, then trying to employ their techniques in crafting characters and settings. It's going to be motivation and FUN! Writers will gather in my family room around the cozy blue Austrian stove, write, discuss and indulge in coffee and sweet treats.

WHITEOUT!

It's another WHITEOUT! I can't see across Carmen's Bay! My daughter Kate from Mexico City and her CA college pal Shanna plan to attend the Viking game today looking like snowmen in their layers of insulated, warm clothing, boots, scarves, mittens and hats. What a disaster: the metrodome's roof collapsed! Brett Farve (Shanna's hero) is injured! Another blizzard in MN! Game is being player outdoors in the falling 8" of snow! TV will be just like black and white TV of the 1950's...all we'll see is SNOW, SNOW, & more SNOW! What a memorable day!

St Lucia Day arrives Dec. 13th

Tree is up, decorated, but no smell...it's a fake, but lovely. No worries about fires, watering, drying out...all that mess. Best part of decorating is refinding the kids' Christmas ornaments they made in nursery school and grade school. Also, my Luther friend Ginger has made at least four or five handmade, stitched ornaments celebrating friendship. THAT'S SPECIAL!

St Lucia Day is approaching on December 13th! My annual party with neighbors and pals wearing THEIR UNIQUE versions of a Lucia crown are absolutely hilarious! It'll be such fun! And the Scandinavian goodies top off the day beautifully, tho they're sure to add pounds...ah, well, this the season!