LaughAloud

In the Snow

I'm walking around the city of Boston in the slushy snow. Sometimes rain, sometimes fat flakes, sometimes a mix. The ground has wet and slushy snow that crunches underfoot with huge cold puddles at the curbs and corners of streets. The cold air stings my face and refreshes me down to my soul.

I miss this. Big snowy & cold city, walking alone in streets surrounded by people. Side excursions into small parks and alleys most people avoid in the cold and damp. Ducking inside feels cozy rather than too warm and revives for more time out in the world.

I know the winter can get old when you live it for eight months or so out of the year. But even in month eight there are moments of wonder to be found. Every where the weather, the place, the scenery gets old, even miserable there are moments if wonder to be found. But you have to let them happen. Let yourself be open to wonder in whatever place it might find you.

Merry White Christmas!

The view from my parents back porch in Iowa on this White Christmas.

Delight in Denver

Year in Review #2

The Midwinter Library conference took me to Denver in January this year, which was beautiful and cold and fun. 

 I went to Denver (with my new coat) hoping for cold and snow. I was rewarded. The best day of the conference, was a quiet, early Sunday morning with a beautiful snowfall. Walking all alone, on empty streets to the conference hall, I took pictures and reveled in the quietness created by the snowfall, only the crunch of snow beneath my feet. I miss those mornings, those days, it nice to have at least one while I was in Denver's cold climes. The picture of the Big Blue Bear looking into the Conference center was taken that morning.

I looked back on my twitters to see what I said during the Conference & this one is one I want to  remember: "Please let me keep an open mind about new thing even  when I'm very old."

After the conference I got to stay with my Aunt Mary Em & Uncle Jim outside Denver & have all kinds of  fun adventures in just a few short days. We saw all kinds of wildlife, antelope & deer, along the side of the road and from their front porch. I played with their dog Molly in the snow. We went and checked out a couple areas archery stores. I got to see my cousin and his family,  including meeting the new baby for the first time. My Uncle also, upon finding out my dirty secret (that I might like scotch better than bourbon, which is what all the women in my family drink) introduced me to some delicious scotchs they brought back from Scotland and taught me the "proper" Scotch way to drink it. With just a little water to bring out the full flavors. Over all, it was a fun and full and wonderful visit. How did we manage to pack so much into just two days?

Holiday Adventures 2008

I know, the Holidays were almost, well, a year ago. But I'm writing a series of posts about the highlights of my year anyway. Not because I think you want to know, but because I would like to remember.

Part #1 of my year in review.

We were able to take a nice long vacation over the holidays and see both of our families. It helped that Chip had dropped down to part time while looking for a teaching job, so he had more time off from work than usual. We flew into Des Moines for Christmas and then drove to St. Louis (in a Mustang!) just before The New Year. Here's a little photo album of the highlights.

 

Snowside

A Crazy Dream

The other night I had the craziest dream.  There was a party in a building, tall with lots of glass.  Then there was a disaster.  Lots of snow, cars getting stuck.  I don’t know if the snow was the disaster, or if there was more, but it was cold and there was lots of snow. 

There was a horse, a deep shining chestnut mare.  Telepathic.   Spoke to me, but I was not me, I was someone else.  Spoke to others, maybe?  But  she told me more.  I cradled her head close to me and breathed in the sweet smell of her, and stroked her silken nose.

In the midst of the disaster my family, who was not my family, sat around a table and ate a simple dinner and where we sat was warm and light and this was “the happiness.”  But the others did not know it and we were surrounded by the cold and the snow.  People around us, panicking, running away from something terrible, but separate from our table and from the light.

My father, who was not my father, but a small asian man who was the father of the me in my dream, stood and tried to leave the table.  Tried to gather the family, so we too could run.  But I stopped him.  I told him “No.  We must perform the happiness.”  And I didn’t have to tell him what the happiness was, or that it was the horse who told me.  He knew.  She made him know, although he didn’t know how. 

And we sat down again, at our table in the sun, and ate.  And around us the people ran terrified and the snow came down and down.

And when I awoke, I felt so peaceful.  So happy.