I gave you the pretty poems about snow yesterday. Now, I’m going to tell you how I really feel:
GO WHERE???
I am so tired of ice and snow. I’d like a way to make them go. I’d like to send them straight to hell, But that would cool things off down there. And when hell freezes over, well, What happens then it’s hard to tell, For lots of folks have said they’d do All kinds of things if that came true. So, darn, I guess I have to wait And let things melt at a slow pace. But if they last much longer here, I still may send them straight down there.
Well, it’s snowing here in Southern Illinois, USA. We got a thorough cover of ice last night, and now the snowflakes are coming down fast and furious — sort of hurling themselves at the ground, almost as if they are trying to beat each other to the goal. I don’t like snow on the roads and walkways, but I enjoy watching it come down — and I enjoy the fresh, pristine look of everything that is covered in brand new snow. I just wish it could land on only specific areas and leave the others untouched. I’ve written a poem or two about my ambivalent feelings, and I felt like writing another one today. So I decided I’d do a post that is a combination of a few snow poems and snow pictures. The poems are mine, but I’m featuring photos from my good friend Terry Valley, who is a professional photographer in Wisconsin. I hope you enjoy them.
SNOWY CINQUAIN
Snowflakes On a mission, Hurling steadfastly down. Racing each other to their goal: Whiteout.
*******
THIS IS DREAMING WEATHER
This is dreaming weather. Nothing much to do Except to watch the blizzard blow And have a snack or two.
Yes, this is dreaming weather: A time to contemplate And set imagination free To wander and create.
Ah, this is dreaming weather: While by the storm confined, Let my heart and soul take wings And leave this world behind.
*******
SNOWCHILD
When I was a child, I thought as a child, And snow was a thing so delightful. From school we were free; we got wet to the knees, And our mom’s day was thrown all off schedule.
But now that I’m grown, I must do on my own All the chores Mom and Dad used to dread: Stock up food by the loads, drive on slippery roads, Shovel snow, and repair that old sled.
Now I look with dismay at the skies leaden gray As I trudge to the store for supplies. De-icer and salt sell out fast with no halt. I need new boots to tread on the ice.
The wind from the north is bitter and harsh, But my temperature, still it is rising; I am in a foul mood, for I see nothing good That can come from a snowstorm arriving.
But then the flakes start, and I feel in my heart – Watching white, fluffy, wonderful, wild Filling all of my world with such beauty unfurled – That in truth I am still just a child!
I actually had two reasons to smile this week. The first reason is that I got to visit with my great-niece to help celebrate her birthday. We couldn’t work things out on the actual day, but she and her two brothers are always very philosophical about those things. Her parents are both very busy people as well, and often the birthday celebrations have to be adjusted a day or two one way or the other.
I don’t have children of my own, but I have three great-nephews, ranging in age from 11-13, and one great-niece, who just turned 11. I love all of them dearly — and equally. They are all extremely intelligent and pro-active in their involvement with the world and other people, and I have some of the most interesting conversations with them. And I love buying gifts for all of them. But any of you ladies out there who have had the pleasure of having a daughter or niece will understand when I say that there is just something really special about buying pretty things for a girl. I guess maybe it’s partly that I get to live vicariously through her delight in the things she receives.
She is very style conscious and absolutely loves dressing up. One of her special delights is in using pretty hair ornaments of all kinds. So I bought her a dress and a special selection of fancy barrettes — all different colors. I also threw in a huge chocolate covered marshmallow heart. She was delighted, and we had a good time together. She immediately went to work changing her hairstyle so that she could start using the barrettes right then.
My second smile came just yesterday. I run a small business from my home, but no matter how small a business is, we still have to have a tax number, keep track of sales, pay sales tax, and send in yearly reports. I absolutely detest — let me say that again — DETEST — doing any kind of accounting work or filling out and turning in government forms. I always put it off until the very last minute, and then I have myself so stressed by all of it that I make it three times as hard as it really is. But, yesterday, I got all my accounting figured out and came out with the right numbers in all the right places. I breathed a huge sigh of relief, and I’ll be smiling about that for a long time — probably until next January — when I will stop smiling and start fretting over having to do it all again for 2023.
To participate in the Weekly Smile, just hop over to Trent’s Blog and learn how to join in the fun.
I need a little favor: Would you please go online and look for the loosest definition of “good” that you can find and see if I can at least fit into that one????
Here it is: The perfect little Thanksgiving gift for those you want to bless during this time of gratitude for God’s abundant blessings in our lives. This small soft-cover book is a seasonal collection of scriptures, pictures, and Thanksgiving poems and essays by my father Ted Pavloff and me. The cover features the photography of my sister Brenda Calvert, so it’s really a family collaboration.
Only 25 pages long, measuring 5 1/5 x 8 1/2, it is just the right size to pick up and enjoy for a few moments of seasonal pleasure in the weeks anticipating Thanksgiving Day or in the hours after dinner, when you’re letting your turkey and dressing settle.
It is candy I’m craving today. Just can’t get enough; there’s no way. I have bought by the bag, And my conscience it nags, That I’m eating too much every day.
I have friends who are nutritionists, And to eat healthily they insist, I feel guilty as sin, When I spend time with them, So their company I’ve had to miss.
Every time I must go to the store I check my sweet stash to make sure That I have quite enough Of the stress-easing stuff, And if not, I make sure to buy more.
Yes, I know that I eat to de-stress; It’s a weakness in me, I confess. But these sugary treats Keep me smiling and sweet. Health food never has that much success.
I haven’t had much blogging time lately, so I took a run through my archives to see if there were a few things from years back that were worth sharing again. And as most of you know, my archives are full of chocolate and coffee. So I figured, why not share one more chocolate piece — or should that be one more ‘piece of chocolate’? — just kidding. I’m not sharing my pieces of chocolate today. But I will share this little conversational story just for fun.
Staying Focused on What’s Important
Time: Present Day Place: On a street in town A conversation likely to occur on any given day when I’m in need of a chocolate fix:
Friend: “Wow! Did you see that?”
Sandra: “I’ll say. I’m salivating even as we speak.
Friend: Oooooh, me too. Makes me feel hungry all over.
Sandra: I know what you mean. That box of chocolates must have held at least 10 pounds.”
Friend: “The girl who gets that will be over the moon.”
Sandra: “Mmmmm. That much chocolate candy would definitely make me one very happy lady.”
Friend: “Huh? – Wait – What?”
Sandra: “What do you mean, what?”
Friend: “What doyou mean? I’m talking about that drop-dead gorgeous hunk who just passed us carrying a box of chocolates, you dope.”
Sandra: “Oh, was there somebody carrying the chocolates?”
I see a little clump of snow just here and there.
And I see gray and blustery clouds most everywhere.
But in my heart I know things are about to turn,
And though the ‘month of love’ I do disdain to spurn,
I am so jolly glad that March is moving in;
I’m quite prepared to meet it with a friendly grin.
But then I stop and tell myself, “Remember dear,
That we’ve had heavy snows in March some other years.”
Alas, that is a daunting thought, but I intend
To cast that sad reminder to the garbage bin.
I’m holding out for sunny skies and grasses green
And happy flowers where dried up sod and snow has been.
The Happy Wordcrafter 