Flashback Friday
Tell about TV when you were growing up. Did your family have a TV? I was born on a Sunday and I’ve been told that my older brother went to Sunday School and bragged, “We got a new TV yesterday! And, oh yeah, we got a baby sister, too.” So there has always been a TV in my home.
Was it color or b&w? B & W. And it required a lengthy warm-up time whenever you turned it on. And when you turned it off, the picture would shrink down into a tiny bright spot in the very center of the screen and glow for a few minutes before disappearing with a squeaky little “pop” sound. I acquired a color TV when I bought one for my husband for our first anniversary present in 1977.
How many TVs did your family have? One. We have two now. One would suffice, but the son needs one to play his video games on.
Did you have one in your room? No. I still don’t have on in the bedroom, tho I know lots of my friends do and use it to fall asleep by.
Did your family leave the TV on most of the day or turn it on for specific programs? I think it was turned off until something specific came on that someone wanted to see. My Grandma referred to a couple of soap operas that she watched as “my stories.” One soap I got attached to when I was a teen was “Dark Shadows.” It featured a vampire named Barnabas Collins. And later, a song from that show, “Quentin’s Theme” made the top ten.
Was the TV on or off when you ate meals as a family? It was off during meals. We ate in the kitchen and the TV was in the living room. Later in my life, when my children were toddlers, we used to gather at my in-laws for a couple of weeks during the summer and process chickens. Their TV was also in the living room, but they kept it loud enough to hear in the kitchen – which was VERY loud. I remember finding the sound of it overwhelming.
Were there rules about watching TV? Not that I remember.
What were your favorite shows? I think I was pretty devoted to the Saturday morning cartoon lineup: Mighty Mouse, Donald Duck, Bugs Bunny… I liked all the silly ones as opposed to the super hero stuff. The Flintstones came on weekday afternoons and I always tried to be home in time for that one. Live action shows I watched included My Friend, Flicka; Bonanza; Saturday Night at the Circus with Don Ameche; Lost in Space; when I was pre-teen. Other shows I recall, but wouldn’t necessarily label as favorites were: Happy Days; All in the Family; Mork and Mindy, Roseanne. A lot of the sitcoms I watched, I saw as nightly reruns during the 6:00-7:00 hour while I was in the kitchen fixing supper. I don’t think I ever went out of my way to watch them when they were on only weekly.
My all time favorites would be the first three Star Trek series.
My current faves are Joyce Meyer’s Enjoying Everyday Life and Adrian Rogers’ Love Worth Finding. Dancing With the Stars is a close 3rd.
Are there any particular memories you have of TV in your younger years? Lawrence Welk, every Saturday night. I still like to catch reruns of him on PBS. Lost in Space and The Fugitive come to mind. The final episode of the The Fugitive was aired on the night before the first day of school and no one fussed at me to get to bed. I don’t remember a thing about the final episode, but I do remember being allowed to stay up til 10 PM to watch it! And I was glued to the coverage of Neil Armstrong and crew landing on the moon.
Friday, October 01, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
A Flashback Friday (on Monday) Questions courtesy of Linda.
What role did music play in your growing up years? I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t some sort of music playing in the background of my life.
What, if any, music do you associate with early childhood? Swing: my mom ALWAYS had the radio on, tuned to KFAB Omaha in the mornings. Before they became a talk station, they played swing: The Mills Brothers (I’m gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own…”), I can still hear the trumpets of a band whose name I can’t remember playing “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” but that was during my teen years. And “Who’s Sorry Now?” (Eddie Arnold, maybe?) , “Just Help Yourself” (Engleburt Humperdink?) I can still sing the “KFAB in Omaha” ditty, tho they don’t use it any more. From my very early childhood, I remember my sister and I standing on each side of Mom at the piano singing as she played. Some of the songs I remember: “Just Because”, “I Ain’t Gonna Take it Settin’ Down”, “He”, “I Love You Truly”, “You Are My Sunshine”, “Don’t Fene Me In”… I’m sure I’ll think of dozens more - right after I publish this post!
The other most important music of my childhood was the hymns we sang on Sunday morning. When I was aged 7-12 or so, I was a member of our church’s “Cherub Choir.” I think we sang once a month during Sunday worship and I don’t remember a single one of the songs we sang, but I remember the director; it was she who taught me that two different notes sung at the same time could sound pretty and it was called harmony. From that time on, I looked forward to singing hymns because I could read and sing the alto line. It wasn’t until later in my life that the words began to have an impact on my life and my faith. I’m glad I never stopped singing hymns.
What music style or songs were popular when you were in high school? I guess you’d have to call what I listened to lite rock. My faves were: Three Dog Night, Don McClean, Chicago, Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, The Mamas and Papas, John Denver, The Starland Vocal Band, Credence Clearwater Revival, BJ Thomas, Olivia Newton John, Janis Joplin… it was the 70s, y’know?
How did you listen to music - on the radio, albums, etc. Mostly on the radio. I had a few albums and started accumulating cassettes when I got out on my own. Now, I own way more cds than I have time to listen to. Which makes me wonder why I buy them? I still listen to radio more than the cd player.
Did you have a stereo in your room? I think what we had would have to be called record player, not a stereo. It played 78s (which we had only a couple of) 45s (a pretty good stack) and 33s. You could load 6-8 45s on it and it would automatically play one and then move the needle off while it dropped the next one. It had a feature where you could play the same 45 over and over, as long as you left the ‘arm’ up. I think I drove my brother crazy with it one day; he came stomping down the hall barking, “Is that the only record you’ve got!?”
Did you attend concerts when you were a teenager? During my 4 years of high school, we had a music teacher who would gather up a group of us several times during the summer, load us into his convertible (top down, of course!) and take us to free concerts at Memorial Park and other places in Omaha. I recall seeing a performance of the musical “Hair” at one of them. I remember a time we went to see a performance of “South Pacific” in an auditorium when a tornado siren sounded and they stopped the show, lined everyone up along the walls and the actors tried to keep everyone’s mind off the storm by singing. It didn’t work. We didn’t get blown away, but it sure was scary there for a while, mainly because they wouldn’t let anyone leave. And in spite of what they say, the show doesn’t always “go on.” They never did finish “South Pacific!” The same teacher took a bunch of us to a Chicago concert in 72 or 73. The Pointer Sisters were the opening band and when Chicago was done, we all held up matches or cigarette lighters until they came out for an encore. Yes, I had a lighter – I was a bad girl and smoked back then.
Another teacher took a bunch of us to see the movie “Fiddler on the Roof.” “How the West Was Won” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” were a couple of movies I actually paid money to see more than once. The old musicals are still my favorite movies to watch. The ones I recall are all so charming and clean and full of ‘happily ever after.’
Our high school marching band played Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4” at all the parades we marched in one summer. I remember playing “La Cucaracha” for all our summer gigs another time. Our director (the same music teacher mentioned above) kept us interested in music by having us learn to play and sing all the pop tunes of the day.
Did the music you liked cause conflict with your parents? If it did, I don’t remember getting into any arguments about it. I was pretty bullheaded, tho, so maybe we argued and I just went ahead and listened to what ever the heck I wanted to anyway.
What song or songs take you back to a certain place and time of your youth? There are a few songs that remind me of people I knew during my teen years who died very young. “Color My World” makes me think of a girl who died in a car wreck when she was 16. “Brian’s Song” reminds me of a girl who died of leukemia when she was 15. One Friday night, a few days after a particularly brutal accident that claimed four young lives, some of the girls on our ‘pep bus’ on the way home from a basketball game, (don’t tell the ACLU) led us in a prayer for the survivors and then we sang “When You Walk Through a Storm” from “The Man of La Mancha.” I think I could still sing it through from beginning to end. Chicago’s “Saturday In the Park” takes me back to my hometown Independence Day parade & fireworks show.
What role did music play in your growing up years? I can’t remember a time when there wasn’t some sort of music playing in the background of my life.
What, if any, music do you associate with early childhood? Swing: my mom ALWAYS had the radio on, tuned to KFAB Omaha in the mornings. Before they became a talk station, they played swing: The Mills Brothers (I’m gonna buy a paper doll that I can call my own…”), I can still hear the trumpets of a band whose name I can’t remember playing “Jesus Christ, Superstar,” but that was during my teen years. And “Who’s Sorry Now?” (Eddie Arnold, maybe?) , “Just Help Yourself” (Engleburt Humperdink?) I can still sing the “KFAB in Omaha” ditty, tho they don’t use it any more. From my very early childhood, I remember my sister and I standing on each side of Mom at the piano singing as she played. Some of the songs I remember: “Just Because”, “I Ain’t Gonna Take it Settin’ Down”, “He”, “I Love You Truly”, “You Are My Sunshine”, “Don’t Fene Me In”… I’m sure I’ll think of dozens more - right after I publish this post!
The other most important music of my childhood was the hymns we sang on Sunday morning. When I was aged 7-12 or so, I was a member of our church’s “Cherub Choir.” I think we sang once a month during Sunday worship and I don’t remember a single one of the songs we sang, but I remember the director; it was she who taught me that two different notes sung at the same time could sound pretty and it was called harmony. From that time on, I looked forward to singing hymns because I could read and sing the alto line. It wasn’t until later in my life that the words began to have an impact on my life and my faith. I’m glad I never stopped singing hymns.
What music style or songs were popular when you were in high school? I guess you’d have to call what I listened to lite rock. My faves were: Three Dog Night, Don McClean, Chicago, Simon & Garfunkel, Neil Diamond, The Mamas and Papas, John Denver, The Starland Vocal Band, Credence Clearwater Revival, BJ Thomas, Olivia Newton John, Janis Joplin… it was the 70s, y’know?
How did you listen to music - on the radio, albums, etc. Mostly on the radio. I had a few albums and started accumulating cassettes when I got out on my own. Now, I own way more cds than I have time to listen to. Which makes me wonder why I buy them? I still listen to radio more than the cd player.
Did you have a stereo in your room? I think what we had would have to be called record player, not a stereo. It played 78s (which we had only a couple of) 45s (a pretty good stack) and 33s. You could load 6-8 45s on it and it would automatically play one and then move the needle off while it dropped the next one. It had a feature where you could play the same 45 over and over, as long as you left the ‘arm’ up. I think I drove my brother crazy with it one day; he came stomping down the hall barking, “Is that the only record you’ve got!?”
Did you attend concerts when you were a teenager? During my 4 years of high school, we had a music teacher who would gather up a group of us several times during the summer, load us into his convertible (top down, of course!) and take us to free concerts at Memorial Park and other places in Omaha. I recall seeing a performance of the musical “Hair” at one of them. I remember a time we went to see a performance of “South Pacific” in an auditorium when a tornado siren sounded and they stopped the show, lined everyone up along the walls and the actors tried to keep everyone’s mind off the storm by singing. It didn’t work. We didn’t get blown away, but it sure was scary there for a while, mainly because they wouldn’t let anyone leave. And in spite of what they say, the show doesn’t always “go on.” They never did finish “South Pacific!” The same teacher took a bunch of us to a Chicago concert in 72 or 73. The Pointer Sisters were the opening band and when Chicago was done, we all held up matches or cigarette lighters until they came out for an encore. Yes, I had a lighter – I was a bad girl and smoked back then.
Another teacher took a bunch of us to see the movie “Fiddler on the Roof.” “How the West Was Won” and “The Unsinkable Molly Brown” were a couple of movies I actually paid money to see more than once. The old musicals are still my favorite movies to watch. The ones I recall are all so charming and clean and full of ‘happily ever after.’
Our high school marching band played Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4” at all the parades we marched in one summer. I remember playing “La Cucaracha” for all our summer gigs another time. Our director (the same music teacher mentioned above) kept us interested in music by having us learn to play and sing all the pop tunes of the day.
Did the music you liked cause conflict with your parents? If it did, I don’t remember getting into any arguments about it. I was pretty bullheaded, tho, so maybe we argued and I just went ahead and listened to what ever the heck I wanted to anyway.
What song or songs take you back to a certain place and time of your youth? There are a few songs that remind me of people I knew during my teen years who died very young. “Color My World” makes me think of a girl who died in a car wreck when she was 16. “Brian’s Song” reminds me of a girl who died of leukemia when she was 15. One Friday night, a few days after a particularly brutal accident that claimed four young lives, some of the girls on our ‘pep bus’ on the way home from a basketball game, (don’t tell the ACLU) led us in a prayer for the survivors and then we sang “When You Walk Through a Storm” from “The Man of La Mancha.” I think I could still sing it through from beginning to end. Chicago’s “Saturday In the Park” takes me back to my hometown Independence Day parade & fireworks show.
Wednesday, September 08, 2010
This is a story that's been bouncing around in my head ever since it happened:
I need to make it clear that I LOVE all my managers at my jpb - they all treat me with the utmost respect and support. So it always surprises me at how much they "diss" each other. I've noticed that two of them are especially at odds with each other. Here is a conversation they had a while back during the opening minutes of a shift they were doomed to work together:
MANAGER 1: "Why don't you just punch me in the face right now and get it over with?"
MANAGER 2: "Well, I would, but I'm on probation!"
Now, you might advise me not to hang around with these guys... and I don't ouside of work,
but these are WOMEN!
I need to make it clear that I LOVE all my managers at my jpb - they all treat me with the utmost respect and support. So it always surprises me at how much they "diss" each other. I've noticed that two of them are especially at odds with each other. Here is a conversation they had a while back during the opening minutes of a shift they were doomed to work together:
MANAGER 1: "Why don't you just punch me in the face right now and get it over with?"
MANAGER 2: "Well, I would, but I'm on probation!"
Now, you might advise me not to hang around with these guys... and I don't ouside of work,
but these are WOMEN!
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
There is a neat blog that posts questions for "Flashback Friday". It's here if you want to see it for yourself. So here is my contribution to one of her flashbacks, only I'm doing it on Tuesday because I have to work on Friday and won't have time to play in the Blogosphere. Her questions are in Italics. My answers aren't.
FOOD
What were meals like when you were growing up?
I remember that Mom always made a roast beef, ‘taters & gravy, and a Jell-O salad for Sunday dinner. It made the most wonderful aroma to come wafting out of the kitchen to greet us when we got home from church.
Did your mom (or dad) cook (and was it from scratch or from a box?)
Mom cooked, using very few, if any convenience foods. I considered it a special treat when I was able to talk her into buying Rice-A-Roni. I used to love the stuff, but I hardly ever buy it now. I remember she made bacon and eggs for breakfast almost every day and only had cereal once in a while. I don’t remember for sure, but I’ll bet my older sisters helped her a lot in the kitchen. When she was working at a job and Dad had to cook, he would make bacon, eggs, and toast for dinner.
or did your family eat out much of the time? I don’t remember all of us going out to eat together very much, but I’m the youngest of six, so I doubt we did it very often. We used to pile in the car and drive the three miles into town once in a while to get ice cream at a tiny little Dairy Queen. When the other five were grown up and on their own, I remember once going out to eat with Mom & Dad at a place called the Green Lantern in Decatur, NE. They had the best onions rings I’d ever eaten (until my son started making them a few years ago.) The Green Lantern burned down a few years ago, but they rebuilt it.
Did you eat together as a family or was everyone on a different schedule?
I think we mostly ate together as a family, until extra-curricular school activities got in the way.
What did you call meals? (Dinner vs. supper, lunch, etc.)
It was (and still is) breakfast, dinner and supper. Lunch was a snack in the middle of the afternoon, between dinner and supper.
What were some of your favorite things that your parent fixed?
Mom made the best chicken and home made noodles on the planet.
What did you dislike and vow never to fix once you grew up?
I didn’t like liver when I was young, but I like it now.
Did your family have any food traditions, things that were a must on certain occasions (such as Sunday dinners or holiday meals)?
We had oyster stew on New Year’s Eve and ham on New Year’s Day. The usual turkey, etc. on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Did your parent teach you to cook or did you wing it once you were grown?
I learned a lot of basic cooking skills from Mom, just by watching her. She always made meat, potatoes and a vegetable and I still consider that to be a square meal. Over the years, I’ve learned to cook a lot of different types of foods. I do a lot more international cuisines than Mom did. And my husband likes to have a lettuce salad. I don’t remember having salads much growing up.
How similar or different are your family's eating habits today than when you grew up?
We’ve always had a TV in sight and on while we eat. That’s one thing I would do differently if I had it to do over again. My kids pretty much grew up on mac & cheese and peanut butter & jelly. They had cereal for breakfast most of the time, tho they would have liked pancakes every day. I hardly ever took the time to make them a cooked breakfast, but now I wish I had. As I remember it, they preferred ‘fast food’ to home cooking for dinner & supper. I would be interested to hear their side of it.
FOOD
What were meals like when you were growing up?
I remember that Mom always made a roast beef, ‘taters & gravy, and a Jell-O salad for Sunday dinner. It made the most wonderful aroma to come wafting out of the kitchen to greet us when we got home from church.
Did your mom (or dad) cook (and was it from scratch or from a box?)
Mom cooked, using very few, if any convenience foods. I considered it a special treat when I was able to talk her into buying Rice-A-Roni. I used to love the stuff, but I hardly ever buy it now. I remember she made bacon and eggs for breakfast almost every day and only had cereal once in a while. I don’t remember for sure, but I’ll bet my older sisters helped her a lot in the kitchen. When she was working at a job and Dad had to cook, he would make bacon, eggs, and toast for dinner.
or did your family eat out much of the time? I don’t remember all of us going out to eat together very much, but I’m the youngest of six, so I doubt we did it very often. We used to pile in the car and drive the three miles into town once in a while to get ice cream at a tiny little Dairy Queen. When the other five were grown up and on their own, I remember once going out to eat with Mom & Dad at a place called the Green Lantern in Decatur, NE. They had the best onions rings I’d ever eaten (until my son started making them a few years ago.) The Green Lantern burned down a few years ago, but they rebuilt it.
Did you eat together as a family or was everyone on a different schedule?
I think we mostly ate together as a family, until extra-curricular school activities got in the way.
What did you call meals? (Dinner vs. supper, lunch, etc.)
It was (and still is) breakfast, dinner and supper. Lunch was a snack in the middle of the afternoon, between dinner and supper.
What were some of your favorite things that your parent fixed?
Mom made the best chicken and home made noodles on the planet.
What did you dislike and vow never to fix once you grew up?
I didn’t like liver when I was young, but I like it now.
Did your family have any food traditions, things that were a must on certain occasions (such as Sunday dinners or holiday meals)?
We had oyster stew on New Year’s Eve and ham on New Year’s Day. The usual turkey, etc. on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Did your parent teach you to cook or did you wing it once you were grown?
I learned a lot of basic cooking skills from Mom, just by watching her. She always made meat, potatoes and a vegetable and I still consider that to be a square meal. Over the years, I’ve learned to cook a lot of different types of foods. I do a lot more international cuisines than Mom did. And my husband likes to have a lettuce salad. I don’t remember having salads much growing up.
How similar or different are your family's eating habits today than when you grew up?
We’ve always had a TV in sight and on while we eat. That’s one thing I would do differently if I had it to do over again. My kids pretty much grew up on mac & cheese and peanut butter & jelly. They had cereal for breakfast most of the time, tho they would have liked pancakes every day. I hardly ever took the time to make them a cooked breakfast, but now I wish I had. As I remember it, they preferred ‘fast food’ to home cooking for dinner & supper. I would be interested to hear their side of it.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Longing to be a part of something larger than myself, I wrote this:
As a fire consumes a sacrifice and draws it to Your Throne;
Let my voice be lost in yours, O God, and my plans consumed by Your own.
Let the single raindrop of my life drown in Your river of Peace
And flow into Your sea of Grace for all Eternity.
May the simple note of praise I bring join Your Symphony;
Until, at last, my voice with Your’s makes perfect harmony.
May the single brushstroke I can be, be lost in Your Masterpiece.
I would that the strand of thread I am, in Your fabric never cease.
Take my temporal earthbound dreams; the things I think I know;
All my silly selfish schemes, I gladly let them go.
“Not my will but Thine be done,” this is my earnest plea
Not my name, but Your’s be praised. “Here am I, send me.”
As a fire consumes a sacrifice and draws it to Your Throne;
Let my voice be lost in yours, O God, and my plans consumed by Your own.
Let the single raindrop of my life drown in Your river of Peace
And flow into Your sea of Grace for all Eternity.
May the simple note of praise I bring join Your Symphony;
Until, at last, my voice with Your’s makes perfect harmony.
May the single brushstroke I can be, be lost in Your Masterpiece.
I would that the strand of thread I am, in Your fabric never cease.
Take my temporal earthbound dreams; the things I think I know;
All my silly selfish schemes, I gladly let them go.
“Not my will but Thine be done,” this is my earnest plea
Not my name, but Your’s be praised. “Here am I, send me.”
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
For Jim
Alder Grove School
Craig, Burt County, NE
We drove past here on our way to making our cemetery visits on Memorial Day and I remembered that you (Jim) said you attended 4-H meetings here. So we stopped and took these snapshots for you. I almost forgot about them until I read your Falshback Friday blogpost about school - which I thoroughly enjoyed and will be posting a flashback of my own some time soon. Where does the time go?
Enjoy!
Alder Grove School
Craig, Burt County, NE
We drove past here on our way to making our cemetery visits on Memorial Day and I remembered that you (Jim) said you attended 4-H meetings here. So we stopped and took these snapshots for you. I almost forgot about them until I read your Falshback Friday blogpost about school - which I thoroughly enjoyed and will be posting a flashback of my own some time soon. Where does the time go?
Enjoy!
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Two Verses and a song
I’ve been bearing a heavy burden for more years than I care to admit, but recently, over the past several weeks, God has been leading me step by step to a place where I can finally learn to shed it.
A few weeks ago, I was reading through the book of Job and chapter 38 got me to thinking about a song that got a lot of airtime a few years ago. Sung by Nicole C. Mullen, it was called Redeemer. I haven’t heard it on the radio in years and don’t have the cd (yet), so I just sort of wished out loud that someone on one of my radio stations would dust it off and play it. My Bible reading that morning included the passages 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty of God to tear down every stronghold, cast down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God; and to take into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And to be ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. And Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. I added these to my memory verse list and started working on hiding them in my heart.
I love to get up early in the morning and enjoy the peace and quiet of the pre-dawn. I usually crack a window open so I can listen while the world comes to life, settle into my favorite chair with a cup of coffee and read my Bible for awhile. Then I turn on the TV and listen to Joyce Meyer. She only talks for 30 minutes, and I’m not usually ready to hit the ground running yet, so sometimes I lay my head back and listen to Creflo Dollar, who immediately follows Joyce on the station I watch.
One morning, when Joyce came on she was preaching on 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 and Romans 12:2. I thought, “What a coincidence!”
Silly me.
Guess what Creflo preached on during the next half hour?
Yup: 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 and Romans 12:2.
I don’t have time or space to go into detail about the lessons they preached. Suffice it to say that based on what I allow my thoughts to dwell upon, I have the power within me, to either worry bad situations into existence or trust God and, by speaking His word, I can turn worry into worship. I can “be transformed by the renewing of my mind.” not of myself, but I have access to weapons that are “mighty in God…to take into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ” (That’s a serious over-simplification, but if you need more details, you can look them both up on the internet.)
Now, lest you scoff and tsk and say, “What a coincidence!” Wait, there’s more:
Guess what song I heard on the drive to work that day?
Nicole C. Mullen’s Redeemer.
And again on the drive home that night.
And one more time, a couple days later, for good measure, just in case I doubted.
I love it when God blows me little kisses like this.
If you want to hear Nicole sing it go here.
When God blows you little kisses, do you notice?
I’ve been bearing a heavy burden for more years than I care to admit, but recently, over the past several weeks, God has been leading me step by step to a place where I can finally learn to shed it.
A few weeks ago, I was reading through the book of Job and chapter 38 got me to thinking about a song that got a lot of airtime a few years ago. Sung by Nicole C. Mullen, it was called Redeemer. I haven’t heard it on the radio in years and don’t have the cd (yet), so I just sort of wished out loud that someone on one of my radio stations would dust it off and play it. My Bible reading that morning included the passages 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty of God to tear down every stronghold, cast down every imagination and every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God; and to take into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. And to be ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled. And Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. I added these to my memory verse list and started working on hiding them in my heart.
I love to get up early in the morning and enjoy the peace and quiet of the pre-dawn. I usually crack a window open so I can listen while the world comes to life, settle into my favorite chair with a cup of coffee and read my Bible for awhile. Then I turn on the TV and listen to Joyce Meyer. She only talks for 30 minutes, and I’m not usually ready to hit the ground running yet, so sometimes I lay my head back and listen to Creflo Dollar, who immediately follows Joyce on the station I watch.
One morning, when Joyce came on she was preaching on 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 and Romans 12:2. I thought, “What a coincidence!”
Silly me.
Guess what Creflo preached on during the next half hour?
Yup: 2 Corinthians 10:4-6 and Romans 12:2.
I don’t have time or space to go into detail about the lessons they preached. Suffice it to say that based on what I allow my thoughts to dwell upon, I have the power within me, to either worry bad situations into existence or trust God and, by speaking His word, I can turn worry into worship. I can “be transformed by the renewing of my mind.” not of myself, but I have access to weapons that are “mighty in God…to take into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ” (That’s a serious over-simplification, but if you need more details, you can look them both up on the internet.)
Now, lest you scoff and tsk and say, “What a coincidence!” Wait, there’s more:
Guess what song I heard on the drive to work that day?
Nicole C. Mullen’s Redeemer.
And again on the drive home that night.
And one more time, a couple days later, for good measure, just in case I doubted.
I love it when God blows me little kisses like this.
If you want to hear Nicole sing it go here.
When God blows you little kisses, do you notice?
Thursday, August 05, 2010
Vacation pics
These are some of Andrea's Holyhocks - they live in Lakota, North Dakota.
This is one of the many ducklings we saw as Andrea was chauferring me all over the countryside so I could do photography. There were two major lakes near Lakota: Devil's Lake and Stump Lake. The water table has become so high over the past 10 years or so, they have merged into one. This is great for the waterfowl - not so great for trees, roads and homes that have to be moved out of the way. Andrea's Chuck told us that homes threatened by the expanding waters are moved during the winter - across the frozen lakes.
And this is Andrea standing by her zip code. She works for the Post Office. Andrea occupies most of my fondest childhood memories. Her mom was my mom's niece and we traveled from northeast Nebraska to visit them in Denver throughout my growing up years.
On our way to Andrea's, we attended a wedding in Aberdeen. Sorry - no pics as I took the wrong camera with me to the festivities. That would be the one with the dead battery... made me want to say some downright unChristian things at the time, but everyone else in attendance had cameras with good batteries, so the event was properly documented. Anyway, after the wedding, on our way to Andrea's we stopped in Jamestown, North Dakota and fell into this cute little tourist trap. It is home to a sweet little historic village, a herd of buffalo (including the white one getting a drink of water in the foreground) and the "world's largest buffalo statue" in the background. The day after we visited Jamestown, Andrea drove me past the farm in Walsh County where the white buff's mother was born. They produce at least two white ones, which are actually albinos, each year - very unusual occurance.
In Jamestown, we stopped at a Hardees for lunch and I had the funniest experience. I noticed that there were several tables occupied by folks who had obviously just come from church. While we were waiting for our food, I left our table two or three times and every time I came back, the other people looked at me with a friendly smile and nod of recognition - the way you would look at someone you had known all your life and had just attended church with. I'm told this is typical Dakotan friendliness. I found it quite charming. I hope I can be as friendly and welcoming to strangers as they were to me.
Can you guess what this field is? Cliff? Anyone?
This is what canola looks like before it goes to seed, gets harvested and becomes oil. I wonder if olives are this pretty before they get made into oil? Does anyone have a picture of blooming olives to share?
That's all for now! There must be more pictures around here somewhere...
These are some of Andrea's Holyhocks - they live in Lakota, North Dakota.
This is one of the many ducklings we saw as Andrea was chauferring me all over the countryside so I could do photography. There were two major lakes near Lakota: Devil's Lake and Stump Lake. The water table has become so high over the past 10 years or so, they have merged into one. This is great for the waterfowl - not so great for trees, roads and homes that have to be moved out of the way. Andrea's Chuck told us that homes threatened by the expanding waters are moved during the winter - across the frozen lakes.
And this is Andrea standing by her zip code. She works for the Post Office. Andrea occupies most of my fondest childhood memories. Her mom was my mom's niece and we traveled from northeast Nebraska to visit them in Denver throughout my growing up years.
On our way to Andrea's, we attended a wedding in Aberdeen. Sorry - no pics as I took the wrong camera with me to the festivities. That would be the one with the dead battery... made me want to say some downright unChristian things at the time, but everyone else in attendance had cameras with good batteries, so the event was properly documented. Anyway, after the wedding, on our way to Andrea's we stopped in Jamestown, North Dakota and fell into this cute little tourist trap. It is home to a sweet little historic village, a herd of buffalo (including the white one getting a drink of water in the foreground) and the "world's largest buffalo statue" in the background. The day after we visited Jamestown, Andrea drove me past the farm in Walsh County where the white buff's mother was born. They produce at least two white ones, which are actually albinos, each year - very unusual occurance.
In Jamestown, we stopped at a Hardees for lunch and I had the funniest experience. I noticed that there were several tables occupied by folks who had obviously just come from church. While we were waiting for our food, I left our table two or three times and every time I came back, the other people looked at me with a friendly smile and nod of recognition - the way you would look at someone you had known all your life and had just attended church with. I'm told this is typical Dakotan friendliness. I found it quite charming. I hope I can be as friendly and welcoming to strangers as they were to me.
Can you guess what this field is? Cliff? Anyone?
This is what canola looks like before it goes to seed, gets harvested and becomes oil. I wonder if olives are this pretty before they get made into oil? Does anyone have a picture of blooming olives to share?
That's all for now! There must be more pictures around here somewhere...
Thursday, July 22, 2010
How I spent my summer vacation:
Attended a lovely wedding in one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in South Dakota.
Laughed ‘til I cried – several times. There are a number of waitresses between here and North Dakota who can verify…
Reconnected with a very cherished childhood friend/cousin and her awesome family.
Used 8 rolls of 35 mm film. (24 exp each) Yup – I’ll be posting pix soon.
Gained 8 pounds.
Finished reading a great book (Captivating by John and Stasie Eldridge – every woman in the world needs to read this book!)
Ran out of:
Money
Clean clothes
Energy
Deodorant (sorry)
Maxed out a MC.
Had just enough food to get home…
Best vacation EVER!!!
Life is good.
And how did you spend your summer vacation?
PS - if you need a house sitter, I had the best one on the planet. Will deifinitely recommend him to anyone.
Attended a lovely wedding in one of the most beautiful Catholic churches in South Dakota.
Laughed ‘til I cried – several times. There are a number of waitresses between here and North Dakota who can verify…
Reconnected with a very cherished childhood friend/cousin and her awesome family.
Used 8 rolls of 35 mm film. (24 exp each) Yup – I’ll be posting pix soon.
Gained 8 pounds.
Finished reading a great book (Captivating by John and Stasie Eldridge – every woman in the world needs to read this book!)
Ran out of:
Money
Clean clothes
Energy
Deodorant (sorry)
Maxed out a MC.
Had just enough food to get home…
Best vacation EVER!!!
Life is good.
And how did you spend your summer vacation?
PS - if you need a house sitter, I had the best one on the planet. Will deifinitely recommend him to anyone.
Friday, June 11, 2010
Channeling Sarah
You remember Sarah – wife of Abraham – (Genesis 11:27 – 23:20). God had promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son. So they waited… and trusted…and waited…. and waited for, oh I would guess around 30 years or so, while all around them, their friends, neighbors, servants, and brothers were bearing sons and daughters and, later, grandchildren. It appeared that all Sarah was able to bear was great shame, enduring the inevitable whispers, the tsk tsking, the giggles behind her back.
Then, what I think happened was that Sarah found that her bones began to take longer to wake up in the morning than the rest of her did. Any extra exertion out of the ordinary left her with aching muscles and fatigue. Bruises took longer to heal and hurt more. Her ankles and thumb joints, especially, ached constantly throughout the day as she went about her work. Close-up work, such as sewing, grew out of focus and became nearly impossible. Her internal thermostat ceased to exist and when she finally found sleep between the hot and cold flashes, it was plagued with nightmares; dark images that startled her awake, leaving her with her heart pounding with fear. She started having trouble concentrating for any extended length of time. She found herself remembering very clearly her childhood friends, her wedding day, the day she and her husband left Ur, but had to struggle to hold onto the names of her current neighbors and acquaintances. Smooth, supple parts of her body began to sag and droop and the waistband of her garments grew tight around a belly that took on the appearance of a bloated bag of lumpy curds and whey. Dark purple veins stood out on her ever weakening legs. Strands of white started to streak though her dark braids. She wondered why everyone around her had started mumbling, forcing her to ask them to repeat almost everything.
And finally, she stopped having periods. It would have seemed obvious to her that she and old Abe had misunderstood the Promise of a son. She came face to face with the realization that she had fewer years ahead of her than behind her. She thought that the one thing she had wanted to accomplish in her life was now hopelessly out of reach. No doubt there had been times over the years when her cycle had been late, or other symptoms appeared that made them think she had conceived, but each time the hopes were dashed, no child was on the way. Ever. And each of those times she would have counted it against herself as a failure. Maybe she even wondered, “Isn’t there some kind of a limit on the number of times one person can fail during a lifetime?!”
Enter: Hagar the Egyptian Maid. Sarah had to watch as Hagar easily accomplished in a very short time what she had been unable to achieve during a lifetime of trying. Can you blame her for getting a little grouchy?
What Sarah didn’t have that we do is 2 Corinthians 12:9 “For He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Eventually, God took Sarah’s greatest weakness and turned it into her greatest victory when she conceived at the age of 90 and gave birth. Sarah would have the last laugh, naming this miracle son Isaac which means “laughter.”
Don’t you just love happy endings?
You remember Sarah – wife of Abraham – (Genesis 11:27 – 23:20). God had promised Abraham and Sarah that they would have a son. So they waited… and trusted…and waited…. and waited for, oh I would guess around 30 years or so, while all around them, their friends, neighbors, servants, and brothers were bearing sons and daughters and, later, grandchildren. It appeared that all Sarah was able to bear was great shame, enduring the inevitable whispers, the tsk tsking, the giggles behind her back.
Then, what I think happened was that Sarah found that her bones began to take longer to wake up in the morning than the rest of her did. Any extra exertion out of the ordinary left her with aching muscles and fatigue. Bruises took longer to heal and hurt more. Her ankles and thumb joints, especially, ached constantly throughout the day as she went about her work. Close-up work, such as sewing, grew out of focus and became nearly impossible. Her internal thermostat ceased to exist and when she finally found sleep between the hot and cold flashes, it was plagued with nightmares; dark images that startled her awake, leaving her with her heart pounding with fear. She started having trouble concentrating for any extended length of time. She found herself remembering very clearly her childhood friends, her wedding day, the day she and her husband left Ur, but had to struggle to hold onto the names of her current neighbors and acquaintances. Smooth, supple parts of her body began to sag and droop and the waistband of her garments grew tight around a belly that took on the appearance of a bloated bag of lumpy curds and whey. Dark purple veins stood out on her ever weakening legs. Strands of white started to streak though her dark braids. She wondered why everyone around her had started mumbling, forcing her to ask them to repeat almost everything.
And finally, she stopped having periods. It would have seemed obvious to her that she and old Abe had misunderstood the Promise of a son. She came face to face with the realization that she had fewer years ahead of her than behind her. She thought that the one thing she had wanted to accomplish in her life was now hopelessly out of reach. No doubt there had been times over the years when her cycle had been late, or other symptoms appeared that made them think she had conceived, but each time the hopes were dashed, no child was on the way. Ever. And each of those times she would have counted it against herself as a failure. Maybe she even wondered, “Isn’t there some kind of a limit on the number of times one person can fail during a lifetime?!”
Enter: Hagar the Egyptian Maid. Sarah had to watch as Hagar easily accomplished in a very short time what she had been unable to achieve during a lifetime of trying. Can you blame her for getting a little grouchy?
What Sarah didn’t have that we do is 2 Corinthians 12:9 “For He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” Eventually, God took Sarah’s greatest weakness and turned it into her greatest victory when she conceived at the age of 90 and gave birth. Sarah would have the last laugh, naming this miracle son Isaac which means “laughter.”
Don’t you just love happy endings?
Monday, June 07, 2010
Feeling a little sarcastic today. I’m afraid the job may be getting to me.
Here are some things that will make a cashier (me) want to whack you over the head with the order separator stick:
Not using the order separator stick and barking out, “That’s not mine!” when I start scanning the next person’s things.
Handing me your reusable bags after I’ve already filled six plastic bags with your groceries.
Heaving a big sigh and tapping your foot when the sweet little old lady in front of you takes longer than usual to write out a check. Have a little patience, for crying out loud. If you’re in too big of a hurry to be polite, don’t stop at the store!
Talking on a cell phone. Hello? I’m right in front of you. Please acknowledge my existence.
Talking to me in that same b#t*hy tone of voice you are using on your small children.
Taking longer to dig through your pockets or purse for a penny than it would take for me to take $.99 out of the cash drawer.
Having both hands busy unloading groceries and holding your coupons, check, debit card, or cash in your mouth right before you hand it to me.
Sneezing or coughing on any of the above mentioned forms of tender.
Handing me money that has been wadded up in your sweaty pocket.
Paying a $22.99 bill in quarters – on the Express Lane. (The Express Lane doesn’t even have an order separator stick, but I’ll borrow one for the occasion.)
Taking it out on me when you try to exceed the limit on sale items. What part of “Limit 4” don’t you understand?
Asking me, “Where’s the ATM machine?” when I’m standing by the bright blue neon sign that says “ATM.”
The following are things I would like to reply when you say:
“That item is cheaper at Wal-Mart.” Wal-Mart is 20 blocks east - do you need a ride?
“The small print in your ad is too small.” Do I look like I have the power to change the size of the print in our ad?
“I’m looking for a magazine that had a picture of a quilt or something on the cover. Do you have one of those?” Seriously?
Ah, well, people are funny sometimes.
Here are some things that will make a cashier (me) want to whack you over the head with the order separator stick:
Not using the order separator stick and barking out, “That’s not mine!” when I start scanning the next person’s things.
Handing me your reusable bags after I’ve already filled six plastic bags with your groceries.
Heaving a big sigh and tapping your foot when the sweet little old lady in front of you takes longer than usual to write out a check. Have a little patience, for crying out loud. If you’re in too big of a hurry to be polite, don’t stop at the store!
Talking on a cell phone. Hello? I’m right in front of you. Please acknowledge my existence.
Talking to me in that same b#t*hy tone of voice you are using on your small children.
Taking longer to dig through your pockets or purse for a penny than it would take for me to take $.99 out of the cash drawer.
Having both hands busy unloading groceries and holding your coupons, check, debit card, or cash in your mouth right before you hand it to me.
Sneezing or coughing on any of the above mentioned forms of tender.
Handing me money that has been wadded up in your sweaty pocket.
Paying a $22.99 bill in quarters – on the Express Lane. (The Express Lane doesn’t even have an order separator stick, but I’ll borrow one for the occasion.)
Taking it out on me when you try to exceed the limit on sale items. What part of “Limit 4” don’t you understand?
Asking me, “Where’s the ATM machine?” when I’m standing by the bright blue neon sign that says “ATM.”
The following are things I would like to reply when you say:
“That item is cheaper at Wal-Mart.” Wal-Mart is 20 blocks east - do you need a ride?
“The small print in your ad is too small.” Do I look like I have the power to change the size of the print in our ad?
“I’m looking for a magazine that had a picture of a quilt or something on the cover. Do you have one of those?” Seriously?
Ah, well, people are funny sometimes.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Goodness! Has it really been two months!?!
Let's see... what blogworthy things have I been doing...?
I got some new shoes.
The snow melted and the creek didn't flood.
I've been out riding Bubba a few times.
I started some hollyhocks, columbine and daisies in a makeshift 'greenhouse'. They are doing well, but need to be re-potted.
I planted some gladiolus, a dahlia, crocosmius and everlastig peas. (Haven't come up yet.) I planted some rhubarb roots, some of which have sprouted. And some Iris, which were already sprouted. The Iris are doing well, even thought they keep getting molested by the cats.
We had a spectacular thunderstorm for me to drive home in Friday night. The rain gauge says we got two inches that night.
A very kind music professor at Dana College is coaching my gospel quartet so I am learning new things about singing every week.. I love it!!
If you'd like to see some evidence of what else might be occupying my time, you can go here.
I'm still learning how to make the best use of the digital camera in my posession, but I still have better results with my 35 mm. Thought you might like these:
When I was at Dana last week the flowering crab were blooming like mad...
Don't they smell good? (Yes, these are from my 35 mm)
And congratulations to my blog-partner, Joe on the March 16 arrival of Alexander Gavin! Hoping he will post a pic or two here. The ones I got via snail mail are so CUTE!!
Okay, Cliff, now you don't have to come out here... I might come see you, tho. I need to go riding with Juli some time soon.
Let's see... what blogworthy things have I been doing...?
I got some new shoes.
The snow melted and the creek didn't flood.
I've been out riding Bubba a few times.
I started some hollyhocks, columbine and daisies in a makeshift 'greenhouse'. They are doing well, but need to be re-potted.
I planted some gladiolus, a dahlia, crocosmius and everlastig peas. (Haven't come up yet.) I planted some rhubarb roots, some of which have sprouted. And some Iris, which were already sprouted. The Iris are doing well, even thought they keep getting molested by the cats.
We had a spectacular thunderstorm for me to drive home in Friday night. The rain gauge says we got two inches that night.
A very kind music professor at Dana College is coaching my gospel quartet so I am learning new things about singing every week.. I love it!!
If you'd like to see some evidence of what else might be occupying my time, you can go here.
I'm still learning how to make the best use of the digital camera in my posession, but I still have better results with my 35 mm. Thought you might like these:
When I was at Dana last week the flowering crab were blooming like mad...
Don't they smell good? (Yes, these are from my 35 mm)
And congratulations to my blog-partner, Joe on the March 16 arrival of Alexander Gavin! Hoping he will post a pic or two here. The ones I got via snail mail are so CUTE!!
Okay, Cliff, now you don't have to come out here... I might come see you, tho. I need to go riding with Juli some time soon.
Monday, March 01, 2010
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I discovered a use for the 15-20 foot piles of snow surrounding me:
It makes a perfect screen for shadow puppets!
Of course, I only know how to make one shadow puppet, and it requires two hands, so I can't make the shadow puppet and take a picture of it at the same time.
So here's me, (and my shadow) waving hello:
Hello!
And some news: I have been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. I now have in my posession both a cell phone and a digital camera, courtesy of my daughter. A few years ago, we gave Emily a tracphone for Christmas and when she graduated from college, we gave her a digital camera. Well, then a few months ago, she upgraded to a cell phone that also takes pictures. So she gave me the old tracphone and the digital camera is with me, on indefinite loan.
So I spent yesterday morning learning how to text on the phone. (If you want my new cell phone number, email me and I'll email it back to you.)
And I spent this morning, learning how to upload pictures onto the computer, so I can share them with you.
Okay, now I have to go and do responsible things like housework... and eating... and sleeping... and stuff like that.
Happy Thursday, everyone!
It makes a perfect screen for shadow puppets!
Of course, I only know how to make one shadow puppet, and it requires two hands, so I can't make the shadow puppet and take a picture of it at the same time.
So here's me, (and my shadow) waving hello:
Hello!
And some news: I have been dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st Century. I now have in my posession both a cell phone and a digital camera, courtesy of my daughter. A few years ago, we gave Emily a tracphone for Christmas and when she graduated from college, we gave her a digital camera. Well, then a few months ago, she upgraded to a cell phone that also takes pictures. So she gave me the old tracphone and the digital camera is with me, on indefinite loan.
So I spent yesterday morning learning how to text on the phone. (If you want my new cell phone number, email me and I'll email it back to you.)
And I spent this morning, learning how to upload pictures onto the computer, so I can share them with you.
Okay, now I have to go and do responsible things like housework... and eating... and sleeping... and stuff like that.
Happy Thursday, everyone!
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Thinking SPRING!
This was my sister, Sue's idea. And I think it's a good one.
I can't stop taking pictures of the massive amounts of snow on the ground. It's like being a tourist in hell, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, here are some pretty lilacs from last year, to help us all to "think SPRING!"
I'm not sure, but I think one or more of these may be upside down?
This was my sister, Sue's idea. And I think it's a good one.
I can't stop taking pictures of the massive amounts of snow on the ground. It's like being a tourist in hell, if you know what I mean.
Anyway, here are some pretty lilacs from last year, to help us all to "think SPRING!"
I'm not sure, but I think one or more of these may be upside down?
Tuesday, February 09, 2010
Wednesday, February 03, 2010
1. Furniture :: I need to buy a new chair for my living room.
2. Beauty :: is in the eyes.
3. Sip :: Coffee
4. Block :: A neighborhood in a town.
5. Forehead :: Mine’s too high. I should wear bangs.
6. Championship :: The Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred horse racing
7. Hurl :: Vomit
8. Whip :: Put that down! Who do you think you are? Indiana Jones?
9. Destruction :: on the eve of
10. Leather :: Cowhide
Word association game, courtesy of Peter:
http://subliminal.lunanina.com
2. Beauty :: is in the eyes.
3. Sip :: Coffee
4. Block :: A neighborhood in a town.
5. Forehead :: Mine’s too high. I should wear bangs.
6. Championship :: The Triple Crown of American Thoroughbred horse racing
7. Hurl :: Vomit
8. Whip :: Put that down! Who do you think you are? Indiana Jones?
9. Destruction :: on the eve of
10. Leather :: Cowhide
Word association game, courtesy of Peter:
http://subliminal.lunanina.com
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Half of the SunDogs
Our driveway.
We're out! WOOHOO!
Actually, we got dug out on Sunday the 10th. We'd gotten stranded on the 6th.
Then we got stranded by and ice storm on the 20th, but that was only for one day. Our power went out for about 4 hours on the 21st.
AND... we got a new furnace.
Very cold today (high of 14) but very sunny. We've had clouds and fog ten days straight, so just seeing the sun warmed my heart.
Life is good.
Our driveway.
We're out! WOOHOO!
Actually, we got dug out on Sunday the 10th. We'd gotten stranded on the 6th.
Then we got stranded by and ice storm on the 20th, but that was only for one day. Our power went out for about 4 hours on the 21st.
AND... we got a new furnace.
Very cold today (high of 14) but very sunny. We've had clouds and fog ten days straight, so just seeing the sun warmed my heart.
Life is good.
Saturday, January 09, 2010
So close...
Cliff once told the story of the time he was in college and took part in a 750 voice choral and orchestra presentation of Handel’s Messiah. He said he was pretty sure there were a few measures during the Hallelujah Chorus when all he could do was just stand there and listen. I can only imagine how all that magnificent music sounded from within.
I went out around 5:30 this frigid morning (it was only -3 today at 5:30) to feed the horses, muck their stalls and de-ice their water. I’ve been doing this 5 times a day and twice a night since Wednesday and have yet to see or hear any traffic either on our road, which is drifted shut, or on the paved road ½ mile away, which is also drifted shut, right at our corner. (Yes, directions to our house include the phrase, “Turn off the blacktop…”) The only sounds that I’ve encountered on these adventures through the storm to the barn have been howling winds and the crunching of my boots on the show.
On my way back to the house, much to my surprise and delight, I heard the sound of a snow plow off in the distance. He was so far away I couldn’t even see his familiar flashing lights. But I could clearly hear the sound of his blade scraping on the pavement and the “beep beep beep” when ever he had to back up. All I could do was just stand there and listen… while the opening measures of the Hallelujah Chorus began to run through my head. The music, however, faded away when I realized the snow plow was moving away from me.
Sigh…..
Cliff once told the story of the time he was in college and took part in a 750 voice choral and orchestra presentation of Handel’s Messiah. He said he was pretty sure there were a few measures during the Hallelujah Chorus when all he could do was just stand there and listen. I can only imagine how all that magnificent music sounded from within.
I went out around 5:30 this frigid morning (it was only -3 today at 5:30) to feed the horses, muck their stalls and de-ice their water. I’ve been doing this 5 times a day and twice a night since Wednesday and have yet to see or hear any traffic either on our road, which is drifted shut, or on the paved road ½ mile away, which is also drifted shut, right at our corner. (Yes, directions to our house include the phrase, “Turn off the blacktop…”) The only sounds that I’ve encountered on these adventures through the storm to the barn have been howling winds and the crunching of my boots on the show.
On my way back to the house, much to my surprise and delight, I heard the sound of a snow plow off in the distance. He was so far away I couldn’t even see his familiar flashing lights. But I could clearly hear the sound of his blade scraping on the pavement and the “beep beep beep” when ever he had to back up. All I could do was just stand there and listen… while the opening measures of the Hallelujah Chorus began to run through my head. The music, however, faded away when I realized the snow plow was moving away from me.
Sigh…..
Friday, January 08, 2010
Praying for Daylight
Well, friends, here we are again. Remember the picture below of the six foot drift that hasn't changed since it landed? Well, it's now taller. And wider. And surrounded by more drifts so I can't get to a good place to photograph it without making my way through waist-deep snow.
And it COLD. -6 F or something like that.
And our furnace isn't working.
And our lane is drifted completey shut.
But, hey! Our power is still on, so we can have space heaters going to take out the chill. And both the satelites are working, so I can blog and watch Food network.
We have a really good barn, so my horses don't have to be out in this brutal weather. (Bubba is an Arabian, you know, so he's not cut out for this kind of stuff.)
The wind finally quit blowing. AND we have a Good Neighbor who will be coming to help dig us out some time today.
We are safe at home, not out on the roads. Except for my brother-in-law who is stranded at a truck stop in Iowa, but he's been there and done that before, so I trust he's hanging in there until he can get back on the road and head for home.
And I had the opportunity to photograph some very impressive sun dogs yesterday. I'll be posting them as soon as I get them developed. (Still haven't gone digital).
So there you have it: the bad news and the good news.
Happy Friday, Everyone!
Well, friends, here we are again. Remember the picture below of the six foot drift that hasn't changed since it landed? Well, it's now taller. And wider. And surrounded by more drifts so I can't get to a good place to photograph it without making my way through waist-deep snow.
And it COLD. -6 F or something like that.
And our furnace isn't working.
And our lane is drifted completey shut.
But, hey! Our power is still on, so we can have space heaters going to take out the chill. And both the satelites are working, so I can blog and watch Food network.
We have a really good barn, so my horses don't have to be out in this brutal weather. (Bubba is an Arabian, you know, so he's not cut out for this kind of stuff.)
The wind finally quit blowing. AND we have a Good Neighbor who will be coming to help dig us out some time today.
We are safe at home, not out on the roads. Except for my brother-in-law who is stranded at a truck stop in Iowa, but he's been there and done that before, so I trust he's hanging in there until he can get back on the road and head for home.
And I had the opportunity to photograph some very impressive sun dogs yesterday. I'll be posting them as soon as I get them developed. (Still haven't gone digital).
So there you have it: the bad news and the good news.
Happy Friday, Everyone!
Monday, January 04, 2010
Snow pictures from Nebraska:
The Place - we were stranded here at home from Wednesday through Sunday.
The back yard. This drift is about 6 feet high. It hasn't shrank an inch since it landed.
The horses were glad to get out of the barn when it finally stopped snowing. They were inside for three days.
I think the final tally here was about 14 inches fell from December 23-26. The high winds made travel impossible until Sunday the 27th. More snow and expected on Wednesday the 5th, followed by below zero highs for several days.
The Place - we were stranded here at home from Wednesday through Sunday.
The back yard. This drift is about 6 feet high. It hasn't shrank an inch since it landed.
The horses were glad to get out of the barn when it finally stopped snowing. They were inside for three days.
I think the final tally here was about 14 inches fell from December 23-26. The high winds made travel impossible until Sunday the 27th. More snow and expected on Wednesday the 5th, followed by below zero highs for several days.
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