Winter Has Arrived

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Winter Solstice occurs on December 21, 2008 at 7:04 AM EST and 12:04 UT (Universal Time). It is here people!!!!!!

A year ago in Montana-too cold to play in the stuff today!

All of these photos were taken last year during a trip to a football game in Carroll, Montana. They had an ice storm the day before, so they had tried to plow most of the ice off the field, but it was still tough! They had chipped the ice off the bleacher seats, but we were wading in ice chips throughout the game.

Today, we are home, and stranded here, at the mercy of the plows. We have been stuck before, when the kids were small. We always had enough food, enough blankets, and usually just sat in the living room, one of the warmer rooms, and watched movie after movie. This doing nothing is really tiring! I made it through one movie, made a couple of necklaces, finished my Christmas cards, wrapped all the gifts, cleaned some cupboards and drawers, made pretzels dipped in almond bark, ate too many of course, had a lot of coffee, did up all the dishes, unthawed the dishwasher, scrapbooked a little, checked up on some of my favorite blogs, and spent a great deal of time on the phone. We had planned to have the Childress Christmas today. The phone lines were hopping as calls were made to change plans once, twice, three times, ending in a cancellation. We could not have gotten out, Dave's Mom was trapped in town too. We live on a gravel road, so are at the mercy of the plows to the North and the South. Those of you who are wishing for a white Christmas, I think you can stop wishing...it is here. If I have to Choose Joy today, I would choose to be grateful that my family is home, safe and well. I am very thankful for furnaces and running water. When I was a kid.....no, really, we had only wood heat, and wood cookstoves , and we had to pump our water. The pump was in a shed attached to the house. We called it the porch, but it was not heated, and held lots of firewood and this pump. Beneath the floor, the pump was wrapped up and there was a trouble light suspended in the attempt to prevent freezing. Sometimes, it froze anyway, and we would have to melt snow to get hot water to thaw out the pump. I am grateful for those days....yes I am, but thankful that those days are over as well. We are well. It is supposed to be 20 below zero tonight with 40 below zero wind chills. We are home and we are well. For this, I Choose Joy today!

Winter’s Embrace
When winter blows its cold breath everywhere,

And throws a chill white blanket on the ground,

The sun makes sparkling diamonds on the snow,

And trees with icy diadems are crowned.
It’s time to snuggle in for winter fun

In cozy places, maybe by a fire.

A good book and some cocoa feel just right,

In flannels, sweaters, winter’s warm attire.
Winter’s gloom is comforting somehow,

As life retreats from its rushed and frantic pace.

We’re ready now to stay indoors awhile,

As we settle into winter’s calm embrace.
By Joanna Fuchs