Saturday evening post..

I have moved my writing desk to face my window full of prisms...by day and sunlight I am surrounded by ribbons of rainbows dancing all over my house..and now by evening I sit and watch the pale sunlight go from day to dusk, and I can view my neighborhood.

Winter Saturday nights are quiet...the neighbors to my south (Larry and Sherry) always go out to dinner with their grown children on Saturday night. They leave the porch light on to light their pathway when they reurn. It is never late...9 or 10.

Across the street my neighbor, Lee, has his girls this week, and with all the blinds open I can see them cooking supper and laughing.

On the other side the Lutherans are out for dinner also. Amy (a part time Lutheran minister) once told me that they use "funeral" money for Saturday night dinners. Sorry I can't oblige, Amy!!

My neighbors to the west are in Sante Fee visiting their daughter.

The rest of the neighborhood is quiet..very few cars approach; although the snow has come and gone and come and gone..just a light dusting tonight.

My house is quiet too...I can actually hear the clock tick and the furnace hummm, so I think with a half moon beckoning me...I will don my purple hat, coat and mittens, and hiking boots and celebrate this raw, cold day in January.

Haiku for January...

heavy winter tracts
circle around my garden
frost bites my big toe

inky night of black
halogen snowflakes falling
crystal shooting stars

deep under woolens
canopied dreams of ice cream
maraschino nose

Garrison Keillor, John McCutcheon, ee cummings

So, a long winter's night...snow abounds everywhere. A long first storm that was predicted for days brought inches of snow...then last night..an unpredicted surprise snow brought more inches. I was surprised to be awakened by the blinking, chugging lights of the plow in the night.

My neighborhood is quiet. No one walks or even drives much for that matter. I know folks are home because I see lights come on around 4 in the afternoon after dusk knocks on the door.

I am lonely, but I am content. I have decided to take up knitting again between painting and NRP radio. I have made my dining room my January headquarters...it is rather cozy with my big flowered chair...lap top and candles, and the radio, of course.

Here is a lovely piece from e.e.cummings for a cold winter's night:

i go to this window
just as day dissolves
when it is twilight(and
looking up in fear
i see the new moon
thinner than a hair)
making me feel
how myself as been coarse and dull
compared with you, silently who are
and cling
to my mind always

The Snow Plow and Other thoughts...

Dear Friends,
I often say, hey, are you listening? I am back after a short hiatus...

It is cold and dark in Northern Indiana...snow pelts on my window pane as I am snuggled inside with a pot of hot tea, leftover candy canes and my Christmas tree still blazing on this Twelfth Night.

News comes in packages...my Dad has been very sick in Houston, but has been moved to a regular hospital room, and I spent a half hour laughing with him on the phone tonight. My Dad is so full of story..he brings me so much joy. I send wishes to him across the winds of sleet.

Philip was here for two weeks, and just left yesterday morning. I miss him. We spent a quiet two weeks..decorating the tree, baking cookies....cooking, walking, talking..being together. I miss his presence, I miss him voice, I miss the touch of his hand.

On this Twelfth Night...I hid a charm in a piece of leftover coconut cake from our New Year's Eve party...I found the charm (well, I am the only one attending my party!!) so I got to make a wish....

So, here's to a belated New Year's...to Twelfth Night...to good health to my Dad...and to wishes on a winter's evening.

Poetry for the heart...

It has been a really rough week for my family in Northern Indiana.
I had thought I should just stay home a few more days...but even with a snowfall there was no delay or cancellation. Aaron brushed the snow off the Jeep..and I drove to school with trepidation.

My first graders wrote poems for winter...here are a few to share with you! They did indeed cheer my heart!

Snow
cold, wet
freezing, sparkling, falling
white, windy
Blizzard

by Madison



Trees
angels, lights
swelling, tipping, decorating
green, ornaments
Bark

by Joe


Mistletoe
red, green
kissing, spinning, glowing
fragrant, fresh
Home

by Maddison


Ice
cold, slippery
freezing, melting, leaking
clear, hard
Cube

by Hunter

One more day of writing...

This poem is from another fourth grade class...writing in the late afternoon as the soon-to-be winter sun angles in....

December is...

..building a snowman

..work slowing down

..coming to school seeing teachers wear big fluffy sweaters

..warm and cozy beds

..seeing Grandpa home for the Holidays

..watching Christmas shows

..sledding downhill and running into trees

..watching Mom and Dad kiss under the mistletoe

..bears hibernating in a warm, cozy cave

..white, gleaming crystals falling from the sky

..writing poems by the window

..hearing wrapping paper

..angels nestled up in a pasty white blanket of snow

..hearing horses rushing through the snow

..snowmen staring through the window

..going to my Great Grandfather's grave

..Thanksgiving sneaking away

..steam seeping off the hot chocolate

..kisses from Great Aunt Charlotte

..Grandmas making mittens

..watching snow fall

..eating snow puffs

..watching my cat slip on the ice

..making poems for Ms. Homan-Saylor

Writing on a cold day in Indiana

This following writing is from a fourth grade class in Norhthern Indiana.....they each wrote a long piece of poetry and one line was chosen from each...enjoy!

December is........

..steamy hot baths

..snowshoe hares running from the dogs in hunting season

..trees that are like monsters hanging in the sky

..when the animals start to sleep all day and all night

..huge white blankets of snow

..beautiful sparkling snow outside the window drifting down

..stockings being hung over a bright hot fire

..playing snow baseball at the snow covered diamond

..the night sky which is like a cold, silk blanket

..fluffy clouds falling to the ground

..snow angels that have fallen out of the sky

..hot cocoa with flaky marshmellows

..fawns jumping in the snow

..deer skittering across the shimmering, crystal snow

..going to the attic to get your Christmas tree

..cats knocking down the Christmas tree

..the ice as you fish in it

..going back outside to ice skate

..owls crying

..armed forces needing food