GroundDog Day Investigation

                                                                                                                                                                                   

On our morning walk,

Moose spotted a mound

of dirt atop the drifted sea

of snow.

 

He crawled between
the barbed-wire fence lines

and padded across the frozen tundra

to investigate.

He stuck his nose down into the hole,
sniffed around, left his mark
and returned.

Call it a "GroundDog Day Investigation."

Perhaps it was our neighborhood
pocket gopher, Pri-CILL-a,
who poked out her nose to see
how soon Spring will arrive?



How Much is Enough?

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:

There's no such thing as bad weather, only and inadequate "sweater."

Today I wondered about the literal meaning of this loose translation of a Norwegian proverb.


So after my morning walk with Moose, I stepped on the scale outfitted in full gear for double-digits below-zero wind chills. I made a mental note of the weight called "x."

Next I disrobed, stepped on the scale again, and made a mental note of a weight called "y."

It was a simple science-fair sort of project.

How much "bundling up" must one do to keep warm while exercising in the middle of this particular season of Minnesota winter?

My answer:   x-y=18 pounds or 8.16kg

Maybe it's time to update my "sweater?" Or, maybe it's flat out time for a change in weather?

Monday Musings

This morning's walk

 had to be quick.

I'd put a pan in the oven.

 

To check the time,
I snapped a photo
and couldn't resist another.

Then Moose came

for the "round up:"

Get a move on lady!

 

I moved and arrived home
with three minutes
until the buzzer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Banana-chocolate chip

bread baked.

To my fisherman's delight.

 

And later, I had time to give thanks -
for the walk
and the fishermen's take.

Here Comes Trouble

It's SO cold here in Minnesota that our outdoor cats are now indoor cats for a season. This year, their indoor season overlaps with our own Twelve Days of Christmas.

And so, with the cats' privilege comes trouble.





Sometimes
you can see it
in this one's eyes.

Then she leaps
and bounds
and attacks.



(Notice the Nativity scene below as well as the tree ornament being picked from the branch.)

When that happens,
there's only one line of defense.

TSCH! TSCH! TSCH!

A little mist of water
to save Mr. Mittens
and his friends.

And a little discipline
to discourage
more mischief.


It takes time to learn boundaries as we share space in our home. Our rooms are limited. Our personalities are many.

As the clock nears midnight, I flip my inspirational calendar to see about today's message, I am amazed by its pertinence which loosely translates:

"Thanks adds warmth to life.
We need the heat.
It expands the chambers of our life."

It's true. When we invite our cats to share the warmth of our home during the bitterest days of winter, they bring with them their own heat - a special energy played out in silly antics. Channeled in the proper way, that heat brings laughter and love. And then, the room in our house and our hearts seems to grow.

May the chambers in your heart grow too!

Gratitude

"Begin each morning
by thinking through
what you have to be thankful for."

That's the advice I received when I flipped my Norwegian calendar on this cold morning of January 2nd.

I woke to darkness and silence. The digital clock was blank. No glowing-red numbers. I turned the switch, but the lamp didn't light. I woke my husband saying, "I think the power is out." His wrist watch showed the time at 6:20 a.m. I went to kitchen for matches and a candle. He called the power company from our landline. "We're sorry for the inconvenience," a recording said following automated questions about our location.

Using the candle's glow, I peered out the bathroom window for a look at the thermometer. It read -25F/-32C. Inside, the hallway thermometer read 64F/18C. How long would we have to wait for our power to be restored? Suddenly, I thought about recent newspaper articles describing people on the east coast struck by ice storms and left for days without electricity. Maybe I should have prayed more for their safety and comfort. Where was my compassion then?

Today I could better grasp their predicament. Still, working oneself into panic would serve no purpose. I pulled out my exercise mat to stretch and release tension. As I laid on my back, I watched the candle light dance on the ceiling and wondered how a small flame could make an entire room glow...and then, how that same glow faded as the night sky turned to dawn. Tension - gone.

I crawled back into bed to take the edge off my cold toes. Within the hour, my clock alarm sounded. Power - restored.

I went to the kitchen. This time to turn on the oven. I could now open the refrigerator door. Its motor was running again. I pulled out eggs and apples to mix up the muffins I'd planned to make earlier.

As they baked, I tended our dog. He'd been after me to go out and relieve himself. Now that the furnace was running, I opened the door. "It's cold out there," I warned shutting the door behind him. He left - but not for long. Moments later, his "woof" brought me back to let him inside. My husband mused, "Moose is not a stupid dog."

No, indeed. He's not stupid - but rather grateful. Grateful as are we...

...for a warm house on a cold day
...for automated telephone operators that dispatch reports
...for linemen who fix power problems
...for electricity to run the furnace, the frig, the toilet, the water, and the lights.

But also grateful, for an instant of stillness and silence on a bitter-cold January morning to realize these blessings. May you realize yours too.

Warm Wishes

Sometimes we have to celebrate how far we've come to gain energy for the journey ahead. Tonight is one of those times.

After walking our dog, I truly enjoyed coming home, looking inside, and seeing the “koselig” atmosphere – the one I imagined it COULD be when we bought the place 16 years ago. Back inside the house, I realized how blessed we’ve been to work together at remodeling the place to achieve these "cozy" Scandinavian-inspired results. And tonight, sit back and enjoy them. Hope your holidays have been blessed too.

May you take time to celebrate how far you've come as you prepare for the year ahead.

A Dream Come True

 
 
 

    Road to Town by Wendy Jacobson
    |
    Make Your Own Book
 

 

Seven years ago, I started this blog called "Along Life's Road." As I uploaded photos and wrote posts, I began dreaming about publishing a book - someday.

Last winter, after purchasing tickets for my oldest son and me to fly to Norway in the late spring, I began thinking about a gift to mark 30 years since my host families had welcomed me into their homes. I wanted something American, even Minnesotan, or better yet, something from our tiny town. That's when I decided to make the dream come true.

I began sorting through thousands of photos I'd taken along a two-mile stretch of a gravel road between our home and rural town. I picked out the top 200 images, divided them into seasons and began arranging them into pages using a bookmaking program. The process was exhilarating and exhausting. After three months, I gave up. I literally could not stand the project anymore. I decided to find a different gift or take nothing at all.

Then, three weeks before our scheduled departure, I felt a change of heart. An internal energy made me re-open the project and finish it - all 112 images. When I asked for others' opinions, my son gave me wise advice by asking, "Mom, Do YOU like it?" When I replied, "Yes," he said, "Then that's all that matters."

He was right. Not every photo speaks to every person. And that's okay. After reviewing her copy, my close friend called the book a visual "meditation." My former landlady said, "Every time I look at it, I see something new."

I hope you do too!

But even more, I dream that YOU too would begin to see your own ordinary surroundings in an extraordinary way. Click on the four arrows to enlarge the book.

With blessing and love from Along Life's Road,
Wendy