Monday, January 20, 2014

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.

Saturday, January 4, 2014

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!




Thursday, January 2, 2014

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.



Wednesday, January 1, 2014

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.