No school today - it is freezing drizzle out now on top of snow that
we got overnight. Sadly there is not much snow - just a couple of
inches. However I figured that now would be a good time to try to start
blogging again.
Everything is expected to melt off
this afternoon with warming temperatures. However it was most enjoyable
to watch the birds at the feeders this morning. I've not actually
counted how many birds there have been but I have several different
varieties - 4 different woodpeckers, chickadees, at least one pair of
cardinals, goldfinches, nuthatches, and 2 or 3 other birds that I've not
yet identified. So far I've not tried to take any pictures of them -
for awhile I didn't have a memory card for my camera. That problem has
been solved - I have been doing some major cleaning - step by very slow
step. I know I'm still missing one - suspect it may have been left in
Ontario last time I was up there over Christmas break.
Much
has happened since I've last written. It's hard to know where to start
- and there's no way to include it all. Mom was called home to be with
Jesus December 31st, 2012. All of us kids had spent time with her - I
was the last one to arrive as the boys and I weren't able to leave here
until Christmas Day. We drove straight through even though we hadn't
left until 3:30 pm. Roads were mostly decent - except for some heavy
snow in MI. As a family we spent that last week taking turns sitting
with Mom - reading, singing and visiting with each other. Usually there
were 2 of us "on" while the rest took turns resting and spending time
with Stretch and Squirrel. She was very peaceful at the end. I will
try to post some of the tributes in a separate post later.
B
and Dipstick came up for the funeral and left that same day. They were
not excited about the 7 lanes of traffic going one direction...and
totally feel like country living is the best. Stretch, Squirrel and I
got home late on the 5th and immediately jumped right back into daily
life. All are doing well overall but that was tough.
Dipstick
is struggling with school again - not that he's unable to do the work,
just that he does not want to. It is frustrating - nothing seems to
really motivate him. He is involved in archery - and doing well at
that. State high school athletic rules say a student must pass 5 of 7
classes so he can still participate unless his dad and I pull him out.
But considering this is the first sport he's ever done we hate to do
that.
I guess I'd better be away.
Picture
at the top was taken on my phone camera one early Sunday morning when I
had to drop Squirrel off for a Gospel Choir concert. I thought the sun
shining on the hoar frost was beautiful.
