The last few days have been silvery -and timeless. The territory looks the same at eight in the morning as it does as two in the afternoon. – and only the clock knows when it is noon. It has been cold and damp , true to the nature of January.
I spend a good deal of time by a window, I am surrounded by my books and plants and the boxer dozes under our shared blanket . Here, I wish and daydream . . .and remember. I read and I do try to take a walk daily around the territory.
Tres left on Thursday. I spent Friday in the “doldrums”. I had been home all week with an awful head cold and a tooth ache. On Friday I felt worse than before, but I assured a worried Jenny, it was because Tres left. Knowing me well, Jenny agreed.
I have at last, chosen a “study”. I want to learn to play chess! Christian has played since he was a mere child. I was glad of it, -and often wanted to learn, but housekeeping, cooking, mothering and a job, just did not afford such luxury.
Christian has agreed to teach me, which I find a wonderful idea. “The tables have turned” it seems, for now, I am the student and my youngest son, is the teacher! I may never win a single game or maybe I will not even like chess, for I am not a fan of board games in general. I want to learn, anyway.
The “Farmers’ Almanac” said it first, though the weatherman took all the credit . . .there was a chance of snow on Thursday. This is no small proclamation in the south. On Wednesday, the children nor the teachers, could scarce of anything else. It was fairly warm outside, but none of us gave up. When a child went to the window, I did not reprimand them, for I too looked every chance that I got. We have not had snow in a few years, so this was no small prospect for us.
By three o’clock, an announcement that school would be closed the next day was made. You barely needed a jacket at the “car line” yet that announcement seemed to confirm, that it would snow. Children were building snowmen and planning on hot chocolate -and hoping their parents knew how to make the snow cream, the older ones were talking about. I had my own dreams . . of coffee and my favorite house clothes, of writing and reading . . and a cake. The event of snow in the south, is a short lived affair, so we must all do a lot of everything and as quickly as possible!
The world was bright and white, when I woke on Thursday morning. Snow was still falling and had hushed the countryside.There was a few inches covering the territory . . .and the trees were just stunning. I gazed on their loveliness as if I were in some sort of trance, completely engulfed in their quiet but dazzling beauty. Authentic beauty, lacks the flash, of what we seem to be so accustomed to. There is nothing counterfeit or enhanced in nature, I thought, yet I do not find it lacking, but instead, deeply and profoundly beautiful.
I did make a cake. Another quest, I have been attempting, is to eliminate refined sugars in my cooking. I am using honey instead. I also will try maple syrup and molasses . Since baking is a science, I have been treading carefully. This is my third cake, today and so far so good. I am nervous about cookies, for longtime readers may remember that I had a terrible track record with cookies. For only, two short years now, I have been feeling confident . Maybe, I will just eliminate the restrictions on refined sugars, when it comes to cookies. Besides, I feel guilty about altering my great grandmothers’ recipe for tea cakes.
I finished the borrowed book, as the dark settled in. Outside the window, by the morning table, I saw the magic of moonlight on snow. I had forgotten all about the full moon. To have snow and moonlight all at once, was like holding a rare pearl. “The luster of midday” , I remembered . . . now with understanding. In a day or so, only remnants of the snow remained in shady places . . .and many a snow man, now frozen, could be seen in the yards where children lived.
I left for a weekend with the grand daughters, on Friday. Lyla and Brynn danced and squealed, celebrating my arrival . They clap their little hands and call out “Honeybee!” It never gets old. The cares of this world grow mighty dim, in those moments.
It was quite cold on Saturday, but Jenny bundled the little girls up and we went on a winter walk to deliver cake to “Aunt J”. Wills’ aunt lives in the same neighborhood and it seems such a short distance, The wind was fierce and blew like an angry, arctic gale-and so the walk seemed longer than a country mile, that day. I am a firm believer in children getting outside a lot and in all kinds of weather (and all folks really), but how nice it was to come home to a fire burning brightly and hot chocolate! Tres came over to help Will with an outside repair . It took all afternoon. Jenny and I started an evening meal that was both hearty and vegetarian, another new project for me.
I came home on Monday. The snow, followed by days of rain, had turned the yard in to a large mud puddle. There wasn’t a single ray of sun either. The countryside looked drab and untidy . . .so I remembered the irises and the pale blossoms of the peach tree to “tide me over” for a while. The earth is filled with promises, I reminded myself. This sparked a joy in my heart. Suddenly, I took a second look around me and noticed the many shades of silver in the sky. There were all sorts of chestnut and coppery browns and soft greys. Even the puddles were full of life. Soon, lamps would shine through the old windows of the farmhouse and the house would smell like supper. I chided myself for waiting for beauty, while in the midst of it. Sometimes. . . a second look, makes all the difference.
P.S. I can’t seem to add images, these days to my posts! Take my word for it, when I say the grandchildren are every bit as lovely as ever!
rabbitpatchdiarycom 
I hope your toothache and cold are soon gone. I am glad you got to enjoy the beauty of the snow❄️❄️
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Your post made this Mainer smile. I, too, love snow, even though it is a very common occurrence for us in the winter. Anything less than three inches is considered a “dusting.” 😉 Bravo for your dietary changes! Not easy, that’s for sure. Hope you feel better soon. And good luck with learning chess.
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Hi Laurie-a “dusting” for us means snow about as substantial as frost! haha! We got about 4 inches, this time. I am doing well with the diet, though my “sausage” this morning needs to be improved. I make veggie burgers that are good. I will keep practicing. I have now gone 3 months without meat-and only 1 bag of trash each month. I am making progress. . . and you inspire me! thank you! love Michele
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You are making wonderful progress! Very difficult to change one’s way of eating.
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I was scared and skeptical of my change . . but I am sooo glad. It was much easier than I thought, really. I hadn’t eaten beef or pork for over a year anyway. Thank you for all the inspiration. xo michele
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As the saying goes, be the change you want to see. Not always easy.
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Oh Rabbit…I am not encouraged to start posting for myself again. Everyone is having challenges with wordpress it seems. ….Snow!….yes we too had a beautiful day…only one day but it was beautiful and so very peaceful and quite. Of course living in the boon docks is always pretty quite but snow just “shouts” Peace Be Still.
Crafting is still not in the forefront of my life but having been the prayer warrior for the MedSur unit at Leake Baptist Medical Center during this un-Godly virus situation I have been doing my thing. What? A “treasure box” of paper gems ( all colors) filled with dark chocolate kisses. Not my best work, kinda out of practice , but it’s the thought that counts. I’ll try to send a picture later.
This situation in our country has taken up most of my time but I do think there is a rainbow fixing to shine. Keep looking up and know that God is truly in charge. Love you!!!
The situation in
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Yes, the luster of midday when the moon lights up the snow. Thank you Michelle! Monica S Ferrari
Sent from my iPhone
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Hope you are feeling better. Snow is beautiful, but we have yet to see it here in Arkansas. Guess we are all having problems with wordpress. Often I cannot post comments on fellow blogger’s posts. Sometimes the colors of winter are very beautiful. xoxoxo
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I love your writing. “Only the clock knows when it is noon.”
I was right there with you, looking out the window, watching for snow. I grew up in West Tennessee, and you described the hope for snow perfectly. I probably wasted years of my life wishing for snow. Last night in the NC mountains, the white fluff fell silently. How lovely it was this morning! It won’t last long. While I listened to the sermon from our church on line, my eyes were on the mountains. Double worship!!
I hope you will soon be feeling on top of the world. Colds and toothaches are no fun.
Have a blessed week. xxx
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A snow day is a lovely thing. To hunker down and enjoy the view of falling snow through the windows, cooking or baking something warm, it doesn’t get much better. Coincidentally, today is just such a snow day for us here in New England. A fresh batch of cookies cools on the counter and BBQ chicken cooks in the crockpot. 🙂
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That is my kind of day! Enjoy my friend! Snow are few and far between here! We treat it like a holiday! b Thank ou so much-love and best wishes!
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I hope your cold is gone and that whatever is causing the toothache is easily resolved! I’m glad you had a beautiful snow, but understand how the following days of unrelenting rain would be hard to cope with. There’s something about a sunny day that just lifts our spirits. Thanks, as always, for sharing your world with us, Michele. I always enjoy my “visits” to your blog!
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Ann, you are an honored guest at the rabbitpatch! It has been raining here ever since! I am much better but have major dental work ahead -ugh!
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“I chided myself for looking for beauty, while in the midst of it.”
It seems your studies are ranging beyond chess and cake.
“If your environment is poor, blame yourself.
Tell yourself you are not poet enough to call forth its richness.”
-Rainer Maria Rilke
All my best,
Scott
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Hello friend, that I think of daily! I love the quote. I hope you are well and mending steadily. Might your beloved winter bring you comfort. x Michele
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Sorry, I misquoted you, to wit:
“I chided myself for waiting for beauty, while in the midst of it.”
Mia culpa.
Paz
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My heart aches to learn that you felt so poorly when your boy had to go. Love truly hurts even as it warms and heals and cheers. Thankfully, arms are always open wide waiting for you, those of your children and your beautiful grandchildren. You are loved as you love. And I see this love go into everything you do. When winter sent its promise of snow into the skies and air, most teachers would have urged their charges back to their lessons – but with the love that lives in your heart, you let the excitement of coming snow gather within your students’ hearts too. It reminds me of similar moments in my beloved Anne of Green Gables books, when the first snowfalls of the season were celebrated and enjoyed and cherished.
Hearts then were filled with love – and the grace of knowing what matters and what doesn’t.
As yours always will.
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You are a sweetheart and never fail to cheer me on. Gosh, I wish we were neighbors! I have been to compared to “Anne’ so many times, it is funny! Blessings and love-Michele
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