Category Archives: Uncategorized

When people talk about the winter break, they usually are referring to a break from school or work. This year, I see a different break. The reprieve from a harsh winter.Here in the midwest, we start to see the signs of spring in March. This year, February is the month of change.The white lenten roseContinue reading “Winter Break, February 5, 2024 305 words”

One of the oldest and strangest holidays is Ground Hog Day. First observed in the 16th century, by German speaking people. In 1887 the Pennsylvania Dutch believed in the weather predication ability of the ground hog. The ground hog or wood chuck would emerge from hibernation on the same day, yearly. If he saw hisContinue reading “What is a Ground Hog? January 29, 2024 422 words”

In the past month, We have lost four friends. Knowing as we age, we will experience this loss more. I thought back to deaths in John’s and my own families.John’s Dad, Albert was the first to die. He had emphysema and kidney damage. It was a long degenerative condition. He had many bouts of breathingContinue reading “Lost and Found January 22, 2024 624 words”

We waited the whole of December for snow. Instead it remained brown and wet with rain. We hoped for snow to decorate the outdoors with festive winter blankets of crystals to ski on. We had temperatures in the 50’s and drying southern winds. Now after the holidays, Mother Nature has changed her mind and isContinue reading “Winter Arrives, January 15, 2024. 382 words”

Life on a working farm in winter is a quiet and more relaxed pace. Crops are sold. Fruit and vegetables are canned. equiptment is stored away awaiting spring.On our dairy farm, the cows had to be milked twice a day but the amount of milk decreased in anticipation of freshing of the new heifers.Time toContinue reading “Winter Farm Life, January 8th, 2024 610 words”

I have always celebrated New Years Eve, but not in the traditional manner. As a child, I tried to stay up for the ball dropping but in the morning, I found I was tucked into my bed.When I was in my teens, I was a babysitter in demand. I was booked for New Years EveContinue reading “New Year’s Reminisces January 1, 2024. 416 words”

This year there is only a day between the candle of Joy and the candle of love. This week embraces saying “Yes!” to daily tasks and requests. Saying yes with joy and no regrets. Hard for me to do. The example of Jesus becoming man to live and die for others is a hard actContinue reading “Love and the fourth week of Advent 510 words”

The name Gaudete is latin for rejoice. It is the name of the third Sunday in Advent. The vestments and the lit candle is rose colored to remind that Christmas is near. We are told to rejoice. Holiday activities and shopping escalate. In my family, my mother had preparations for Christmas well in advance. TheContinue reading “Gaudete Sunday December, 18, 2023 499 words”

The second week of Advent is about the messenger. Recently I was listening to a Podcast about our life’s travel creating ripples in all we do. As a child, I would throw rocks into a body of water and watch the ripples form and expand outward. They slowly moved out of my vision.“Mom, where doContinue reading “Ripples, December 11th, 2023. 422 Words”

We are experiencing the shorter days before the winter solstice will occur on December 21. It will be nine hours and nine minutes of light between sunrise and sunset. The end of the old year and the beginning of the new signals the lengthening of the days. Even in the coldest days, one can detectContinue reading “Short Days, Longer nights, December 4, 2024. 578 words”