Red sky at night--shepherd's delight

The rhyme about the red sky has been around for ages.  Some say sailors, some say shepherds.  I think we usually quoted it as

 

                                    Red in the morning, shepherds take warning;

                                    Red at night, shepherds' delight. 

 

 

Last night as I sat in the office about sunset, I noticed the shed glowing orangey pink.  I knew there had to be a spectacular sunset for there to be that much reflection on the shed.  I ran to the living room and saw a very dramatic sky.  The image I captured with my camera hardly does it justice. 

 



Sure enough, the weather today is delightful, and the towels on the clothesline sway in the breeze.



Glistering

"Glistering"-- a word that seems to have fallen out of favor.  But I think it describes the ice on the trees in yesterday's morning sun.

Winter "wonder" land

Yesterday, we got a mix of wintry precipitation.  Most of it was sleet, but we did get a little freezing rain.  Overnight we got a little dusting of snow.  It would make great sledding, but our little plastic sled bit the dust a few years ago.  In addition, my little sledding partner has grown up and has other interests.  And that brings me to the post title: "wonder."  Darling husband must needs be on the road as a courier and darling son must "needs" be out and about for personal reasons.  I'm at home "wondering" if they are okay on the highway.  I felt I must needs periodically try to clear my windshield in case I am called on to fetch someone from a ditch.  I swept the walk every time I went out to clear my windshield.  It's an uphill battle while the sleet is still falling, but I made a valiant effort.  This morning, I had to sweep mostly snow, but the walk is fairly clear.  The roads are quite another story.  Darling son was stranded at his girlfriend's house, but darling husband fetched him.  A front-wheel drive makes a difference.  Darling son decided he was willing to walk to see his girlfriend today, but darling husband offered to chauffeur.  I didn't want him out on the road on my account, but there was a sale at the grocery store today which I thought he might take advantage of since he was going to be out anyway.  This afternoon, he fetched darling son once more.  Ah, both my men safe at home!  Then... the phone rings... pickers calling.  Darling husband was starting to get a bit of cabin fever anyway, and darling son hopes the picking and grinning host will feed him heartily as she usually does. 
I will enjoy a little "me" time this evening, do a few chores, and "wonder" if they will be okay on the roads.

Winter weather

We had a little snow this past Sunday.  It fell heavily for a couple of hours and was quite pretty as it stuck to the grass and trees.  By late afternoon it had all melted.

 

It looks like we'll be getting more winter weather Friday and Saturday.  We're in an area that is often on the boundary of snow and rain/wintry mix, so a little change in the weather pattern can be big changes in what we get here. 

I think I just want to drink hot chocolate and watch through the window.

Taking down the Christmas tree

As I began to look at the pictures for this post I realized I had not taken a picture of my Christmas tree after I put the ornaments on.  I took a picture of it with the lights, but not the next day when I put the other decorations on.  Well, too late now!

I always reserve the right, I say, to leave the tree up till "old Christmas" which falls on January 6.  It's not that I celebrate old Christmas--it's just that I don't want to be pressured to take the tree down before I can get around to it at my own pace. 

I no longer had an excuse, and I managed to muster up enough inertia to get the ornaments and lights off.  I decided I might as well burn the carcass, too. 



 

While I was trying to get the fire going, I heard darling son slam his truck door--home from work early perhaps because of the drizzle or no calls at work.  I started to go inside to say hello, but I decided I would just wait a bit.  While I had turned to get more materials for the fire, he slipped up behind me.

 

He had only come by to say goodbye and be off again.  I tried to hold him just a few minutes, "to connect," I said.  "Connect??" he said. 

"Well, throw another log on the fire and tell me why you're leaving me."

He's easy going enough to let me tell him a corny joke or two and listen to me tell him a couple of things he needs to do and to offer to feed him even though we both know those few minutes are for my benefit and not his.  He knows, doesn't he, that he'll always be my baby.

 

New Year 2016

I repeated "twenty sixteen" several times this morning, trying to get a feel for saying it.  I think the beginning of a new calendar year is a good time to reflect, evaluate, look forward.  I find it easy to be optimistic at the dawn of a new year.
I won't be making resolutions, but I will make a list of some things I would like to do this year--things like "go gold panning," "hike new trails," and "plant a new plant."  I'd also like to make pesto from some homegrown basil to put on some homemade pasta a friend and I are conspiring to make.  Maybe we'll make some cheese and a basket out of honeysuckle.
Of course, I'll add the phrase, Deo Volente.  God willing.