*Tromping through the Snow

"Red in the morning; sailors take warning..."  I wonder how many times in my life I've repeated that little phrase to myself.  I LOVE red mornings.  Of course, I'm not a sailor.  I may swear like one when provoked by a startling moment, but this salty dog lives too far from the sea to suit my sailor's heart.

It was with great joy I watched the storm clouds roll in yesterday.  The first few flakes fluttered past my window, and I kept thinking, "Come on, you can do better than that!"  When I went to bed, the snow was still falling.  When I woke up in the middle of the night, the snow was still falling. "That's more like it," I told the snow.  And this morning, when I woke up, the snow had settled in fat, fluffy drifts on the deck, and the only snow that swirled was swept up by the wind and settled back to the ground.

I couldn't wait to dig out my winter wear, and get outside.  The best part of this day, after it being a snow day?  My ski pants FIT!!!  This time of year arrives with a little trepidation on my part since the Year of the Too Tight Ski Pants.  Not only could I zip them up, they felt great!  Ski parka, ski socks, snow boots.  I was ready!  No makeup, no fussing with hair, I just pulled on my ear warmers and let the frigid temps take care of the blush.

Marley seemed so excited about the prospect of going outdoors with me.  I didn't even bother to leash him, assuming he would stay close to me.  We tromped through the snow.  Nothing makes me feel like a kid like tromping.  Avoiding the trail through our woods, we tromped along the paths made by the deer, stepping over logs and pushing through the brush.  

That little Boston took off like a shot when we startled the deer. He darted off to follow them, and all I could see was a little black blur speeding through the brush.  

The breeze had died down, and the sun was rising above the ridge.  When Marley finally stopped chasing, I could see he was uncomfortable.  He wouldn't come toward me at the creek when I called, and just stood there, shifting his weight from paw to paw.  I knew I would have to return him to the house before I could take more pictures. When I finally caught up to him at the house, he was prancing nervously in front of the door.

Poor thing.  Extremes in temperature are his least favorite thing.  Too hot or too cold, and he's all about going home.  

I headed back to the woods, breathing in the wintry air. My face was cold, but my body was generating enough heat from exertion inside my ski gear.  It was perfect. As I was walking back toward the creek, I heard a commotion, and too late, saw our friend the owl swoop down out of an old juniper tree.  By the time I focused my camera lens, he had flown out of sight. I just love that big, old bird. The smile on my face wouldn't be leaving any time soon.

My gifts from winter this day included not only encountering our owl, but watching a herd of deer gracefully bound over our neighbor's fence; noticing the fairy dust on glistening snow drifts; breathing clean, fresh air, and capturing the snow in the clutches of autumn leaves.

Snow in the clutches of autumn.

Our neighbor's cabin looks like a post card.

Ready to head back out later.

Marley has almost forgiven me for dragging him out for my tromping expedition.

The "No Snow" Snow Day...

So today I find myself at home, on the first snow day of my 27 year teaching career...with no snow to play in, no snow balls to form, no hills of snow to slide down.  Bridger and I will be staring out the window at the rain-soaked grass where just yesterday there was a grand snowfall that was iconic for the pre-Christmas season. 

YESTERDAY, oh, yesterday seems another lifetime ago.  I awoke at 3:30, aware of cool temperatures and extreme darkness.  We had no power.  My house was 60 degrees.  I was in a panic because I really like to do my hair and makeup before I'm seen in public.  So what did I do?  Took a picture of my scary self and posted it on Facebook to share my humor and horror at having to get ready without looking ready.  I asked, "Seriously, would you want your children to be taught by this woman today?  Get me some power, people, so I can restore some order to this hair." 

Snow had fallen all night, and I knew the roads in the canyon could be treacherous.  SO, Bridge and I jumped in my father-in-law's Suburban (4-wheel-drive) and headed to school early, in case it took longer to get there.  My 25 minute commute took 45 minutes because I discovered, much to my dismay, that there was no heater or defroster in the vehicle.  Oh, it had them; they were just out of commission.  My windshield was a solid sheet of ice, not conducive for looking through.  Once in the canyon, there's no pulling over if people are behind you, so I focused on a mini triangle of semi-translucent glass above my rearview mirror, and tried to stay between the middle line and the delineator posts.  We had to travel with the windows down in the freezing temps because the minimal heat from our bodies was fogging the glass.  It was hailing outside. Hanging my head out the window was painful, but necessary at one point to see the highway.

Finally, I got to school, and my Facebook friends were chuckling, knowing my physical and emotional state.  I ripped my hat off of my scary hair, and went in search of a mirror near an outlet.  I put on my makeup and did my hair in the sick room, and tried to calm my nerves for a day with easily excitable fifth graders.  I had to get the Suburban to a shop for repairs and so after making arrangements to have my class covered, I headed back out into the snowfall and delivered my car to my savior mechanic.

My friend Stacey and I went out on to the playground and got darling pics of our kids building gigantic snow balls.  They never seem to make snowmen here...just the biggest, "hugest" snow balls that are taller than any fifth grader.  It's so fun to see them cooperating and having fun together.  I even made a snow angel, and savored the moment.

By 1:00 rumors were flying that because it had been snowing all day, the superintendent felt we might have to have a snow day the NEXT day.  Imagine what that means to children:  a day off!  But no parties, no little gifts from friends, no Christmas movie, no sing along...all of our school traditions for Christmas would be cancelled.  And so they were. 

It cost $150 to fix the car...and to top of the gas guzzler's tank cost $75.  Merry Frickin' Christmas to me.  I was feeling kind of grumpy.  Bridge had offered to make dinner...Rocky Mountain Oysters.  My little sister Nat thought "how sweet that he'll cook for you."  Until she found out what he was making:  beef testicles.  

"Order a pizza!" was her suggestion.  Then my mom called..."I made beef stroganoff and corn pudding...are you coming to join us?"  Didn't take me long to jump at  the chance to have something go right on this crazy day!  We'll "have a ball" some time today.  Ha ha.  I have to joke about it because I'm so afraid I'll wretch while eating my little boy's meal.

So today it's laundry and baking and perhaps watching The Christmas Story.  (You'll put your eye out with that thing!" )  Not much of a SNOW day but a nice day, nonetheless.

We did eventually eat Bridger's Rocky Mountain Oysters.  And guess what?  They're not half-bad.  I had to put every conscious thought out of my head while eating them and found them to be tender and very sweet.  Afterwards, when I realized what I'd done, I felt a little nauseous but I have to admit, living in that particular moment...I actually thought they were very tasty.  "We had a ball!"  LOL.

"Having a ball in Marysvale" with Bridger during the Christmas holiday.  Yes, ma'am, I'm a brave, brave woman.