I just came in from the early evening walk. The only part of me showing was
my eyes, and even my eyelashes were frozen together. I just walked on and on
watching day leave and night fall. Surprisingly enough I met no one...not
even a rambling old dog.

indigo sapphire scarlet

rose amethyst

Ahh, the colors of the winter sky...it made me think of a cache of jewels.
And it made me think of Januarys long gone. I used to ice skate in
January...the whole month at McMillen ice skating rink. I was going to be a world famous
ice skater wearing jewels of winter on all of my rings and toes.

mittens gloves woolen scarves

hand-knit sweaters long underwear

One year Mom and Dad bought a piece of property with a pond on it. Dad would
take us kids skating at dusk. Mom stayed home to make chili and hot
chocolate for all of us as we stumbled back into the warm kitchen.

When I lived on the farm with the boys, we would skate and ice fish all
together on the pond. Aaron would sit out all day long on a small bucket just
waiting for a fish to bite...Adam and Abe were not as fond of the cold as Aaron.
Sometimes the snow was so deep we have to shovel pathways for fishing and
skating. There is something so exhilarating in skating at dusk in January...the
cold just seeps inside your bones.

I was reading a report on all the new inventions at the Las Vegas technology
conference...televisions, phones, music built into everything including your
snow cap....Call me old-fashioned, it's OK, I don't mind...but I don't want a
TV built into my winter hat...I want to hear the creaking of tree limbs, the
crunching of the snow under my feet.

creaking tweaking motor-grinding

sniffing swirling melting

As I sit here tonight facing my quiet, cold street with street lamps
glistening off the snow.....I am thinking of my children..of doing chores in winter.
They know what I mean. Farm chores are different in the winter...quieter..the
animals are content with clean hay and straw. It was good to close the barn
doors on a good day's work.

Our farmhouse was so cold you could see your breath in January. The laundry
actually froze in the basket. The only way the boys could stay warm was by
marching and singing. I would play the piano, songs such as The Muffin Man,
Baa-Baa Black Sheep, as they would march around in their hats and mittens made
from our sheep's wool..and then off to bed they would go. It was a long time
ago.

quilts hot chocolate wood fires

beef stew chili hot cookies

In other news, my Dad has been sick but is on the mend thanks to modern
medicine and following Dr.'s orders! Aaron and Karen are safely and warming
spending time in Florida with Adam and Tonya as they make decisions! Uncle Dean has
a birthday this week...all my wishes are sent out to him tonight.

As for me, Philip left, as I knew he would. I kept the Christmas tree up as
long as possible as I just liked knowing we had put it up together..but that
too left and the town recyclers took it the very next morning. I have school
every day...and my evenings are a combination of line dancing classes, book
club, Pilates, evenings out with the girls, music at the coffee shop. Today I
actually auditioned for a show in Fort Wayne..it has been a long time since I
have done that! I was very nervous, but will let you know next week if I "made
it!" To my roomie, Sally, I wore the fishnet stockings you brought me last
spring...just for good luck.

So, winter is here...I am warm and cozy, although I miss all of you...if I
hosted a party would you come? Love, Lou Ann