Spring Evening

As the "old timers" use to say, the swamps must be full before the ground will freeze and snow will stick.  From a ride to Amish country today the swamps are full, streams are overflowing and puddles of water everywhere.   Not to mention mud, lots of it and deep.  It wasn't hard to see how many Amish buggies were out and about in the Genesee/Ulysses area, wagon tracks on all the dirt roads.  Our car looked just as bad as the horses did all covered in mud.  Lucky the rain came down in buckets on the way home and most of the mud was washed off.  Not clean but not caked on.  It will do until the first day of no rain and we can give it a good washing. 

An Amish lady at the Amish grocery store.
Her wheels are cleaner than ours!

Since today is the official first day of winter and daylight will get longer each day I really would like.....snow.  Yes, it's true.  I am ready for the frozen ground, 8-12 inches of that white stuff and temperatures to hover around 20-30 degrees will do.  White looks so much nicer than brown this time of year for me.  As the days tick by it lessens the opportunity to get the skis and snowshoes out.  We are ready to venture in the woods and check out all the animals tracks in the snow.  That hot dog roast is also on the list of wants.  Last Saturday we took an early evening ride up Wakley Hollow.  It is a dead end road so we were the only tracks in and out on the fresh fallen snow.  I call rides like this "peace rides".  They give us peace and remind us of how much we have to be happy and thankful for.  All was quiet in the little valley just as it always is.  Coming back  we drove by our grandson's land and house, he was out enjoying the fresh air too.  Early this summer the electric company went through to cut trees and brush from their power lines.  They do not clean up the mess, that is the landowners job.  Kirk was doing just that and pretty much had the job done.  Hard to believe our first grandchild has grown to a 27 year old man. 

Wakley Hollow



Snow still falling but it doesn't stop
the work to be done.

Tonight I did the chores while the husband went to the Oswayo Valley Varsity Basketball game.  The chickens were having a tough time deciding if they really wanted to go in the hen house.  After all it was warm, the ground is not frozen and I'm sure bugs and worms are plentiful.  They finally did with a little clucking from me and throwing some cracked corn on the barn floor.  Who can turn down free food?  While waiting for the hens to decide it was dark enough to go to roost I noticed the moon, almost full by not quite, that will be on Christmas.  I read it will be the first full moon on Christmas since 1977.  What were you doing in 1977?  Our kids were 1, 7, and 9 years old, you know the best time for celebrating Christmas.  Kids to make the day.  That trip to the barn is my clear my mind time.  It's give Cheryl a pep talk and hopefully she listens.

Tonight it was like a "spring evening".  Clara Creek was raging full with milky water that looks like the snow run off in spring.  I hope what I noticed on the hills was not what I thought it was.  The maple trees had a lot of red on the branches!  Though it wouldn't shock me if they are confused and start to bud.  Of course my first thought is it better not mess up Maple Syrup season.

Speaking of Christmas....remember it is what you make of it. There is no guarantee it will be a happy time for many. The last couple weeks have been with joy and sadness at Cook'n by the Creek.  The joy, our new granddaughter, Sloan Annabelle Bryant, she's a beauty. The sadness is the passing of our dear friend and then of our cousin's son.   Not all can be together during the holidays but like I tell myself (talking to myself always!)  healthy, loved and safe is what is important.