A Reprieve

Reprieve – To give relief or deliverance for a time.

That is what we had today – a one day reprieve from this tirade of winter 2019. The temps today got up to 48 degrees here in western Iowa and even thought we know that Nadia is closing fast, we accepted this gift of a reprieve to helps us not lose hope in spring forgetting us as in Horton who heard the Whos – We are here! We are here! We are here!

So today I was actually able to get out and run a few errands and of course refill the bird feeders. With all of that ice on top of the snow, I was just too fearful to try. But as we type the temps are already falling and will drop back to single digits. I was ever grateful for this reprieve of shining sun and “balmy” temps.

IMG_20190214_130638 — Blue skies and shining sun today

As as we brace for another cold and snowy onslaught, we will remember this breath of fresh air in hoping spring to come sooner that later.

And as we wait for milder weather, let us remember to be mild ourselves and show kindness where we can.

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Are You Kidding Me?!? #SoCS

Really! I dare not ask what’s next because enough is already enough. With all the subfreezing temperatures, ridiculous amounts of snow, horrific wind chills finally took its toll on my sump pump line. Of course if it had been properly installed….That was a scheduled project slated for spring. The short of it is, I now have my own personal ice rink, not that I wanted one; when in fact I am still not walking without a limp.

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Temporarily I have adding another piece of PVC, to at lease divert the water to the yard instead of the porch. But depending on what amounts of snow we get tomorrow….oh good grief! This is how I currently feel.

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Initially I was not going to post for Linda G Hill’s Stream of Consciousness because I could not come up with anything on words ending in “ly”. But, guess what! I think I would have rather not found ways to use “ly”.

And I guess I can also use it in my normally nice ending in remind you to think and act kindly towards others.

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Frozen Beauty

BEAUTY IN COLD

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We huddle close to fight the fierce and raging wind

Hoping to not face it as we round the next bend.

As we reach the building edge and peek around to see

We gets blasted in the face as the wind howls “look at me”.

Winter’s demanding blast this year, a force to reckon with

As snow joins low temps to break some record making myths.

But misery moves aside to reflect the beauty God can make

As we look around at mounds of white and tree crystals we pray don’t break.

We’d rather have warm temperatures with flowers all around

But will accept this fate for now until comforting times are found.

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When I got to the church this morning the trees were really beautiful but the parking lot was still to icy for much walking about for pictures. But as I was leaving this afternoon, the ice was still hanging in the trees and looked like crystal chandeliers so I was able to get a few pictures. Hope you enjoy them and are safe and warm.

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I also remind you of indisputable power of kindness. When we are all under stress due to this oppressive cold, remember the spark of kindness could warm a hurtful soul.

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Value of Old

To the many gifted photographers who pictures I admire and will periodically use, I thank you for you fabulous gift. It allows us in this blogging world to use them for the expansion of our imagination by taking them yet to another medium. Today’s picture came from Jansenphoto of Dutch Goes the Photo on Living in a Square World . Coming from grandparents that had farms, the pictures really struck me one in particular. Go check out his work and enjoy my take on his picture.

Old milk bucket

RUSTY OLD MILK CAN

It’s just an old milk can, some people would say,

But what if it could talk and tell of its day.

It would tell of its stories when the farm ran strong,

Amazing in it wonders for days were so long.

It sits in the yard now, its value no longer needed

As time and life march by, it’s worth totally unheeded.

Is this all there is to be, it wonders in dismay

As metal begins to flake and the rust eats away.

In same manner of this can, is this how we treat man?

As he begins to decline and struggles to stand.

How sad are we, who deftly refuse to see

The profound value of life, regardless of it’s age to be

To understand its wisdom and love still to give

So that the young may learn, for a better life to live.

As we all go through this life, remember it is all a cycle. So remember to be kind through your cycle so that hopefully the cycle will in turn be kind to you.

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Waiting for Spring, Twitter tales #122

Why so anxious, we know not why

Phil said,”There’s more to come by”

We stare at the radar as more winter is coming

As rain and sleet start falling and icicles are forming

So closing our eyes, we dream of far warmer places

With a healing warmth of sunshine, for our toes and our faces.

Kat’s prompt for Twittering Tales #122 – It starts with one word, challenged us with to be creative. Mine turned more into poetry than flash fiction but creative all the same.

Remember also the warmth of Kindness.

Welcome February, Photoaday

After a record breaking month of cold and snowfall for January of over 40″ and -34 degrees…good riddance. Hello February with a bright morning sunrise. Please be a kind month.

Come play along with Citysonnet’s Photo A Day challenge. It promises to be amazing.

And as always, remember to be kind. kindness3

Wintry Blast, #1LinerWed/JusJoJan

Prayerfully waiting for the 60+ degree warm-up on Saturday of 40+ degree highs with one sentence but many pictures. Thanks to John for the picture I am copying as it helps give the visual of…GOOD GRIEF!

And this is my local area. Live within 15 minutes of the Quad City Intl Airport @ -52

So with Linda’s One Liner Wednesday combined with almost the last Just Jot January, we bid you warmth and kindness.

But even in the cold the beauty of life can still show its marvelous head.

img_20190130_101712 (1) — Birds gotta eat

I remind you of the warmth of kindness even on a cold blustery day.

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Dirty, Just Jot January

Linda G Hill with the final guest prompt by Jim has challenged us with “dirty”. Right now I am more consumed with snow and cold than dirt but I have heard cold being called “stinking cold”. Stinking usually refers to something really smelly dirty. So I am going with the cold being dirty. At least it is leaving a mess at my front door.

img_20190129_144415 — Dried melted salt and salt crystals in the carpet

I just came in from getting the mail and these new pictures and the current temp is 3 degrees and steadily falling with the onslaught of this polar vortex. Temps to drop to an estimated -22 with a wind chill of -51. For all of you also in this dirty stinking cold, stay inside as much as possible. I am praying we don’t get further damage from this cold air mass. Sunday we will be basking in heat at 44 degrees. That’s 60 degrees warmer so it will feel great.

I am adding in a few pictures of the snow. While I know it is silly to post snow pictures but being from south Georgia, this is not a normal scene for me. So chuckle with me and stay warm.

While the angle is not good, the snow is knee high and drifted higher in some areas.

The mound in the center of the yard is the Christmas decorations and a small live Christmas tree. The decorations may have to wait until spring to get remove.

img_20190129_142606_1 — Archway over the sidewalk

I hope these evergreens are resilient enough to straighten back up with spring.

Even though we are stinking dirty cold, we can always be crystal clean kind. Sometimes when things are under stress, kindness is more important, more needed and much loved on the receiving end. So remember to be kind.

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What is or Who can be a Photographer, #JusJoJan

Cutting is down to the basics, in my mind, a photographer is one who has a eye for capturing and balancing the right angle of a subject to reveal an awe inspiring moment that makes the rest of us drool at its beauty whether it is a split second action shot or the beautiful contrast of nature at it best…or worse in some cases. Who are these photographers? Anyone who has the passion for being able to capture these awe inspiring moments. There are some amazing photographers I have seen in this bloggosphere world – if that is such a word, spell check says no, but I am sure you all know what I am talking about.

Examples of amazing photos I enjoy come from experts like jansenphoto of Dutch Goes the Photo, Irene of Heaven’s Sunshine, Debbie Smyth of Travel With Intent, Norm 2.0, Pedrol, and so many more. Check out their work as it truly is amazing. Then you have people who love photography and take pictures to add to their fun as they blog like me, and Shelley, Laurie, Dan, and again so many more people. Photography, while it can be very technical, it speaks to the eye then quickly moving to the heart to be shared in awe for all viewers. A wonderful and fun medium of expression.

I say all this to be able to share a meteorological phenomenon that I saw today called a Sun Dog. I had never seen or even heard of one until someone told me what it was.

Sun dog

Description

A sun dog or mock sun, formally called a parhelion in meteorology, is an atmospheric optical phenomenon that consists of a bright spot to one or both sides of the Sun. Two sun dogs often flank the Sun within a 22° halo.Wikipedia

Yea, what he said. Regardless it was amazing to see. Oh, and the temp was -8, with a wind chill of -30 degrees. Really? This is western Iowa, not Alaska.

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So sometimes photography is being at the right spot at the right time, like I was this morning. About an hour later it was snowing again. Total for the year so far is over 40″ (its still January) with another 4-8″ possible on Sunday thru Monday. That’s a lot of snow for someone who was raised in south Georgia, 15 minutes north of the Florida border. Now I am trying to balance 20 pounds of clothes to keep from freezing to death.

But even in the cold you can still find time to be kind, maybe even more so. So I remind all, of the wonderful attribute of kindness. I promise, sharing it will balance your day.

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