Monday Morning Ramble

The few remaining leaves on the red oak outside my window are shivering in the cold wind. Mockingbirds and Blue Jays are having a squawking war out front, with dashes of blue and gray flying from tree to treWhen I got out of bed this morning the floor was shockingly cold to my bare feet, sending goose bumps all over me. First things first, build a fire to chase away this sudden wintry chill from the house. Yesterday it was 79 degrees and now it is 24 with a wind chill in the very low teens. I pull my shawl closer as I type. The wood stove does not instantly flood the house with warmth. It takes time to fill the nooks and cranny's of the house with heat and somehow it never does reach the bathroom by the kitchen. It requires a degree of bravery to take a shower on such a cold morning.

I will surrender to the fact that logs and kindling are a big focal point of the living room. It is how it is in winter. Gone are any imaginings for a perfectly decorated home. Storage containers of kindling just don't seem to fit into any issue of a glossy decorating magazine : )

The bird feeders are the hub of activity around here this morning. Tiny bodies consuming bird seed rapidly in order to stay warm. It makes my chilly house issue seem less of a concern as I watch these tiny creatures in the cold. In an hour I will feel toasty warm no matter which room I am in, (except the bathroom).

The house is not warming up like it should with the fire blazing as I left it a moment ago, time to check it, sure enough, its not glowing warmly, but just about out. That's what I get for sitting here at the computer when I should be tending the fire. A few puffs of the bellows and the fire is once again stirred to life. This time I watch it a bit longer. The computer is a thief of my time more often then I would ever like to admit. I know there is so much more I could accomplish if this machine did not entice me to its side so much of the day. But, I do love it so. It accepts the overflow of my many thoughts during the day and connects me with friends and family so freely.

Camera in hand, like an old friend we walk out the door together, such a wonderful travelling companion through this life, silently capturing what my eye sees. Holding memories. The air is stinging cold, and I love it. The goats are fluffy looking with their hair standing on end, their barn is cozy with deep hay and a shelter from the wind, but they are nosy creatures and want to follow me around their little pasture. The cat and kitten ask to be fed again as if I didn't know that Emery fed them earlier.

The mixture of colors as the seasons blend, captivate me this morning. Having been inside so much in the last week, I feel so renewed by the marvels of creation all around me. 109 pictures later I decide my fingers are too cold to take another shot. Time to head inside for some hot coffee that will warm my hands as I sit it and warm my insides at the same time. By now the fire has warmed the whole house and that rocking chair is just waiting for me. Life is good, it really is.

How I love this simple life, where there is time to wander outside and see the beauty of the day.