February is an Impossible Month!

The last day of February.  Hallelujah!  For such a short month, it certainly is long.   Between national and international news and the weather, it's been another "hunker down" month.  So, in honor of the last day of February 2011, here are some pictures of daffodils blooming in our front yard.  Here's to a wonderful March.

Snow Sun

So, it's snowing again . . . while the sun is out.  I haven't seen a snow rainbow yet.  Around 6 this morning our pipes froze, but at least we have power.  My husband is melting snow on top of the stove to flush toilets which is something we learned last winter during our 11 day power outage.  With each event, we learn something, don't we?

Snow sun!

You can't see it, but the snow is falling.

Cat Catches Rainbow

Today was a great day for letting the sun shine in, doing laundry, and changing sheets.  Zippy, one of our kitties, likes to assist me in changing sheets.  I don't like it, but I don't have much say in it.  She weighs almost 15 pounds so Zippy does what Zippy wants.  (She is also known by her nickname "Gigantacat.")  The morning sun was shining in our bedroom and Zippy hopped up to inspect my sheet changing expertise, and, lo and behold, she caught some rainbows.  Zippy is a very talented cat!

Help Save Public Radio!

Anyone who knows me knows I am a supporter of public radio. I like it so much I'm a member of three: Cameron University's KCCU, Oklahoma University's KGOU, and Oklahoma State University's KSOU. It's a breath of fresh air, an oasis for intelligent conversation about current events, politics, science, music, the arts.  The United States needs public radio.  It is important that we support this national treasure.  When we look at ways to cut spending, too often we begin hitting education, the arts and public broadcasting.  We already support public broadcasting with barely a miniscule fraction of our tax dollars now. KOSU recently sent me an email with the following link to a movement that wants to save public radio.  I hope you visit the site, check it out, and come to the conclusion that public radio is worth saving.

Save Public Radio

It's 51 degrees outside today! WooHoo!

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and the  rainbows are dancing.  This morning we went for our first walk since Monday.  Here are some pictures from our walk.

The garden in waiting.  Can you spot the alien by the red bridge?

Mount Scott in the distance.

Snow dunes

The tracks of a bobcat

The girls coming out for a look-see.

Dwelling in the Land of Memories

  (Source of picture)

Snowed in again today.  If you are along in years, winter is definitely a time for remembering.  Memories come unbidden as easily as snow seems to be coming to southwestern Oklahoma lately.

This morning, for unknown reasons, I was thinking of smudge pots.  I told my husband I am glad smudge pots were still around when I was little.  I remember coming home from my paternal grandparents' house at night time.  There was an area on Portland in Oklahoma City that seemed to always need repairing. 

My father would put the brakes on "Betsy," our Ford.  Slowly we passed lighted smudge pots lining the road to show where the repairs were being made.  No flashing lights or caution signs, just glimmering flames lining the road warning drivers away from the dangerous area.

I'm sure the smudge pots contributed to air pollution, but, still, I'm glad I was around at the same time they were. 

Snowed in and thinking

Being snowed in gives one ample time with one's thoughts.  Thank goodness for the distractions of television, the Internet and radio.  But back to thinking . . .

Our ancestors were such formal people.  As the 21st century continues to age with each passing day, I realize that my generation is now becoming quaint -- the generation of dressing up to go out to eat, to see a movie, even visit the airport.   But today my post is about the human beings that lived in the 19th century.  They were so formal that there were specific designations for visits to one's friends and family.

A visitation lasted more than a week.  An evening of dining was called a visit. And, to show a precursor for texting even in the 19th century, a vis was a brief stop-by.

So, if you can make it out your door, stop by for a vis!

(Source: Forgotten English calendar by Jeffrey Kacirk)

Blizzard 2011

As our newly elected governor, Mary Fallin, declared a state of emergency for Oklahoma before the first snowflake fell so that, if need be, we Oklahomans could apply for federal disaster aid, let us pause to remember where those federal disaster aid dollars come from:  our tax dollars.

So all you Tea Partiers out there, remember, as you whine about not increasing tax revenue, the money has to come from somewhere.  We are all in this together.  Each of us can give a little to make a big difference in all of our lives or we can complain about our federal and state governments as if they were alien institutions.

Government:  of the people, by the people, for the people.  Simple concept.  Too bad it's so difficult for some citizens to grasp.

North facing window.



Spring is next month!

Why the pet door cover should be installed over the pet door
during a blizzard.