Where Did February Go? Part Two

Tomorrow is the last day of February.  Granted, February is the shortest month...but, seriously!  Where did the month go??!!

February 2015 - A fleeting reverie lost in time never to be recovered.

I downloaded the Day One journal App to help electronically record my days.  I also wrote the old-fashioned way with a pen in my hardbound paper-filled journal.  I guess I could look back at all those entries to see where the month went.  I'm sure I spent the majority of my days drinking coffee, chauffeuring my daughter to her various activities, working at my part-time seasonal job, and playing Candy Soda Crush...that candy won't crush itself, you know.

"...What is your life?  You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes."  James 4:14 NIV

I do recall there were some pretty spectacular sunsets that graced the horizon during this second month of the year.

I also had the privilege of spending a few precious hours with a wonderful friend who I had not seen for quite a long time.  We enjoyed lattes and a repast in a quaint little diner in Owatonna while catching up on our busy lives.  We also discovered a true "gem" that we enjoyed photographing. Although the images do not do it justice, here are a few attempts I made at capturing what can only be described as majestic beauty.

The unique building pictured above--originally the National Farmer's Bank (currently Wells Fargo)--is considered "a jewel box of the prairie;"one of the premier pieces of Prairie School Architecture in America.  This historical building built from 1906-1908 is located in Owatonna, Minnesota, and  is the most famous of all Louis Sullivan's banks featuring gold leaf arches, murals, stained-glass windows, and decorative art designs.  It was commemorated on a US postage stamp in 1981.

So long, February.

Where Did February Go? Part One

Snow followed by cold followed by snow, followed by more cold.  That pretty much sums up most of February.  Cars, geese, and deer alike are not moving very quickly in this deep freeze.  

Some of my favorite memes that are circulating include the following:

• Who Made Elsa Mad?
• Just Keep Shoveling. Just Keep Shoveling.
• Tell us what you've done with the grass, snowman?!
• Dear Winter:  I think it's time we broke up.  I can't put up with your icy disposition any longer.
• 40 Days with lows below zero...but it's supposed to be in the teens next week.  So I got that going for me, which is nice. 

And now for some of my own memes--I call them mines.  LOL! 

I thought I had the blues, but just had the setting on my camera wrong for the snow picture, so I guess it's just cabin fever after all.

The dry air is a shock to the system.  

My skin has had enough abuse.  Winter is not all that it's cracked up to be.

I'm currently buying lotion in bulk.  I had it delivered on a pallet last week.

My electric bill surpassed my grocery budget, so I unplugged my freezer, and threw everything outside.


At least the bugs are gone! :)

January Shots

"The New Year lies before you like a spotless track of snow.  Be careful how you tread it, for every mark will show."

 My daughter's art teacher is an absolute gem!  She has allowed the creative genius in my talented girl to emerge and take flight.  

Goofing around at the coffee house one day, my daughter had the giggles and my constant snapping of pictures just fueled her silliness.  I'm sure it didn't have anything to do with the fresh caffeine running through her veins...LOL!

The winter clouds and reflecting glow of lights from town made a perfectly eerie backdrop for the trees and silhouette of this castle formation.  

"Hello...is this 2-0-1-5?"

MILESTONES AND OUT WITH THE OLD...
Yesterday marked two months since my mom's passing.  With the holidays of Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's encompassing those two months and all the requirements and gatherings involved with said holidays, the time flew by!  I survived not too much worse for the wear.  

I did shed quite a few tears and had some down times--not surprisingly during food prep events, as mom loved food--traditional holiday dishes especially--and was always so appreciative when I would cook or bake for her.  I found myself feeling inadequate with each dessert I attempted--second guessing whether or not I was preparing it correctly without her experienced eye assisting in the process.  

I admit I had a couple of spectacular meltdowns during the making of her fudge and her butterscotch pecan cookies as she would always assess the done-ness for me and make yummy noises during the first sampling, and it was heart wrenching for me that she wasn't here to do that.

If it weren't for the constant reminders I get from Mom, I would probably plunge into a deep depression.  The appearance of a purple butterfly in the most unlikely places keeps me going and gives me hope and peace that she is in a better place, and we will be together again one day.

Slowly, I am working on the arduous task of "going through things" at Mom's house.  

It has been harder to part with the "things" than I thought it would be.  I have been thinking about how I found her that Sunday morning two months ago and thinking about ways I could have prevented that moment. And "things" like clothing she wore or books she had on her shelf seemed like all I had left of her.  

After reading Glenn Beck's book, "The Christmas Sweater," I came to realize that instead of thinking about things, I needed to be remembering feelings I had when Mom and I were together.  I need to hold on to the feelings and not the "things."

This week, a purple butterfly was nestled in and amongst a drawer of dishtowels and potholders--a drawer I had not ventured to the bottom of, I might add, since unpacking Mom's kitchen 4 years ago so had no recollection that the dainty lace creature with the black chenille stem body was tucked inside.  

A beautiful journal completely blank and ready to be filled with all the thoughts I have been purging here in this blog was another recent find.  The 240-lined pages of the journal include two purple butterflies on each page.

IN WITH THE NEW...
At precisely 12:00 AM January 1, 2015, I posted the following on Mom's Facebook page:

"RING, RING!  Hello?  Is this 2-0-1-5?  Yes, it is!  HAPPY NEW YEAR! to you in heaven, Mom!  Missing you.  Love you."

A ritual passed down from mom's mom to me was to call each other at the stroke of the new year to inquire if the correct number had been reached by stating the new year's numbers one at a time.  The other ritual was to step outside on the porch with a pot or pan and wooden spoon and literally ring in the new year with a loud drumming beat to wake up the neighbors if they hadn't made it to midnight.  I'm happy to report that my kids took care of carrying on that noisy tradition.

My daughter has been painting her emotions while I blog mine.  Her latest creation entitled "Always" is a woman sitting in a cemetery who has recently lost someone.  The woman falls asleep and begins to dream.  In the dream, the one that she's lost comes to her and the woman says to the loved one, "I miss you, why aren't you here?"  The the loved one replies, "I am always here...I am always with you."

I am looking forward to the new year and recording all the blessings and opportunities in my new journal.  I can't wait to see where the next purple butterfly will appear; and while I know I will have times of sadness, I am so very thankful for the years I shared with my mom and continue to know that she is always with me wherever I go.

Another Christmas Put to Bed

I met my husband and his family just over 21 years ago.  They welcomed me and my son with open arms, and we were allowed inside their circle to celebrate Christmas.

That first Christmas we spent together, we numbered eight--including hubby's siblings and parents.

Yesterday, a total of 20 of us gathered to partake in the traditional meal of chili and oyster stew and open presents.  In the last 21 years, the siblings have married and multiplied which makes getting us all together and sitting down at one time to open presents nothing short of a miracle.

Yesterday's gathering concluded the four planned holiday get-togethers for me for this year.  Now there are no more presents left under our tree, and we have to start thinking about the New Year's Eve plans and my birthday which are both just over a week away.

This time of year goes so fast, and then it practically comes to a halt waiting for the long, bleak winter to subside.

So as the sun sets on another Christmas season, I look around me thankful for the many blessings in my life and strive to hold onto this feeling through the cold months ahead.

Countdown to Christmas - Photo Challenge - Day 25:CHRISTMAS

My First Christmas...

       My first Christmas since MY first Christmas without my mom.

              My first Christmas in a very long time just staying home the entire day.

                       My first Christmas EVER waking up with a migraine.

Indeed it was a Christmas filled with firsts.  The night before Christmas, my hubby and I and the kids sat together in the glow of candlelight singing carols a capella and listening to my son recite "'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

Santa finally filled the stockings about 5:30 a.m., but the opening of gifts didn't commence for another five hours.

Just before the gift giving, I was in the kitchen for a cup of coffee when I noticed a light shining on the wall illuminating all the Willow Tree Angels my mom has given me the last few years which I have hanging above the light switch.  I stood and stared for a moment trying to figure out where the light was coming from.  I finally deduced that the sun was hitting a sparkly piece of the tree garland just at the right place to bounce the reflection into the room onto the angels.  A little angel love from my mama first thing Christmas morning was just what I needed.

The kids had had a great time selecting gifts and wrapping them, and my son even orchestrated a fun treasure hunt for the gift he had picked out for his sister.  It was a wonderful morning of fun surprises and relaxed joy.

For breakfast we had scones, eggnog, and bacon.  The eggnog was especially good, and we finished up the gathering at the table with a Christmas Tree mad lib, some games, and cutting out snowflakes. Santa had brought the game of Tenzi, and we enjoyed several frenzied rounds before individually (but together) dispersing to catch up on Facebook posts and do some quiet reading.

An amazing sunset illuminated the angel solar light in my backyard reminding me once more that mom will continue to remain in my thoughts and in my heart.

Supper was a collaborative effort of a cornbread stuffed Turducken, green bean casserole, party potatoes, lemon lime jello salad, and mini crescent rolls by candlelight.

Some TV watching and relaxing ended our first Christmas together of making new memories and remembering treasured times from years past.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

Countdown to Christmas - Photo Challenge - Day 24:TRADITION

Is tradition built around Christmas or is Christmas built around tradition?  

A tradition is defined as a custom or belief passed on from one generation to the next.

In the case of my family, tradition seems to be defined as a certain food item being associated with specific times of year and passed around the table from one generation to the next.

Christmas morning was more than just presents and knowing that it was the one morning of the year when we would potentially all get along with each other for a few hours.  It was also the once a year Christmas Tree Bread, Eggnog, fresh squeezed orange juice, and bacon...a combination you have to taste to appreciate.  And we brought out the fancy glass plates with the cup ring built in upon which to dine.  

For years, the Christmas Tree Bread was a breakfast pastry that I tried to just get the trunk part of the tree that didn't have any of the fruited-nut filling and the majority of the frosting.  But as I got older, I became quite fond of the entire ensemble taking a larger fruit-filled piece that filled more of the leaf-shaped glass dish.

I did make the Christmas Tree Bread a couple different times after moving out on my own.  But since I was the only one that actually liked it, I have given that traditional food over for something we all enjoy like scones or caramel rolls to go with the eggnog and bacon.  

For our annual Doppa i Gryta event today, my cousin Janet makes a moist white cake in the shape of a Christmas Tree frosted with the richest, creamiest frosting and decorated with red and green m&m's.  The whole family looks forward to this once a year treat, and I even got to take some home!

Traditions will come and go and change over the years, but the breaking of bread with family should remain.