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See What I Saw Saturday
sweetness
Fave-O-Lit Friday
The Snow Queen
The Snow Queen passed our way last night,
Between the darkness and the light,
And flowers from an enchanted star,
Fell showerlike from her flying car.
And silently through all the hours,
The trees have borne their magic flowers,
And now stand up with dauntless head,
To catch the morning’s gold and red.
by Dollie Radford in 1907
Fave-O-Lit Friday
Wherever you go, go with all your heart. -Confucius
corner view: winter
Apparently I took Theresa’s suggestion for a break quite literally! It’s good to be back with posting. It’s been a cozy month with much downtime with friends and family snuggled deep in our nest and neighborhood. I was wondering what I might do for this weeks theme since before Christmas. Ask and ye shall receive indeed! Here in South Carolina it snowed on Christmas for the first time since around 1968. Mind you we aren’t on the coast- we are in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, so it often snows within an hour of us but usually here it might dust us and melt by midday. Well late Christmas night down it came and we went out to play. Zuzu was convinced it was ice-cream falling and a treat for her to enjoy. The girls were invited out to romp in the snow. The day after Christmas we had to deliver Lovey’s brother to the airport and more happy snow scenery shots were taken on the ride. Then yesterday we got a real midwestern snow! Between 6-12 inches in our own backyard! Lovey was able to pull out his cross-country skis and surf wax and take a little ride down the road. Zuzu was in hot-pursuit letting me know I needed to go up to the attic and bring down her skis and skates. She still believes in Santa Claus, but I’m fairly certain a little bit of magic that your parents just produce what you need when you need it wore off this morning as I attempted to explain that she was not born in a land of snow where children routinely ski and skate like Max and Ruby and Arthur and Dora. Even as I explained it for the third time she was insisting that I just go upstairs and look for them for her. Her sister on the other hand would have preferred to have been left indoors. Even though there is a widely smiling face in the pictures, the gravy train of a wagon ride ended fairly quickly when Zuzu spotted an Uncle she could stalk with a snowball. The Quail was delighted to be toted around, less so to be let go into the snow on her own. Monday’s snow had no-such wagon rides though since we got a few too many inches to be able to safely pull her through. And with that the delight was all of two minutes. You can hardly blame her though seeing as her parents also didn’t magically have good snow pants to tuck her into and ended up stuffing her into enough cottony layers to leave her standing as a scarecrow on her own. Between that, the mittens and a hat being secured to her head there wasn’t much happiness and frolicking to be found.
As I was typing this though it changed over to freezing rain and becoming much more treachorous outside. South Carolina winters as we have known them have typically produced a handful of snowdays a year- but really should be called ice-days. When the typical driver routinely carries a chainsaw in his trunk to move away dead limbs he comes across, well the little girl in me decides to just stay home.
Onto the scenic beauty:
See what’s going on around the world:
jane – ian – bonnie – joyce – kim – kay – trinsch – ritva – francesca – state of bliss – cabrizette – isabelle – janis – kari – jgy – lise – cate – otli – dorte – b – sophie – mcgillicutty – sunnymama – daan – ibb – pienduzz – kelleyn – ninja – sammi – theresa – cherry b – juliette – shokoofeh – cole – grey lemon – lucylaine – lynn – skywriting – anna – dorit – conny – l´atelier – kamana – anne marie – rosamaría – victoria – tikjewit – juniper – annabel – andrea valerie – merel – soisses – mlle paradis – cacahuete – wander chow – barbara – emily – tally – nadine – don – flowtops – susanna – tania – dana – ingrid – tzivia – lollipop – mari – mezza
Mommaday: Snow Day!
While we don’t get very many of these here- we do get just enough for them to be as exciting as a holiday! And that being said, we didn’t get this many snow days is Wisconsin since the government and individuals were equipped to deal with the white stuff when it came. Here we shut down. Usually it melts by midday. At least it always has since we’ve lived here. This snowstorm is like an artic blast from our past though. We got 6-12 inches on the ground. The trees are gloriously frosted and the cardinals are a shock of color against the stark white. It’s cold though. My bones have become southern and not so into being out there. I went out,snapped a few pictures and hurried back inside to root out pancake and bean soup supplies from the pantry. Lovey on the other hand, hauled himself deep into our attic to locate his cross-country skis and surf wax and merrily made himself ready to embark down the lane. The girls were a mix in-between. Fleecy jammies layered over their cottony counterparts had to suffice for their winterwear. Any day that requires a jammy uniform has its highpoints in our books.
Zuzu would have happily stayed out for hours. This being a huge change from winter’s past. Last year might of been the first time she frolicked. Early attempts at an introduction to snow outside of our storybooks brought on many tears. And you know how well tears go with snow- they freeze! The Quail is still at that point and since this snow is too deep for tooling around in a wagon she spend most of the snow time inside looking out. Which suited her just fine after she felt the alternative.
So for your viewing pleasure- a southern snowday!
Holiday Highlights!
Fave-O-Lit Friday: December
A little girl is singing for the faithful to come ye
Joyful and triumphant, a song she loves,
And also the partridge in a pear tree
And the golden rings and the turtle doves.
In the dark streets, red lights and green and blue
Where the faithful live, some joyful, some troubled
Enduring the cold and also the flu,
Taking the garbage out and keeping the sidewalk shoveled.
Not much triumph going on here-and yet
There is much we do not understand.
And my hopes and fears are met
In this small singer holding onto my hand.
Onward we go, faithfully, into the dark
And are there angels hovering overhead? Hark.
-Gary Johnson
Charity Week: Do you Know What I Know?
Said the shepherd boy to the mighty king
Do you know what I know?
In your palace warm, mighty king
Do you know what I know?
A Child, a Child
Shivers in the cold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Let us bring Him silver and gold
Do you know that there are sweet orphans in the Ukraine that need you to care? They are given up at birth because they have a little bit extra. 1 little chromosome too many. When I think of these darlings I can’t help but fret that what if my Quail hadn’t been born to me hear and now in a society that sees her value and supports me in all sorts of ways to support her in being all that she can be?
Remember earlier this month when I talked about sweet Olga needing a home- and the miracle being led by Patti? Well she has inspired such love and kindness to the tune of over $12,000 for sweet Olga‘s adoption grant! Word on the super hi-way is that a family is seriously considering adopting Olga and bringing her into her forever family.
In that mysterious way that miracles have, someone somewhere was so moved as to donate enough money for Patti to purchase a new IPad and start a whole new giveaway for a sweet muffin of a girl- Kareen.
So go here and read what you simply must do to help give this dear girl a chance at life. Like Olga, she is nearing the age where she will be transferred to a mental institution. The statistics read that approximately 85% of these children die within the first year. Please contribute in our efforts to not have Olga or Kareen become a statistic.
Please give what you can.
Please help spread the word.
Please pray for families to come forward for these sweet girls.
Please go tell Patti how incredibly proud of her you are for all her cheerleading efforts and goodwill.
And hey- in the process- you might just find yourself the winner of a brand new IPad! Can’t beat that can you?
Drawing is Christmas Eve.
Were you wondering what to get me for Christmas or my upcoming birthday in February? How about a donation to one of these sweet children at risk of institutionalization?
That my friends and family would be the gift that keeps giving.
Corner View: December Holidays
See what’s going on around the world:
jane – ian – bonnie – joyce – kim – kay – trinsch – ritva – francesca – state of bliss – cabrizette – isabelle – janis – kari – jgy – lise – cate – otli – dorte – b – sophie – mcgillicutty – sunnymama – daan – ibb – pienduzz – kelleyn – ninja – sammi – theresa – cherry b – juliette – shokoofeh – cole – grey lemon – lucylaine – lynn – skywriting – anna – dorit – conny – l´atelier – kamana – anne marie – rosamaría – victoria – tikjewit – juniper – annabel – andrea valerie – merel – soisses – mlle paradis – cacahuete – wander chow – barbara – emily – tally – nadine – don – flowtops – susanna – tania – dana – ingrid – tzivia – lollipop – mari – mezza
Ordinary Afters... 