The Melting Snow
It’s a different sound I hear as I slide open my bedroom door to welcome the bright sunshine after three days of clouds, snow and ice. The sound is that of snow and ice falling to the ground as it melts and turns loose of the tree branches where it has been frozen these past few days. Finally the trees are freed of the extra weight and can stretch forth their limbs outward and skyward once again. Ahh, one can almost hear their sigh of relief.
Even though it’s only 39 degrees outside, I have opened the doors and windows even if only for a few minutes to listen to the sounds. I can hear the chickens in the distance, clucking, crowing and sounding their thankfulness for the good weather and for the corn that was tossed to them earlier in the morning. The black crows flying into the back yard to scavenge whatever they can find, paint a picture of coal black against the brilliant white snow - snow that is blinding because of the sun’s rays reflecting back into the atmosphere.
Now I hear the beautiful sound of children laughing coming from the hillside where my son and his family live. I hadn’t realized prior to this winter what a perfect landscape the hillside is for the grandchildren to go sleigh riding. Cousins have joined in double decking on the sleigh riding to the bottom, squealing with delight, only to look back up the hill and realize it was much more fun riding down the hill than walking back up pulling the sleigh to the top.
All of a sudden it’s quiet. The children have gone inside for lunch. I’ve had to close the windows and doors to maintain the inside heat generated by the wood- burning stove. The quiet is especially deafening because I’m home alone now after having the grandchildren for the past two days while my daughter-in-law was away helped with her ailing grandmother. Its times like these that I can tune in to my surroundings and give thanks for the many blessings I have. Its times like these that I can pray in general and for specifics on behalf of family, friends, or for whomever God sends into my thoughts during this time. I have prayed earlier today, in the quiet of the morning before anybody else stirred – special quiet time alone with God and I know he has heard the petitions of my heart. I am at peace.
Is that the sound of an ax chopping wood? Yes. Conard is cutting a fallen tree branch that blocks his path to the barn – firewood for next winter, I’m sure.
I suppose lunch is over. The grandchildren are once again playing on the hillside. Their laughter calls to me. If only my camera wasn’t broken! Well, this scene can only be captured in my mind and hopefully shared in the mental -picture that I have painted here on this last day of January 2010.
Betty Collins Brown
Even though it’s only 39 degrees outside, I have opened the doors and windows even if only for a few minutes to listen to the sounds. I can hear the chickens in the distance, clucking, crowing and sounding their thankfulness for the good weather and for the corn that was tossed to them earlier in the morning. The black crows flying into the back yard to scavenge whatever they can find, paint a picture of coal black against the brilliant white snow - snow that is blinding because of the sun’s rays reflecting back into the atmosphere.
Now I hear the beautiful sound of children laughing coming from the hillside where my son and his family live. I hadn’t realized prior to this winter what a perfect landscape the hillside is for the grandchildren to go sleigh riding. Cousins have joined in double decking on the sleigh riding to the bottom, squealing with delight, only to look back up the hill and realize it was much more fun riding down the hill than walking back up pulling the sleigh to the top.
All of a sudden it’s quiet. The children have gone inside for lunch. I’ve had to close the windows and doors to maintain the inside heat generated by the wood- burning stove. The quiet is especially deafening because I’m home alone now after having the grandchildren for the past two days while my daughter-in-law was away helped with her ailing grandmother. Its times like these that I can tune in to my surroundings and give thanks for the many blessings I have. Its times like these that I can pray in general and for specifics on behalf of family, friends, or for whomever God sends into my thoughts during this time. I have prayed earlier today, in the quiet of the morning before anybody else stirred – special quiet time alone with God and I know he has heard the petitions of my heart. I am at peace.
Is that the sound of an ax chopping wood? Yes. Conard is cutting a fallen tree branch that blocks his path to the barn – firewood for next winter, I’m sure.
I suppose lunch is over. The grandchildren are once again playing on the hillside. Their laughter calls to me. If only my camera wasn’t broken! Well, this scene can only be captured in my mind and hopefully shared in the mental -picture that I have painted here on this last day of January 2010.
Betty Collins Brown