Janet's Blog

As I've been walking this week, enjoying the last mild days of autumn, I can't help but dread the long, cold days ahead. Even though this fall has been beautifully balmy, I know what's coming, and I'm not looking forward to it.     Fall might have to be my favorite season if it only lasted longer, and if it didn't lead, inevitably, to winter! I love the crunching sound of the fallen leaves as I swish my way down the winding path. I wish I could enjoy it like I used to, when I was a young child who didn't know what foul weather was just around the corner. I love the majestic Cottonwoods' golden leaves, brightening even the dreariest, drizzly days of autumn. But, it's hard for me to appreciate them as I should, when I know that drizzle will soon give way to sleet and snow. Even worse, I dread the coming of the Brown, when there is not even any snow to add a touch of brilliance to our dull winter landscape. But then, God reminds me that I can become like ...

As I sit here watching the snow fall--again--I am amazed at this year's winter weather. Normally, January is our driest month, but not this year. In fact, it has been reported that this has been the wettest, snowiest January in the Scottsbluff area in all of recorded history. That’s 130 years! The ground has not been totally snow-free since early December. And the streets! Let's just say that the city appears to have already used up most of its snow removal budget for this winter. Out of town trips have been treacherous, requiring much advance planning and weather watching. Roads have often been closed. Even when the highways are passable, black ice and ground blizzards have made travel a challenge this winter. Last week, when I rode with a friend to an appointment in Cheyenne, we were grateful to have picked the best travel day of the week, with only one sketchy stretch of road. Headed home from Cheyenne, through the Wildcat Hills. Here in the Nebraska Panhandle, it seems like...

When I was walking with Jackson the other day, near Northfield Park, a man in an over-sized pickup stopped and rolled down his window, leaned out, and thanked me for picking up after my dog. (I guess it was obvious that the translucent bag dangling from my hand contained Jackson's poop.) I think I raised my mittened hand in acknowledgement before he continued on his way. I didn't quite know what to think about that unexpected interaction, because I was just doing what I always do. No matter the season, whenever I walk with Jackson, I always tie a couple of plastic grocery bags onto Jackson's leash before we set out. After Jackson does his business--usually two or three times each walk--I put my hand inside a bag to pick up his poop, turn the bag inside out, and tie it at the top. Then I carry the bag in the same hand as the leash until I toss it in a convenient trash can along the way. In the winter, the hardest part of the whole process is untying the bag from the leash wi...

A few days ago, Bill went to Menards to buy Levi some warm gloves to replace the worn out pair he had been using when he shoveled snow. While he was there, Bill also bought Levi a new stocking cap, and he picked up a pair of soft, warm, double-layered socks for me. It was cold and extremely windy last week, so I was glad to have some new warm socks. I rarely wear shoes in the house. Bill considers this to be almost sacrilege, since he is never without shoes unless he is sleeping, and sometimes not even then. In the summer, I go barefoot in the house, and wear sandals outside. In the winter, I wear socks. Bill wears shoes and socks year-round, inside and out. When the temperatures hover in the single digits, or even below zero, and the wind is blowing a gale, even our new furnace is unable to keep our house comfortably warm. We have decided that we need to replace our old, single-paned, west windows, which are original to this house, with new, energy efficient, double-paned or even ...

Meagan texted me a couple of weeks ago, wondering if I would like to come out to celebrate National Cheesecake Day. I never say no to cheesecake, so I headed right out. I'm not a huge fan of baked cheesecake, since I generally prefer the light, fluffy rendition like Bill's Grandma used to make, but Meagan had found a new recipe, and tried out the springform pan she inherited from Aunt Ellen.  The cheescake didn't last long. It was absolutely delicious! The grandkids were thrilled to have all available grandparents on site when it wasn't even someone's birthday. They had been excited to start homeschooling that Monday, but they still had plenty of time to play with the kittens and create things. They had so much to show us! The kittens had grown, and were at the cutest stage ever. The two mama cats had produced litters in June, about ten days apart, one on Meagan's birthday, and the other the night before Ari turned three. Surprisingly, the gray kittens in the se...

I'll confess, I was the one who asked for a lot of snow. Okay, I may not have been the only one, because when the whole state is officially in severe or even extreme drought, there are bound to be others who have also prayed for the moisture we need so badly.  I didn't expect to get a lot of snow this weekend, though. When the temperature hovers at 0 degrees, or even lower, any snow we get doesn't usually amount to much. The -30 degree wind chill doesn't even enter into it. Apparently, this snowstorm didn't get the memo--and God answered my prayer, sending the moisture we need, in spite of the forecast.  Originally, the meteorologists were predicting a frigid weekend, with maybe an inch or two of fluffy, white snow. Well, this snow is fluffy, all right, all 8 to 10 inches of it. (That's just a guess.) I'm not complaining, not at all, because a foot of fluffy snow produces much more moisture than just an inch or two. The last time we had significant snow was ...

It seems like such a long time ago, when the celebration of Christmas was new to me, and so exciting, and sparkly, and holy. And yet, in some ways, it just seems like a short time ago, when I posed in my red velveteen skirt in front of Grandma's tinsel-covered Christmas tree in Bloomfield, my newest doll in one arm, with my other hand resting possessively on the handlebars of my new (to me), light blue tricycle. Little Danny had something new to ride, too, a rocking horse, possibly made by Grandpa in his basement workshop. His left hand was poised on the horse, ready to ride into the sunset, sixgun pointing at some invisible villain. He was even dressed for the job, just like every other little boy who lived in the late 1950's. This is the only Christmas picture I have from my childhood. Black and white photos, like this one, were only taken on special occasions and, even then, we weren't guaranteed a good picture, since we had to wait and see what developed, weeks later, w...

It was just a year ago when I flew to Wisconsin to welcome WilliamTyler to the world. He weighed four and a half pounds the last time I held him. I never dreamed that a whole year would go by without another chance to hold him again. Will doesn't look so tiny in this picture. Closeups can be deceiving . But when his Mom, Erin, held him, his size--or lack of it--was evident. I'm not alone. Social distancing has wreaked havoc with in-person relationships for almost everyone. Often, we speak to other people through our masks, from six feet away. Or, we rely on modern technology to communicate through Facetime and Zoom.  I have been so thankful for the ability to use Zoom for Levi's parent/teacher conferences and my grandkids' piano and dance recitals, and even for worship services last spring. I get to Facetime with Erin and Will regularly, so I can see how he is growing, and listen to him talk, and observe his wobbly walking. I would have loved to wish Will a "Happy ...

When life seems dreary, extra lighting helps. On an overcast day, we turn on extra lights in the house, and light the fireplace. During a tedious year, like this one has been, colorful Christmas lights have the potential to lift spirits. When I was a little girl, it was great fun to climb into the car just to look at the Christmas lights as Dad toured the town. Back then, lights were vibrant blue or brilliant red, or multicolored, twinkling strings that vied for our attention. The best displays were those that covered the eaves and every tree in someone's snowy yard, or even a whole neighborhood. Some yards boasted spotlighted, wooden cutouts of Santa and his sleigh, or intricately painted nativity scenes, but there was no front yard animation then, no accompanying music, and no oversized, blow-up figures.  This year, the Christmas lights in my neighborhood have been amazing! In their efforts to counteract the dullness of our current Covid season, many of my neighbors put up their ...

I've heard that it was a good year for pumpkins. Meagan grew more than 30 nice, orange pumpkins in her garden. My grandkids know that I never have much luck growing pumpkins, so they made my day when they brought me several from their abundance. I plant pumpkins and various squash every year, but I feel blessed if even one of the plants produces anything but leaves. You see, my garden is just too shady to grow much besides tomatoes and green beans. That doesn't stop me from planting pumpkins and squash anyway, because their vines produce some good ground cover even if they don't give me any squash or pumpkins. This year, I was thrilled to pick several zucchinis and yellow summer squash. The acorn squash I planted didn't grow at all, but I ended up with a prolific pumpkin vine that invaded the onions and green beans, climbed the tomato cages, and even scaled the wood fence that separates my garden from the neighbor's yard. Unfortunately, it was all vine and leaves, o...