Grieving Gardener

The honey bee! Apis Mellifera! A most delightful little animal! In the company of like-minded friends, we immersed ourselves into the interesting world of bees. From 8 until 4, we learned basic things two new bee-keepers should know. Just like that, we have a new set of friends with skill sets that will help us through our first year as we tend to our apiary.

In 1983, I was a young mom with little ones aged 2 and 3. For some crazy reason, bee-keeping became a hobby of mine for a time. Each week, I’d visit our 40 hives and collect the pollen we’d robbed from the bees. At that time, three local health food stores were eager to buy the local pollen.

Pollen is an amazing food that holds many health benefits. I remember cleaning the pollen while my babies took their afternoon naps. I’d carefully sift, weigh, and package my product and then take the babies on outings. For a time, it was a wonderful hobby. But, as babies do, mine turned into little boys. In 1983, my marriage ended, along with my bee-keeping hobby.

Gardening has always been a favorite hobby. When I purchased Winterpast in 2020, one of the main enticements was her gardens. At the time, I couldn’t visualize possibilities. Then, HHH, came along and now, future projects are endless.

For Christmas, HHH received one un-assembled bee-hive. Since then, bees have become our focus. Just a simple hive of 30,000 bees with a queen to run the place. Of course, they all have jobs, which even include undertaker bees that drag the unfortunates out of the hive. There are nursemaids and guards. Drones. The Queen. It’s all so exciting, we can’t wait to begin.

As we listened to seasoned bee-keepers, we learned about all the things we still need to purchase. More importantly, we learned about the time line for a year of bee-keeping. I have a feeling HHH and I are going to enjoy many mornings sitting to the side of the hive while watching their activities.

Bees keep the internal hive temp at 94 degrees to care for the developing embryos. They do this by fanning their wings to either cool or heat their hive. They like things the way they like them. If conditions get too crowded, they split the hive and half of them swarm. They know how to feed the Queen her life-long diet of Royal Jelly, and they also know when to get rid of her.

One thing one must never do is stand directly in front of the entrance to the hive. Nope. It seems the bees are not very happy about people who do. Otherwise with a little smoke and slow and deliberate movements, they can be handled quiet easily. I still remember how much I enjoyed this hobby, even after so many years have passed.

Yesterday, we attended the family baby shower. While lost in a sea of littles aged one month old and up, we learned about a close family friend that’s also a bee-keeper. How great to have an emergency phone number if our hive starts to struggle. Again, small-town nice comes to the rescue!

Our bees will be delivered to us from California in April. As a functioning group known as a NUC, we’ll be purchasing a queen and all her helper-bees. They’ll arrive in a cardboard box, already a complete community living on five frames. And so it will begin.

This year, if everything goes as planned, we hope to harvest 60 pounds of honey off our hive. We’re ready to put up the good fight against mites, which can weaken a hive. We know when to look for the dreaded moths, and when to install mouse guards. Even with everything we learned, there are a thousand more things we’ll learn by trial and error.

And so, our garden plans grow. This week, we’ll going to start seeds in the greenhouse as we choose plants that produce a wide variety of nectar and pollen.

With two very rambunctious dogs that insist on barking at and digging at the fence next to our neighbor, we’ve found the perfect place for our hive. Our friends, the bees, will take care of that problem. The hive will sit right in that very corner. Win. Win.

This week will be a busy one with two trips to the biggest little city to the west. The roses are pruned and we’ll move on to the trees. A fence is planned for the garden area. Some work on the greenhouse. Spring will be here before we know it and it will be glorious!

Whatever you do today, remember one of your hobbies of the past. Maybe, just maybe, it’s still something that holds interest for you. As for me, it’s off to learn more about the bees.

More tomorrow.

One of the very first things HHH and I bonded over was our undying love of watching over our roses. In particular, we both adore Hybrid Tea Roses, which produce one beautiful rose atop a long stem. We like others, as well, but these big ones are favorites of ours. How grand it would be if they came in blue, but sadly, they don’t.

When I moved to Winterpast, beautiful roses were already growing here. Although the home had been vacant for awhile, the roses thrived, surrounding a lush, green lawn. Winterpast doesn’t just have a nice yard, it has gardens so beautiful they are inspire one to plant more of the same.

Over the course of a few months, HHH and I added eight rose bushes. I picked them out and he dug the holes in the hard desert soil. The butter-yellow, “Happy Go Lucky” began as my favorite because of her name of the bush. Our two bushes never stopped blooming the entire growing season. Yellow roses with thick, lush blooms.

Last year, we discovered a wonderful brand of roses. Although there one producer that has better name recognition, the roses best suited to our area are grown by Weeks Roses. They are healthy, hearty, and beautiful. No longer will I wait for bare roots to arrive from the other company. I’ll simply go the nursery that sells bushes by Weeks.

Now that the rose bushes are dormant, the time for pruning is near. Dormant plants in the yard need pruning to increase production and health for the next season. If you have fruit trees, roses, grapevines, summer flowering shrubs (like hydrangea), deciduous shrubs, or ornamental grasses, they need pruning while they are dormant.

One great thing about the times in which we live is the availability of information. With the help of internet, you can learn to write with masters or paint like a pro. You can take drawing lessons. You can also learn everything you need to know about pruning. With a visit to You Tube, you can find out exactly when and how to care for your trees.

We watched tutorials before pruning the trees at the rental. We’ll watch them again before we start on the fruit trees of Winterpast. Interestingly enough, even the angle of the cuts are important to protect the health of the plant.

When focusing on roses, you’ll need good leather gloves. This type of glove will save you from thorns and a wide variety are available. When cared for, they will serve you for many seasons. Long sleeves and jeans will also help to protect you from nasty scratches. Some refuse planting roses because of the thorns. For us, the beauty outweighs a few scratches.

It’s important to choose the right type of shears. For roses, you want to use very sharp bypass shears that will make clean cuts. The alternative is a shear that only mashes the stem and isn’t not for this purpose.

As you trim off dead stems and leaves, try to achieve an open plant. This will allow for plenty of sunlight and air to reach all the stems and buds. Cut 1/4 ” above outward facing buds, or swellings. The lower you prune your hybrid tea rose, the longer the stems and bigger the flowers. When you are finished, be sure to clean up all the debris under the plant, leaving no hiding spots for disease and pests.

Properly pruned roses produce beautiful blossoms and will bring you pleasure for years to come.

This weekend, we’ll take time to clean up the leaves and spray the grasses that have started to sprout. HHH and I will be deciding on which heirloom seeds to buy. We need to order potato, garlic, and onion starts.

Tomorrow, we’ll be enjoying our very first class on bee-keeping. Gardening heals the soul and feeds the mind. We can’t wait to import and care for 50,000 little friends.

Whatever you do this weekend, spend just a little time getting outside. Half of January is gone! Don’t let the winter beauty go to waste.

More on Monday.

Having just married into a huge family, I’m finding myself with invitations to events I haven’t seen in many years. Weddings. 21st Birthday parties, and now, a Baby Shower. HHH and I received our invitation to this shindig weeks ago. The date just snuck up on us. Sunday afternoon. THIS Sunday afternoon.

Remembering back to 1979 when I was heavy with child, baby showers were a thing we all loved attending. The expectant mom loved it the most. During the 1900’s, we kept our baby bumps under wraps. All the more difficult to guess the mother’s waist size, or see exactly how the baby was carried, both important in shower games. Tent-like maternity dresses were created from yards and yards of fabric. A popular pattern in the day added a big bow at the neck. Things are quite different today.

I’m quit sure this pattern was next to my sewing machine. Just slap a bow with that big white color, and that’s what we wore.

HHH and I were just remembering all the ways in which our babies could have died. From smothering as they slept on their stomachs, to dying without a car seat as we held them in our laps, survival was miraculous.

Babies slept in cribs with retractable sides for easier access to the baby. They didn’t smother themselves in the cutest bumpers we made for their cribs. Daily bathing didn’t damage their fragile skin. I guess our babies were just a tougher breed than those of today.

These days, there are no more soft wool blankets with satin edging. Don’cha know, the kids can strangle on the satin, should it come loose? Wool???? Really???? Don’t risk the chance of an allergic reaction. Gender neutral. No pink or blue. (Don’t be mad your darling curled boy is pronoun-ed as SHE, or your adorable bald chunky girl, HE.) Everything is so different, it’s hard to know what present would be appreciated.

Bring diapers if you want to be entered into the raffle. Instead of cards, the new mom would like us to bring a signed child’s book. And of course, one must bring the main gift when invited to a shower!! That’s part of the fun!!!!!

Upon receipt of the invitation, HHH informed me that he doesn’t do Baby Showers. But, with a little wifely persuasion, he even helped select the gifts. It was a new and fun experience we both enjoyed. Now, we can hardly wait for Sunday to arrive.

Yesterday, while in the baby department of a local store, it took a minute to choose the best diapers. We used the cloth type washed and hung out to sun-dry. These diapers are powerful with one brand promises to cling to moisture for 12 hours.

Oy.Vey.

A baby shower is a wonderful time for family and friends to share their excitement for the arrival of the newest member of the family. This little girl will be the 7th Great Granddaughter of The Mayor, and a Great-Great-granddaughter of Miss B, HHH’s mom. Generational members of our little town dating back to the mid-1900’s when HHH and his family moved to the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada.

I promise I’ll be on my best behavior on Sunday. No advice on colic, breastfeeding, natural childbirth, or schedules. No request for a little pat on Mom’s bump. Certainly no labor and delivery stories from so long ago. Nope. Just a lot of listening about the plans for this little one.

If I DO slip and feel the need to give one bit of advice it would be the following…..

Blessed are we are to receive this little one into our flock!!!! Lucky she is to be loved by us!

More tomorrow.

2024 promises to be quite the year for stylin’!!! In 68 days, HHH and I are sailing away on the Love Boat. Quite right. Under the Golden Gate Bridge off we’ll go to the Mexican Riviera. This year, there are many reasons HHH needs a brand new tuxedo. Of course, every gentleman should have his very own.

Actually, this all started in 2023, when a black-tie wedding would be held in June, 2024. A young relative was planning the huge event, which took all the pressure off of ours. Thinking back to our special day, there isn’t anything I would have done differently. From the absolutely delicious cold cuts and salads we served our guests, to the gorgeous cake made by someone that loves us so dearly, everything was perfect down to the last minute.

Staying within our budget made our day even more wonderful. To consider the price of weddings these days is a mind bender. Young brides think of the silliest things they MUST have to make their day complete. Really, there is just one thing required to make a wedding beautiful and complete. Love. That’s all. Just love. Anything else is window dressing around a beautiful forever for the new husband and wife. At least, that’s how our wedding day unfolded.

So, we’ve been considering options for HHH’s tuxedo. First and foremost, I can’t wait to enjoy an evening on his arm the first time he wears his new outfit! Not sure if it will be at the Captain’s table during our cruise, or on a quiet walk along the ship’s promenade deck after enjoying a movie under the stars. It’s just all too romantic for words!

When we first knew the two black-tie events were scheduled, we started looking at options. Sadly, rental tuxedos are no longer inexpensive. It’s almost cheaper to buy a new one than to reserve a rental. Then, there is the problem with pick up and return, without even mentioning the outrageous cost for merely borrowing a tux for one night. Insane.

Last week, I asked to HHH needed to call the family members to check on requirements for the specific tux they wanted him to wear to this big wedding. He agreed that it was time to get specific. There’d be photographs in which the bride would want all the men to match. Coordinating all these things take time.

And then, yesterday, everything changed. As it turns out, the young bride has decided that the entire black-tie affair isn’t really what she wanted after all. Scraping those plans, the couple has changed course, and will be exchanging vows in their most favorite place in the world! Italy!

Well, we still must consider our need for a tuxedo for the cruise. I’ll be calling to find out if a dapper black suit with matching fedora would work just as well.

One thing is for certain. Whatever my Hubba-Hubba-Husband wears, he’ll be the most sharp-dressed-man in the room.

And from HHH’s point of view……

Clean shirt, new shoes
And I don’t know where I am goin’ to
Silk suit, black tie
I don’t need a reason why

Gold watch, diamond ring
I ain’t missin’ not a single thing
And cuff links, stick pin
When I step out, I’m gonna do her in

Top coat, top hat
I don’t worry ’cause my wallet’s fat
Black shades, white gloves
Lookin’ sharp for the woman love

Wifey comes a runnin’ just as fast as she can
‘Cause every wife’s crazy ’bout a sharp-dressed man. _{(Thanks ZZ Top)}

More tomorrow.

Hard to believe that over the last few days, 17″ of snow has disappeared, but it’s true. From the blizzard of January 10th, there is very little of the white stuff left. Just last week, the short-legged dogs of the town were concerned. The elderly widows of the town even more so. Tomorrow, our temperatures may reach 55 degrees. So it is in the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada.

I’ve found that after a storm, I know many elders that are terrified of two things.

1. Driving in the snow and wrecking the car, themselves, or someone else.
2. Getting safely to their destination and then slipping on the ice and breaking a hip (or the bones connected to the artificial one).

Shoveling snow IS a pain in the neck, back, and arms. Once the snow falls, there is little choice but to shovel, or ice will form early the next morning. The men of our church went to work the minute the minister’s bird-bath-O-meter hit 17″.

Throughout the following day, the pastor and several friends visited the homes of our elderly friends. When thinking about the members, of the 30 we know pretty well, all are past the age of efficient and effective snow shoveling. One by one, their driveways and sidewalks were cleared. Hearing the story, it seemed almost magical.

The nice thing about small town living is that you get to know each other. Attending services at a small church intensifies this. Pretty soon, you learn who brings the best deserts to the monthly potluck, or who might have the added worry of an adult child feeling a bit down.

Life in a small town is just a little more thoughtful. Word gets around when trouble hits. I can’t help but remember Miss Naomi, (now a sweet angel), and how our town came together when tragedy struck. If the name Naomi doesn’t ring a bell, you didn’t live here then. I did. Forever, I’ll remember.

A small town celebrates things that need celebrating! Like Caucusing and America’s Independence Day! I can hardly wait for the 4th to come around again. I’ll be front and center for the greased pig races while cheering on the contestants. From the early morning pancake breakfast, to the parade, food, and fantastic fireworks, nobody does it better than our small town.

Neighbors come outside to say “Hello” and compliment each other on their yards. People stop to talk awhile. Even the dogs are friendlier.

Last October, 100 people from our small town turned out to watch us get married in our little church. The pews were packed as I walked straight up that aisle towards a very nervous HHH. As I did, friends and family were full of love and kindness. Blessings overflowed that day, as we filled our little chapel to SRO (standing room only). They came to celebrate at our reception, as two little old people enjoyed their first hours as husband and wife.

Small towns enjoy things like intimate candlelight services on Christmas Eve, and sunrise services high up on the side of Olinghouse Mountain on Easter Sunday. They show up to school board meetings to steer the direction of the school their children attend.

When I see pictures of the biggest cities in the United States, I shake my head. I’ll never understand why someone would give up Big Skies and wide open spaces in exchange for concrete jungles. I wasn’t wired to live under those conditions. Just a desert gal here, through and through. Wild things don’t thrive in captivity.

Sunday, all the seasoned widows and widowers were still talking about the day the men came to shovel the snow. Those men even shoveled for some neighbors that lived next to the parishioners. “You’re the Pastor of the Free Methodist Church? Just where is this church and when is the next service?”

Remember, strangers are just friends you haven’t yet met. Especially in a small town.

More tomorrow.

Just when you think you’re all caught up, the seasons change and its time to prune. This chore is especially important because the past residence of HHH has RENTED!!! Yes! Yes! Yes! Our dream on this MLK Day has come true and today, the new occupants take possession.

Just a week ago, knowing the five-hour, 17″ snow storm was on its way, we headed over to prune the peach, nectarine, and plum trees for the new year. In 2022, it seems a certain new lady in HHH’s life got in the way of his seasonal pruning. Although we talked about it many times, we never found the time to prune. This lead to broken limbs during a bumper crop of peaches. There was no escaping it this year. Pruning became a priority.

The first thing one must have when heading out to prune is the proper equipment. Long-handled loppers, a long hand saw, short clippers, gloves, a borrowed trailer, and two workers. Last Monday, two able-bodied worker-bees headed out to complete the job.

It’s less than exciting when pruning trees that will produce fruit for others during the next season. There’s something so wonderful about caring for trees that will produce the very fruit you’ll enjoy over the next year. Here at Winterpast, we’ll wait a bit to tackle our pear, apple, plum, and apricot trees.

In a matter of hours, we had a trailer full of branches, carefully moved from the back yard to the front. Remembering back to the summer beauty of HHH’s back yard, this task was bittersweet for the both of us. His life certainly changed over the seven years he lived there, going from a married man, to a care-giver, to a grieving widower, to a bachelor, a boyfriend, fiancé, and finally husband.

For me, this special place was where we got to know each other, fell in love, and planned the rest of our lives together. Our wedding cake was decorated right inside the beautiful kitchen, where HHH crafted so many beautiful meals just for us. As we worked, memories danced through my head.

It was there I first learned about the abundant crop that can be produced from a single potato plant in the fall of 2022. As I helped harvest his Yukon Gold and Purple potatoes, I was astonished at the yield. We used all of them that fall, amazed at the flavor.

The 2023 crop included Russets, Yukon Gold, and New Potatoes. The harvest was even more bountiful and delicious. We enjoyed many baked potatoes (more delicious than a potato should be) topped with fresh chives from our garden.

Fresh pasta sauce simmered from our tomato harvest. Tomato worm eradication took us both back to our childhoods when our grandparents hated them as much as us. My grandmother would hurl hers at the side of the huge red barn while saying some things I didn’t understand in German. Billy hurled his over the fence into the hot desert while saying some things in English that I did.

It was at HHH’s house that I would pick him up for church on Sunday mornings. There, we put up our first shared purchase of 2022, our Christmas tree. We decided we’d put it up at Winterpast for the 2023 holidays, not knowing we’d be married by then.

At HHH’s bachelor pad, we gazed at the stars while enjoying his hot tub. I learned a Traeger Grill is the only way to prepare meat. I ate my first meals of wild tuna and elk, discovering that not all fish tastes fishy.

During that year, I learned it’s exactly six miles between our two front doors. I also found it’s much nicer to park in a garage than on the street in the wintertime. Oliver and the Wookie created a raceway to zip around the house, zooming through the living room to the hallway, around the corner and back to the living room, even jumping over us and the couch as if in a steeplechase.

On Billy’s bed, we helped bring seven squirming little wooklets into the world at midnight on a cold January night almost one year ago.

Most importantly, it was there I fell head-over-heels in love with my Mysterious Marine. Over 12 months, he became pretty smitten with me, as well. Isn’t that how most really great love stories begin?

With the keys to HHH’s house in the hands of another family, our full attention will now turn to Winterpast. Let the nesting begin. Now that 2023 is a wrap, it’s time for the fun begin.

Whatever you do today, be kind to yourself and others. Think of some healthy habits you’d like to incorporate into your life and begin a new path. Life is short!!!! There’s no time to waste.

More tomorrow.

Our pastor and his wife are great examples for the community. Helpful in every way, they are always on the move, finding ways to spread goodness wherever they go. Never asking for anything in return, they watch over our small congregation. They are very, very special to each and to every one of us.

So, a few Sundays back, it was no surprise they had placed a variety of free books on the “Please Help Yourself” table. More reading leads to better writing. Not in a plagiaristic way, but in a more creative way. Through words, each writer helps me consider new situations through their unique style.

In May, 2020, I hadn’t read a book for over a year. As a matter of fact, I’d written very few words over 32 years. Such a special gift I’d abandoned. With life’s demands for time and energy, the struggle to keep that flame alive was too difficult and I lost my voice and words. Thankfully, a tiny ember remained in my gut, waiting for a time that I’d be free to express myself.

In 2007, I’d purchased a set of books by Jan Karon. An entire series of orange and cream, the books were all about a town in Mitford, North Carolina. When I couldn’t sleep in those first evenings as a widow, I’d just teleport into the little town while I learned about Father Timothy Kavanaugh and his parishioners. During long and lonely Covid isolation, reading brought me words of comfort and new friends that jumped right off the pages and into my heart.

It was there she told the love story about an old widow, her long-a-go love Williard, and the name “Winterpast” carved into the beams of the most beautiful mansion in her town.

As the story went, the young woman and her mother traveled to France on holiday. There she met young Williard, who was working in pharmaceuticals. They became fast friends and took that friendship back home to Mitford.

She had no way of knowing this particular gent was the one person her father would never allow her to marry, even though his intentions were pure and his love for her deep and unwavering. As the years went by, her father’s hatred only grew, as did the wealth of young Willard. His new chemical compounds were sold making him a very rich man.

Years before, he’s promised he would build her the mansion of her dreams. Over the years, her father’s hatred grew even more, until the two shared a secret that rocked the town. The bad thing was, her father lied and Willard paid the price.

As the for mansion, he did build it and it was magnificent. An artist even spent months painting the walls of the ballroom. He’d told her that there was a special word inscribed on the beam of the home and she’d wondered throughout her entire life if he had, and more importantly, what was the word. Bedridden in old age, being more tired than sick, there was nothing else to do but ask Father Timothy to go to that very home and find the inscription.

He did.

There it was.

Winterpast.

At the time of my first reading, I hadn’t found a church, baptism, and my new life as a Christian. I owned several Bibles, but hadn’t opened them to find the treasures within. The word Winterpast had no real meaning, and so, I had to do some research. As it turned out, the word was plucked out of two words written in Song of Solomon Chapter 2: 10-13 (winter passed).

It took no more than a second and I knew a truth. My new home would be named Winterpast. My Winter WOULD pass with time and this would be the home in which that would happen.

Now, back to Sunday at the “Please Help Yourself” table.

There were books written by all kinds of Christians. There were some written by sports figures. There were study Bibles. But in the middle of the table, there was one book that caught my eye.

Oh. My. Goodness.

Jan Karon.

Snatching the book with lightning quick reflexes, I read the cover. A Continual Feast — Words of Comfort and celebration collected by Father Tim. My Father Tim from Mitford, North Carolina, where there sits a mansion built for the one true love of the scientist with the word “Winterpast” carved in the sixth rafter from the northwest wall on the third floor attic.

I think I was cradling this book when the Pastor’s wife came up to me and said, “Joy, that book might need a little explanation. It’s not just an ordinary book. It is tied to a very special series.”

With a smile, I nodded. “I know. I already know. A book from Father Timothy just for me.”

There are small little connections and miracles that surround us every day. It would have been easy enough to go right to our seats in church and never look at the table. I could have overlooked the cover, missing a complete book of Father Timothy’s favorite inspirational quotes. I’m so glad I didn’t.

To close this week, I want to share a quote that Father Timothy inscribed in the book. If you’ve been reading carefully, you’ll find a strange similarity to a musicians lyrics on which I commented earlier in the week. Has she been to Mitford, too?

Paradoxical Commandments

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
   Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
   Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
   Succeed anyway.
The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
   Do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
   Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
   Think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
   Fight for a few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
   Build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
   Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
   Give the world the best you have anyway. _{Kent M. Keith. “The Paradoxical Commandments.”}

Whatever today brings, live your best life. Keep on loving, doing good, being honest, thinking big, fighting for underdogs, building, helping, and giving your best. There just isn’t anything more rewarding than that.

Have a great weekend. I’ll be back Monday.

Winter arrived today, with all the

Two days ago, Angel of the Aluminum Cloud and I had a nice long visited. For many years, she actually lived in the wide open spaces of Wyoming, which elevates her to an even higher position in my eyes. In Wyoming, you might live only 10 miles from town, but those 10 miles might as well be 100. We both agreed, it takes a special kind of soul to live and thrive in harsh environments.

People living in the desert, ocean, or mountains need to learn to tolerate Mother Nature, knowing that we are at her mercy. At any time the air-conditioning can go out, and it never goes out when the weather is 70 degrees. Nope. It quits when outside temperatures are 110. It’s the same with heat. It never goes out when it’s 70 degrees.

Last night, when the snow started here on the high desert plains of Northwestern Nevada, the temperature was 29. In a few hours, we received an amazing dump of very wet snow. At first glance, everything looks gorgeous. Now comes the back-breaking work of snow removal.

Imagine the excitement I’m feeling when thinking about using my brand new snow blower!!!! I’m so excited I can hardly wait. But, it needs to warm up a bit. Now, those of you that live in Florida might have a little trouble imagining the need for one’s very own snow blower. Mine is battery operated and ready to go this morning. In reality, HHH will probably steal all my fun and clear the sidewalk and driveway.

On the sad side of things, yesterday, at least one young man died in an avalanche in Palisades Tahoe, a local ski resort. Several people were injured, as well. There were serious warnings before this storm. Avalanches are a real and deadly danger. Prayers go out to the families of those lost or injured.

Many schools in the higher elevations are closed for the day, as schools do when the snowfall is very heavy. Virginia City Schools are closed, taking me back to my winter days as their science teacher at the middle school. Things get nasty on Mt. Davidson during extremely wicked storms. Sitting on the side of the mountain at 6,200 feet, one year we got 12′ of snow. Again, it takes a certain kind of strong to survive winter there.

Snow is a strange thing. In VC, I’d laugh at the snow, which seemed to be made of styrofoam. With very little water content during some storms, it was easy to brush it off the deck with a broom. Last night’s snow is heavy with water, which will make it more difficult to deal with. It took a bit to brush it off the top of the hot tub. My town received 17″.

I’m so glad we stocked up before the storm today. I’m even more glad that HHH and I have food stored for a real winter storm. We’ll simply put on our warmest jammies, stay in, and watch old movies together. No better way to enjoy our snow day!!!

While honeymooning in our late 60’s, I guess we do look pretty silly sometimes. Yesterday, as we shopped for last minute things, Janet Jackson’s “Miss You Much” was playing in the grocery store. This is one of my favorites, so I started being silly while quietly singing HHH the chorus. An awestruck young woman walked by and said, “I want to shop with you two.” It’s true. We have fun with whatever we’re doing, wherever we are. Very blessed Newlyweds. I mean, when was the last time you sang to someone in the grocery store?

Last night, we watched a special on Yellowstone National Park, which is special to us. It was there we spent our first week of married life.

“In October, lets honeymoon there again!” HHH announced. We decided continue to enjoy our honeymoon for the rest of our lives.

Whatever you do today, listen to the weather report. With all these crazy changes in our normal weather patterns, be mindful that the weather can change in minutes. Stay safe, warm, and dry! As for me, I’m off for a date with Joe in the snow. Happy Winter!!

More tomorrow.

Wedding gifts come in all forms. Last October, my Hubba-Hubba-Hubby and I were blessed with beautiful gifts from our guests. But, one of the most precious we received didn’t come in a pretty box all tied up with ribbon. It came through a song sung to us by our dearest and sweetest Ninja Neighbor.

Now, Ninja Neighbor is absolutely as real as the day is long. She loves laughter and gardening and became a dear friend the day I moved into Winterpast, in April 2020. She was there for VST’s memorial, helping my to get through that very tough day. She’s been there ever since, always happy to be helpful.

Think of the most gorgeous blonde you can, and Ninja Neighbor has her beat. From her beautiful eyes to her long blonde hair and killer smile, she is a knock-out. But, her real beauty comes from deep within, for her heart is pure and sweet. And did I mention? That girl can SING!!!!

She’s often told me that she’d be happy to sing for me at any time, but I never took her up on the offer. And so, for our wedding, she surprised us and dedicated a song to us that I’d never heard. How did she know the lyrics would reflect experiences I had during my four summers as a widow? With each of life’s disappointments, I’d pray, dream, do, build, and write again, always knowing God is great. She knew all this and chose to sing Martina McBride’s song “Anyway”.

Jaws dropped throughout the reception hall because it was a show stopper. Heartfelt, she belted out every note. It was if we’d been transported to a concert by Martina McBride herself, only a million times later. This was a most precious gift meant especially for HHH and me. She will forever be referred to as “The Singer At the Wedding” by family and friends that are still thinking about her performance.

Please take a little time to think about these lyrics and the message they hold. No matter what, Never, Ever, Ever Give Up, because the life, dream, and love are right there for you to snatch, especially when the going gets rough.

Anyway — _{inspired by the original by Martina McBride}

You can spend your whole life building something from nothing.

Life’s storms come take it all away.

Build anyway

You can chase a dream that seems so out of reach.

You know it might never come your way.

Dream it anyway.

God is great.

But sometimes life ain’t good.

When WE pray, it doesn’t always turn out like WE think it should.

Pray anyway.

This world’s gone crazy and it’s hard to believe that tomorrow will be better than today.

Believe anyway.

You can love someone with all your heart and in a second, illness takes them away.

Love anyway.

God is great.

But sometimes life ain’t good.

When WE pray, it doesn’t always turn out like WE think it should.

Pray anyway

You can pour your soul out writing a story you believe in.

Tomorrow, they’ll forget you wrote a word.

Write anyway.

Yeah, write it anyway.

Remember.

Build.

Dream.

Love.

Write.

Pray.

Anyway.

More tomorrow.

Monday’s are always interesting. You see, each week, I join four of the loveliest ladies I know to enjoy a morning of Bible Study. Since HHH and I tied the knot, on most Monday’s I’ve had to excuse myself after class, missing the fun with my best-est girlfriends.

Now, these women know how to live. They travel to the city in the east to enjoy lunch on a slanted porch before shopping at the sparkling new TJ Max. There is talk of an upcoming trip to the biggest little city to the west. They’ve even been known to take in a random movie from time to time.

If you’ve ever been curious about the what’s in the Greatest Book Ever Written, Bible study is a great way to learn. It’s a window into another world. I used to get stuck on all the hard names of people and places, but when there are girlfriends to help you along, it becomes a wonderful journey. Each woman in my group brings her own knowledge, and what we don’t understand, we simply GOOGLE.

Bible study is never dull. We’ve learned so much while studying the old testament. Already half way through the chapter of Deuteronomy, we’ve gained insight into the beautiful yet very violent world of long ago. Week after week, we gather together to uncover more. While we listen, Max MClean of Biblegateway.org reads the chapters to us one at a time. Each one of us comes up with questions that need some researching, and slowly, we are making our way through the Bible.

Yesterday, it was suggested that we all lunch at the newly re-opened Mexican restaurant, La Fiesta. Months and months ago, a devastating kitchen fire closed their doors. The place just opened last month and the parking lot has been full ever since.

Our town doesn’t have a big variety restaurants. Just recently one of them decided to host a salad bar, closed since Covid in the spring of 2020. The option of a salad bar nearly threw our town into a feeding frenzy. As it stands, we have six Casinos offering a variety of Casino food. McDonalds, KFC, Burger King, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, Arby’s, Jack in the Box, Port of Subs, Subway, and Dairy Queen complete our fast food fare. There are three Mexican and three Chinese food restaurants, and a handful of food trucks. Round Table, Dominos, Pizza Factory, Pizza Hut, and Papa Murphy’s Pizza provide our Italian fare. If I’ve forgotten anything, please forgive me. The choices remain underwhelming in a town of 20,000+, but we’re promised more are on the way.

With the restaurant selected, I called HHH to let him know my plans had changed. Yesterday was pruning day and I’d offered to help. I’d be a little late to that party. HHH was his gracious self, telling me to take my time and have a wonderful lunch with my friends.

After knowing how lonely life can be, I will NEVER again take friends and family for granted. There is NOTHING more beautiful than sitting with a group of the most lovely of lovelies while learning about their lives and loved ones. I hit the jackpot when I met these women, each one intelligent and interesting. Although there are years between our ages, you’d never know it. Yesterday was no different.

It was decided at the beginning of the meal that we’d save the waiter the trouble of writing four tickets. We all ordered the same exact thing, down to the drinks. It would be easy to split the tab at the end of the meal. No Problema.

Our food was delivered, we shared wonderful food and conversations. And then…..there was Mucho Problema.

With the passing of the next thirty minutes, we all became more confused. Looney lunching ladies that’d each enjoyed a glass of water with her $12 enchilada plate were troubled with the math. Somedays, you just need to sit with ladies you love and laugh. We finally DID figure out the math while deciding that next time, we’ll ask for separate checks. I can’t wait for our next adventure.

The pruning at the rental house is almost done. With one more afternoon of snipping and raking, the house will be ready for a new family. All in all, yesterday was a pretty great day.

Whatever you do today, think about joining a new group. Perhaps it’s at the senior center in your town. Possibly your church. Try bowling or golf. A training class for your new puppy. Just get out of the house and meet some new friends.

Friendship. One of life’s greatest treasures!!

More tomorrow.