Winter has arrived!

Well, we messed up! We hung around in Nebraska too long and now it has snowed!!! Honestly, when you stick around after early November you just have to know you are courting danger because it can snow on short notice any time after Halloween.

I can recall a couple of memorable early snowstorms from our past that we still talk about today.

The first one was in early November 1972...I don't remember the exact date, but I know that we were within days of expecting the birth of our first child, Heather. It began snowing one evening and snowed heavily through the night and all the next day, in the end dropping 24 inches of snow. Since there was no wind, it laid 24 inches deep everywhere. This being our first child, we had no idea how labor and delivery would go and whether we would have lots of time or not. Mike was a nervous wreck worrying about this baby coming with no way to get to the hospital. As it turned out she hung in there for another 10 days or so and we made it to the hospital with way more time to spare than we wanted.

Seven years later, in 1979, we woke up early the morning of Halloween to a major winter blizzard. Once again, I was pregnant, with Michael this time, and we were milking cows by that time, so I had no choice but to wade through snow that was past my knees to make it to the barn. This storm came with some wind, so not only did we have deep, deep drifts to wade through, but it took out our electrical power lines and our telephone lines (back in the days before they were buried). 

Telephone wasn't a huge deal, but we really needed the electricity to milk the cows and cool the milk. A few months before Mike had purchased a generator for just this situation. Since this hadn't happened ever before in my memory, I thought it was a frivolous purchase, but I really came to appreciate the amenity in the 10 days or so that it took for the lines to be repaired. 

These memories are in sharp contrast to yesterday's snow. First off, it wasn't a blizzard, just a snowfall. And these days I am not required to deal with it. So I stayed in the house and broke out my sewing machine and tackled a project I have been wanting to get to. The house was warm and cozy. I put on a pot of ham and beans and whipped up some cornbread on the side. It did eliminate the plans we had for an evening out, but at this time in my life, I kind of like an evening at home, especially if the weather isn't perfect.

Each winter is different from all those before as far as snowfall and temps. Some years it snows early and never quits. I've seen years when most of the winter took place before Christmas. And, the winters I've enjoyed most had very little snow and nice temps. Specifically I remember the winter of 2011/2012 when we got very little snow and the temps warmed up very early. I commented to a local rancher about the wonderful temps and the early spring, and his remark was, "Believe you me, we will pay for this!" I thought, "What a pessimist!" Unfortunately he was right because we never got much for moisture and come July, we got the wildfires that we will never forget. 

So here's the bottom line, we can do nothing to control the weather, that's all in God's hands. We can complain and gripe...to no avail except to irritate everyone with our complaining and griping. Or, since most of us have lived in this climate for most of our lives and know winter it inevitable, we can accept it, prepare for it and make the most of it. Or...we can pack up the RV and head south! 

So as I am sitting here this morning, I see the beautiful white landscape that looks like a good picture for a Christmas card. And I am eyeing that sewing machine thinking that's a good idea for today.

I hope you are all nestled in somewhere warm and cozy with your

knitting or baking or whatever keeps you happy while in the house. Maybe it's a good day for Christmas baking. Happy weekend!