Hello again after my long absence. This blog was compromised 6 months ago and I was not able to access it. It was up and running again for a short time, but then google deemed it to be dangerous, and I was not able to sign in. Although we don’t understand the reasons, it is back in service, so hello again and thanks for looking in.
This winter in the Midwest of USA we are having arctic cold. It is similar to the winter of 1977, when Alaska was warm and snowless, while the Midwest had record snowfall and brutal cold. We spent that winter in Alaska. I recall that our parents called, worried about how cold we must be, if they were snowed in in Indiana. We had been outside washing the car!
We have about a foot of snow on the ground which cannot melt in the severe cold. We might break some records for the most days below zero (F) during the winter. The weather people assure us that Spring is indeed on the way, but she seems a long way out and we eagerly await her arrival. Meanwhile, I for one, am enjoying the time indoors to ponder, to read, to write.
I planted a non-native tree last summer. If it survives this winter, I’m confident it will survive anything. I will be surprised though if it does survive. It is a Japanese Maple, with lacy red leaves. We built a little structure to cover it with plastic and that was good until January when the wind tore it apart. Then I wrapped the plastic around the trunk and the snow has made an insulating blanket around it. It is a very slender young tree from a warmer place than this. If it doesn’t survive, should I give up and find something more suitable for our climate, or try again with a new tree of the same variety?

The children still come every week, and we still go out to work and volunteer a few days per week, but most days, I have been staying inside. Our son bought us a snow blower and I learned how it works. I also learned that if Dear Husband is not available to use this machine, I will hire someone to use it. I stand in awe of power machines, but I do not feel confident in using them.

Although I’ve improved my chess skills, our grandchildren are now able to beat me easily, except for the youngest one. It’s always good to have a challenge to our minds. I also like the challenge of Sudoku, the number puzzle, which I see as a nine patch quilt pattern. I find it fascinating, and I’m glad it’s in the newspaper every morning. On Mondays, it’s easy and it gets more difficult during the week until on Saturday it takes a little effort.

Each day, we face a new challenge, or a form of a familiar challenge. These small ones get us ready for bigger ones, and small triumphs, such as a completed puzzle, or a game well played, give us confidence to go on, no matter how cold it is outside.
As ever, Julia