Snowflakes Circling Round and round Falling toward Frozen grass Too cold out For human hands Tiny birds Swooping Up and down Trees to feeder Feeder to ground Feathers puffed White bellies shining In contrast with Gray skies Gray bark All but one… Its red feathers Radiant against The wintry scene Its red crest Held high thru The winter storm
The temperature in my little corner of Oklahoma today is a whopping 5 degrees. The windchill is -16. Winds are howling, and snow is blowing. But the birds still flit in the backyard. Our feeders are full, thanks to my sweetie. 💙❄️🌬
Colors of Fall Were slow To appear On certain trees Dry conditions Threatened To hinder The beauty Of the season But the leaves Clung tightly Waiting for Rain to come It was a cold rain That fashioned These delayed Bursts of color Just as others were Beginning to wane Yet even the faded Appeared vibrant Standing beside The evergreens Against the gray And white backdrop Painted on recent skies- Everything in its time Not competing But complementing In my not yet Ready for Winter Surroundings
In the quiet Of the morning Stoically Standing Seeking no attention Trees line its ridge Bare, unmoving No colors To catch my eye And yet, I stop And stare As it sleeps- I imagine its base Collecting warmth From the sun’s rays Storing the energy Soon required for waking Pushing flowers up Thru the forest floor Opening patient buds On the trees Crying out- Spring is here! But not today Today, the mountain sleeps And I watch Grateful For its presence
Pinnacle Mountain State Park
On recent visits to my parents, one-stop has become routine on my way out of town. A perfect spot for a photograph of Pinnacle Mountain. Each time shows a different aspect of the current season. And while I love the colors of Spring and Fall, the above Winter view was beautiful in its own right. It reminded me of our need for rest, renewal, and the approaching Spring.
White sky Whooshing wind Bare trees I sit inside And wait Certain I’m not The only one Waiting… For the scene To turn upside down Or is it right-side up? Waiting… For the white sky To release its weight And fall, fall, fall To the ground below Welcoming the waiting Into its cold Yet, joyful Embrace Begging us To stay and play Until… Our toes are cold Hands are frozen Cheeks are rosy Until… The warmth Beckons us Back inside Until… Our cold toes Frozen hands Rosy cheeks Thaw from the outside in Or is it from the inside out?
Certain winter scenes Always bring a smile Whether adult or child Experienced or novice A sweet innocence Emanates from faces As they lie down On their backs In fresh, fluffy white snow Fluttering their wings Up and down Up and down Before standing up To view the temporary Angel portraits left behind At least, 0ur earthly imaginations Of what angels look like- Magnificent creatures We do not understand Yet, believe they are sent At certain times To protect us That, I have experienced Though I haven’t seen one I have also never Made a snow angel Maybe one day soon…
We are under a winter storm warning here in the middle of Oklahoma. Sleet? Freezing rain? Will we actually get snow? Our current projection is seven inches of snow. As for any snow angels, stay tuned. 😉
Approaching Resonance Can’t quite Hear it With My ears But I feel it In my bones A slight ache Hint of what Approaches Do I stop Hibernate Until it passes? Or attempt To outrun? Perhaps I will Simply Slip-on My favorite Sweater Continue Placing One foot In front of The other Unafraid Believing When winter Eventually Catches up- I’ll be ready
We are experiencing unusual winter weather in Oklahoma this week. Frigid temperatures and freezing rain made for a slow drive this morning. I had an early morning appointment at the hospital.
When looking directly out of the front windshield, all seemed gray. Bare trees were covered in ice. Brown and white were mixed on the road from the sand. A layer of white covered the grass. The sky was filled with gray clouds.
Sounds like a dreary scene. And parts of it could be described that way. But there were also bits of wonder. The icy tree limbs brought thoughts of a winter wonderland. Evergreens with white tips provided a lovely visual, making the green stand out.
I looked up and around, giving more attention to the sky, and noticed something. There were tiny hints of blue mixed with the gray. I had to squint to see it, but it was there. The sky was not completely gray, after all.
Funny how life is sometimes that way…squinting to see the blue skies.
Our hospital trip today was for a biopsy/CT scan. A necessary though unwanted addendum to my recent MRI day. MRI Day
As I’ve said before, I’m grateful for good health care. But honestly, I was nervous about these tests.
That blue mixed in with the gray this morning was a perfect reminder of the realities of this life. Beautiful, sad, joyful, difficult…all of it meshed together. That is life.
As I began to feel the strength from those offering prayers on my behalf, I also realized my own prayers for peace had been answered. That answer came through those swaths of blue sky mixed in with the gray.
Three days Had passed Since the snowfall First in seven years Glistening drops of Magic remained Though much Of the snow Had melted One tree Stood tall On the side Of the road Proudly wearing Its Fall colors Accessorized with Frozen white blossoms- Thankful to have Caught a glimpse- By the next day They had disappeared
I so enjoyed the snow last weekend. Mesmerized, I watched as the snowflakes fell, covering everything in their path. It felt like a gift, a fresh start. I am hoping for more snow this year. Next time, I might have to make a snow angel. 😉
Snow is not a common occurrence in Oklahoma. The expectation brings a collective holding of breath. Adults become like little children, waking up all hours of the night to see if the snow is falling.
Today is one of those uncommon days. I was awake several times during the night. At first, all was still and quiet. Doubts began to creep in…the forecast was probably wrong anyway. And then I heard something hitting the roof.
A quick look outside brought disappointment…only rain. According to the forecast, it should be changing to snow in another hour or so. I would hold my breath a little longer.
Finally, the transformation from rain to heavy snow began! It didn’t take long for the grass to turn completely white. Snow-tipped evergreens now graced the backyard. And the snowfall looked like it would last forever.
What is it about snow? It has the power to transform the faded colors of winter into a magical wonderland. Snow makes me feel like a child again-at least in my heart. But most of all, it is a reminder that when all feels bleak, the uncommon gives hope.
In the Bleak Midwinter Kelley Morris, piano
Transformation
Moonlight shines on Snow-covered grass Afternoon clouds Long dissolved Giving stars their Chance to shine Pulsing through The darkness Feathered birds- Cheerful melodies Now quieted- Nestle peacefully Inside their nests While the fox Ventures out to Gather food for pups Sleeping in the den I am tired, but The moon shines Snow is calling- Do I snuggle in Like the birds Or venture out Like the fox? Wisdom says Sleep can wait Give witness to The transformation
As I scanned the radio stations on my drive to school this morning, a song caught my ear. A perfect song for the day after a “snow/extreme cold” day off yesterday.
Hit me with your best shot Why don’t you hit me with your best shot Hit me with your best shot Fire away
I laughed upon hearing the intro. Immediately I am back in high school, performing in the school talent show with my friends. In case you’re wondering, our line-up also included Eye of the Tiger & Beat It!
Such a rebel. Look at those shoes! 😂
I love telling people I used to be in a rock band. Trust me, not as impressive as it sounds. 😉 But, oh, it was fun!
After this short trip down memory lane, my thoughts turned to the day ahead. These cold weather, inside recess, needing some sunshine kind of days are tough. Part of me wanted to be back under my warm covers, reading a book, puppy dog on my lap.
My sweet Poppy!
Yet there it was. This song. Taking me back in time, making me smile.
Refocused on the present, I found myself thinking, “Come on day! Give me your best shot. I’m ready for whatever you might throw my way!”
Although it was still too cold for outside recess, the sun did shine today. My face did not freeze during afternoon car duty. Honestly, I have no complaints about the day.
Maybe it was simply an easy day. However, I cannot help but think that one specific song on the drive to school affected my attitude. Music is powerful. Yes, even 80’s rock music. It helped me determine to give the day my best shot.
What about tomorrow? I might need to download some Pat Benatar to my Apple music playlists. It couldn’t hurt! 🎶😊🎶
Piano Girl 