Cold, Cold, Cold, Cold Days

Man is it COLD! And it's going to get worse. But then...it's January in Iowa. This weekend it's supposed to be dangerously cold with the windchills of -20 to -30. Whew! But we had a beautiful snowfall ... real Currier and Ives picture kind of stuff that came down yesterday and last night. Today when the sun was shining it was a beautiful winter site from the window. I can't say that I am a winter person... I hate cold weather with a passion. But I'm also thankful that I live where it snows and the world gets covered in pure white...with little animal paw prints sometimes breaking the smoothness...and sparkles like a covering of sugar. Maybe it's the silver lining of winter. Even in the depths of winter there is beauty. I've been putting bird seed out for the feathered friends who used to live in the tree by the front door that is now basically gone and I love it when they come and fluff up their feathers. I've tried to be really quiet to get a picture of them, but they are too smart and fly away. If I can get a pic, I'll post it. In the meantime, I hope all my friends and family and warm and 'fluffed up' in their homes, wrapped in afghans and comforters and maybe sitting by a warm fire with a cup of hot chocolate... and if not in Iowa, then remembering fondly winter days gone by...cocoa, sledding, skating, snowmen, snow angels, drying mittens by the heat register, bundling so much you could hardly move... and how good it felt to go to bed and snuggle down in the blankets...and pray that school would be cancelled. :-)