Embrance winter…or visa versa

Stillness, darkness and a thick blanket of snow surround me. What happened to Fall? Or Summer, for that matter. From the weather forecast, Indian Summer seems a dim possibility. Embrace Winter has been a previous mantra; sometimes said with delight viewing Mother Nature (and Jack Frost), other times said with disgust. However, this year I’m going to let Winter embrace me.

Surround me. Force me to slow down. The garden, once again, didn’t get a fall clean-up. Branches from trees Rick felled didn’t get moved to the kindling pile. Slash is scattered about, rather than piled up, waiting to be hauled away. The snow has hidden those tasks, fooling the casual observer. Yes! Winter embrace me!

I wonder how Lana is doing. Her new people, Mimi and Fred, made a road trip from British Columbia, taking her back to her Forever Home.

We spent an hour together Thursday afternoon at the shop and then several hours Friday morning. A crisp morning, snow on the ground, the dogs were able to play outside under the blue skies. Mimi has had an Apso nearly all of her life. This photo is Mimi with the Lhasa Apso her mother imported into Finland, the first one in the country.

Fred and Mimi live in the country, overlooking a beautiful valley, with room to grow hay for his horses. The climate is conducive to growing grapes, known as “little Napa valley”.  Later that day, Melissa (Papillion Melissa, not Apso Melissa) and I shared wine in celebration of friends, dogs, children, husbands, anniversaries and…what else…Winter! Rick and I celebrated 32 years of wedded bliss (anyone remember that line from Northern Exposure?) Thursday, October 22.

Dawn has snuck up on me. It’s time to shovel, feed the dogs and get to work.