Cold & Snow

Today it is cold, VERY cold. The kind of cold you step outside and the liquid in your nose freezes. The kind of cold that make your fingers numb. So this morning when I went to walk Marley, I put my wool socks over my other socks, I put snow pants over my other pants, and I put my coat with a hood over my sweat shirt with a hood, and yes gloves.

To Marley, it didn't matter how cold it was, it didn't matter that the snow came up to his belly, and up to my knees. He leaped through the snow, he ate the snow, he ran around the barn as I tumbled behind and waited for me to go around again...he was happy, he was satisfied and for
the moment I was happy and satisfied with the cold, the snow and for my walk with Marley.

Fall

Today...Fall is my favorite season. Maybe it is the crisp warm air, the colors of the trees, the crunching sounds beneath my boots when I walk Marley...maybe because today is my day off from work :).

New Years Day 2010

This is what New Year's Day looked like here at Grandma Jeanne's house. Very cold
and snow, but it didn't matter to Marley when I walked him this morning...Happy New
Year Penn. I love you.

John Deer

When your mother, Aunt Lise & Tyler were little, I would let them ride the lawn mower
with me. Uncle Tyler would almost always fall asleep.

Now I mow the lawn with this John Deer tractor with a mowing deck attached. At first
it was intimidating adjusting to having to raise & lower the deck, work the clutch, and steer.
Now I am use to it. There is no one to interrupt me.

I love how the birds flock to the grass behind me as I mow, searching for bugs, I love the
smell of fresh mowed grass, I like how I sit up high and can see the backyard when I am
mowing the path, and see Marley anxiously waiting for me to come by his dog house so
he can bark at me. I hope that someday soon you & Margot can come
visit me and we can walk the path, pick black berries and queens ann lace and enjoy
the different kinds of dragon flies. We can sit on the back deck or have a fire in the fire pit

at night and watch the fire flies.

Saturday AM

Why are dogs so great? They drool a lot, they sniff your hinnie
as well as all your guest/company. They have big poops that you have
to scoop up and throw some where else, they pee on all your favorite
plants, and some dogs dig big holes in the yard.
They chew up your favorite shoe, sandal or boot; just one from each set!
They push their way into the house, even though you told them to sit and
wait by the door and they gave their word they would; (that is when they
make direct eye contact with you, giving you the confidence they understood
what you said). But NOOOOOOOOOOooooo, the minute you turn around,
their tongue falls out of their mouth, they dash past you into the house, and
their hair starts falling out, and they eat all the cat food up in less than 10
seconds.
...so why are dogs so great?

Because...out of all the creatures in this world we must live with, they are
probablly the only ones who are always happy to see us, never scold us,
best listeners, great to snuggle with, go on any adventure with you,
and ALWAYS clean up their plates.

Marley

Marley waiting for me
to take him for a walk.

...running ahead of me.

...catching up to me.

..waiting for his treat
after our walk.

Marley is grandma's black lab. When you were last here we had Joy, who was

uncle Tyler's pet lab. When uncle Tyler started school, I became Joy's main

caregiver; feeding, watering and walking her. She soon would follow me

everywhere I went. She would sit beside me when I worked in the shop,

wait for me outside the door when I went inside, and sometimes I would

let her ride with me in the car, where she would sit on the passenger's side

with this look like she knew how to drive too. If someone drove up into

the driveway she would run to me and give a low growl warning me some

one was here. When I was sad she would come up to me and lay her head

in my lap or against me and look at me with eyes of compassion.

A couple years ago Joy became very ill. Grandma took her to the vet,

and we put her on medicine hoping she would get better. For several

months we watched her get weaker and weaker. Some times grandma and

aunt Lise would sit with her out in the garage, where she would lay her

head in our laps and fall asleep. Joy died in our arms at the vet's office.

Aunt Lise and I cried a lot and our hearts ached we missed her so much.

I guess I must have cried a lot because grandpa Willard, aunt Lise, and

uncle Tyler surprised me with another black lab puppy, who uncle

Tyler named Marley, after the singer, Bob Marley.

Marley isn't the gentle Joy. He is big, and when he runs to me when I

call he doesn't stop fast enough and often runs right into me. He pulls

the leash out of my hands sometimes when I tell him we're going for a

walk, instead of sitting patiently like Joy until I attach the leash to his

collar. When I give him his treat he slobbers all over and often has crumbs

all over his face, and then wipes it on me!

BUT, like Joy he is always smiling. He follows me around, almost every

where I go, and when someone drives into the driveway he'll go out into

the rode if we don't watch him. When I am sad he looks at me with his

big eyes as if to say "Snap out of it! let's go for a walk!!!"

I am thankful I have another dog to love and take care of.

What do you like about Ringo?

Rain

I woke up to the sound of a steady, soothing rain this morning. It was
music to my ears and it almost always brings out some frogs, which it
did! This good size tree frog was peeoping in through our window
(most likely watching all those annoying flies that got in).

Grandpa Willard went to church this morning, so I took the opportunity
to wrap some small birthday items for him. If you may wonder in the
future "why" grandma isn't in church...grandma enjoyed church for many
years when your mom, aunt Lise and uncle Tyler were little. Now that I
am old/er the "orgainized religious" practice gives me a head ache some-
times, not always. If you were here I would enjoy taking you, because we
could sing some fun songs, hear some neat stories and get some stickers,
and learn how God is responsible for all the good in life, and most likely
the teachers would call you cute, sweet, and smile alot.

In the adult classes the singing is for the church serivce only, the stories
are replaced with critical opinions, NO stickers whatsoever! People
use the Bible more for pushing their interpetations, instead of using
it as a guide of inspiration and comfort. No one is very cute, however
the old ladies can be sweet, smile and hug a lot; they inspire me.

Some Saturdays I go, and some saturdays I stay home and watch the
birds and look for frogs...

It has stopped raining so I will walk Marley. What do you like to do
on Saturdays, or when it rains?