What do you do when it’s one of the coldest days of the year? Ring the bell for Salvation Army.
Our slotted time was scheduled long before we knew the freezing temperatures were moving into our area…-6 below with wind chills of -30’s.
Fortunately, the red bucket and stand were moved into the cart corral entry way at Family Fare foods where we stood, ringing bells. We were bundled up in boots and hats and mittens, warm jackets and scarfs, long johns and toe warmers, protected from the wind, but still cold!
A familiar sign for Starbucks coffee.
Starbucks, located right inside the store, offered complimentary hot coffee or cocoa for the bell ringers. That was a nice jesture.
People were going in and out of the store constantly. I thought maybe the cold would keep people home but that was definitely not the case. Last-minute Christmas shoppers were out buying those last-minute dinner items.
We enjoyed our two-hour shift. It was fun to be out with others on this day before Christmas Eve. People were friendly, engaging and generous.
Last week the snow started falling…sometimes it felt like we were living in a snow globe. It was, and still is, beautiful outside.
Out our front door…at dawn’s early light.Looking out our patio door, early morning.
It has continued to snow off and on, and the “frosting” has stayed on the trees, and everything else for that matter. Wherever you look, it is stunning. A true winter wonderland!
Breathtaking beauty.
We went on a cross-country ski outing at Riverbend Nature Center in Faribault before the freezing temperatures moved in. It was breathtaking…and hard to ski because I wanted to capture it on camera.
Other skiers enjoying the fresh fallen snow.
Recently, while in North Carolina, I read the chapter book “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, to my grandchildren.
Winter wonderland…
In the book, the white witch keeps winter in Narnia all year long. The white snow-covered wonderland is gorgeous, but I wouldn’t want to live in it forever.
Into the woods…
Now the freezing temperatures are moving in.
Snow laden branches.
“And mamma in her ‘kerchief, and I in my cap, Had just settled down for a long winter’s nap…”
Fresh ski tracks….
It’s time to settle into the cozy house by the warm fire. I’m so grateful we can do that, knowing full well that’s not the case for everyone.
Leaves hanging on trees, some individually covered in snow!
This scene in Riverbend reminded me of the cotton fields we saw in South Carolina last month.
“It’s official” are the words used in a text sent to us yesterday, from our son. His wife, Andrea (our other daughter-in-love), is from Mozambique. They moved to the United States in 2018 with their two children.
After completing all that was required of her, yesterday she took the final step…the oath…in a government building in North Carolina, to become a citizen of the United States.
“It’s official!”
Congratulations Andrea!
She now has dual citizenship with Mozambique, can get a US passport, and has all the privileges of being a citizen of the United States. Their two lovely children also have dual citizenship, by birth.
Northfield’s Winter Walk took on an interesting twist for me this year. The children’s book author Kate DiCamillo was at our local bookstore, Content, for a book signing. I invited my daughter-in-love to come join me for Winter Walk, to meet and greet this author, who I knew was a favorite of hers.
Kate DiCamillo signing books at Content Bookstore.
First, my daughter-in-love and I went out for a nice dinner at a local restaurant, Reunion, and then we got in line for the book signing at Content. We were assigned a wait list number, which worked well and we didn’t have to wait long. It was a brief encounter, but sweet.
Enjoying our greeting time with Kate DiCamillo.
Understandably, Kate DiCamillo was masked which doesn’t make for lovely photos, but she was very gracious, and a joy to meet. (It was interesting to learn from Wikipedia that this beloved and award-winning children’s author received 473 rejection letters before her first book was published!)
Beautiful horses pulled a wagon, giving rides throughout the night. Photo taken 2021.
After shopping a bit in the children’s section of Content, we meandered along the closed-off main street lined with luminaries; going in and out of the stores, checking out the model trains at the library, waiting in line for a quick horse-drawn wagon ride, and hearing different groups playing or singing Christmas music.
Donning our Santa hats.
The weather was mild, and the lights and crowds made it festive.
I love this tree that is lit up during the Christmas season, welcoming everyone to Northfield. It sits on top of the old Malt-O-Meal hot cereal plant, near downtown. Photo taken 2021.
Also, last week I took another walk along Central Park in Faribault. It was lined with creative and artsy Christmas trees.
The Christmas trees are decorated by local businesses, then donated to families who might not be able to afford a Christmas tree and decorations this year. For more about this event visit MN Prairie Roots…click here.
The Christmas trees are put on display in Central Park for a few days before they are given away. It’s a fun idea, and a benefit to others.
I especially enjoyed seeing the different tree toppers.
It was a quick turnaround for me. We arrived home from an almost four-week trip to North Carolina, and two days later I was driving to Madison, Wisconsin to meet up with a friend for our annual get away.
Frances and I.
We have been meeting once or twice a year since 1989. Earlier this year we had planned to meet on two different occasions, but each time we had to cancel, so we squeezed in a trip during the busy holiday season. We did not want to break our record and miss a year.
Colorful dogwood shoots with a pagoda in the background at Olbrich Gardens.
My friend and I met many years ago during a church greeting time. Soon after, she gave birth to her first born and I offered to bring her lunch. Not knowing the protocol for bringing new mom’s lunch or dinner at that time, I simply brought her a tuna fish sandwich in a brown paper bag.
BUT… God multiplied that simple lunch into a nourishing friendship that has spanned almost 40 years and is still going strong.
Grasses and kale.
Beautiful blue/green myrtle spurge.
Madison is a good half way point for us, and is our default destination when we don’t have a lot of time. Our criteria for choosing destinations is the area has to have gardens, water (lake, river, ocean) and antique/thrift stores.
A huge cottonwood tree standing tall and proud without its leaves.
A carefully placed birch stump that looks like an owl.
Although it was a cold and windy December day, we enjoyed walking around Olbrich Botanical Garden in Madison. We have been there many times. Although no plants were blooming, the textures and contrasts of the different fall/winter plants were vibrant.
Lake Monona is across the street. The lake was full of white caps.
Fruitful berries for the birds.
Buds ready for next spring.
We discovered two great restaurants for dinner each night. We’d recommend both. Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry has been in business for 47 years making delicious hamburgers, and it did not disappoint.
Neon sign for Dotty’s.
This restaurant offered delicious hamburgers. We understand why it was voted as having favorite burgers. They were juicy and tasty.
The Old Stamm House, in an old stone house, had the best Brussel sprouts I’ve ever tasted.
I don’t normally take pictures of food, but these Brussel sprouts were scrumptious!
The lobster ravioli was great, and to top it off we had a Crème Brulée (we split everything, therefore we could enjoy an appetizer and dessert).
Old Stamm House building from 1847…it is not the original site of the restaurant.
I love the looks of stone houses.
Inside the Old Stamm House.
Our shopping times were fruitful in finding a few inexpensive little treasures here and there, which provides us with much entertainment just from the hunt!
Back home now, I will settle in and start getting ready for the Christmas season.
After having spent over three weeks in North Carolina, having a wonderful time with family, we arrived back to Minnesota on Tuesday. In the snowstorm.
We left behind sunny and warm fall weather there.
The temperature was almost 60* the day we left our son’s house in North Carolina.
Cold temperatures along with measurable amounts of snow on the driveway greeted us here, back home in Minnesota…hmmm…it’s a tough reality. We’ll make the transition, but it’s hard.
We did not get 7″ of snow in Northfield like they did at the airport, but there is a significant amount as indicted by the bird feeder and birdbath.
We flew back to Minnesota on Tuesday evening. Our scheduled arrival time was 1:30 pm. Before we left for North Carolina, we had arranged for friends to pick us up. Little did we know it would be in a snowstorm.
They left Northfield early to make sure they got to the airport in time. It took them two hours to drive the normal one-hour drive. It was snowing and windy and not great driving conditions. They arrived in time for the 1:30 arrival time and parked at the cell phone lot. When they left home our flight status had not changed, so they were still expecting us at 1:30 pm.
A nice touch, a piano player serenading people at the Charlotte airport.
In the meantime, we were in the Charlotte airport waiting in the rocking chairs available for passengers, and being serenaded by piano music.
Another nice touch, rocking chairs for waiting.
Our flight left Charlotte on time and we had a smooth ride, but as we got closer to Minneapolis the pilot announced we had been put in a holding pattern while they plowed the one runway that was still open at MSP. Then they closed that runway. So, our plane was diverted to Milwaukee for fuel. Everyone got off the plane in Milwaukee while we waited for updated information. Other flights to MSP flying out of Milwaukee were being canceled. We were concerned ours might be too, and we’d be spending a night at the Milwaukee airport. But finally, they had us reboard the aircraft and we were able to fly into MSP, after they opened the runways again. By now it’s 5:40 pm.
Then, we were stuck in the plane because there wasn’t an available gate agent to open the doors and let us out. That took another half hour. Finally, we were in the airport terminal and we retrieved our luggage. Our dear friends, bless their hearts, waited for us the whole time, in the cell phone lot! That was indeed an act of faithfulness, and we were so grateful!
Snow white all around.
Now, the driveway has been plowed, and the house temperature warmed up and we’re settling in for the next few months of winter. (Maybe a couple get aways to warmer climates will be forthcoming…)
Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;
his faithfulness continues through all generations.
Psalm 100:4-5
I have a children’s book titled “Thanksgiving in the Woods.”
It is a true story about one family’s Thanksgiving tradition. Each year they make a special effort to go into the woods to eat their thanksgiving meal, with extended family and friends. The story tells they bring traditional Thanksgiving food, set up tables and chairs, load a truck full of hay for hay rides, bring guitars to make music around a bon fire, and other outdoor activities. I always thought it sounded like a lot of fun.
The children’s book by Phyllis Alsdurf
So, when our grandchildren were invited to attend a “Thanksgiving in the Woods” I, of course, latched on to the idea and signed us up.
We didn’t know what to expect. I knew it would not be like the book, but I wanted to experience what this event had to offer. We knew the weather in North Carolina has been unseasonably cold, so we planned to dress warmly. We knew that by 6:00 pm it is dark outside, but that added to the excitement. We knew we were to bring a dessert, and we knew the park (which was on an island) since we had hiked there before with the kids.
We didn’t know if there would be any program, a campfire, or what kind of meal to expect.
We used our iPhone flashlight to light our way. I wanted to retake this photo, but the kids said it turned out perfect.
We drove across the causeway to the island, parked in the lot, and walked a little ways up the unlit, paved path to the picnic shelter.
A large bon fire greeted us. The buffet table was set up in picnic shelter and we set down our contribution to the meal. The kids immediately started to run around as we stood by the campfire and had polite conversation with some folks.
The servers at the buffet ling. Fun plates, napkins and cups.
The meal was the real deal…a full array of Thanksgiving foods…stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, spinach casserole, gravy, turkey, ham, cranberries and miscellaneous desserts including pumpkin pie, and a decorated theme cake.
Everyone went through the food line, including those serving the meal. Not until after everyone had finished eating did they open the dessert line. That was a nice touch.
Fun captions on this Thanksgiving-themed decorated cake.
A lot of work went into planning this event, and although the event was not at all like the book, we enjoyed being outside in the woods… we did not get cold…we ate tasty food (including smoked turkey!)…and we were thankful.
It was an enjoyable evening… at this “Thanksgiving in the Woods.”
We decided to take a road trip from Charlotte to the Atlantic coast over the weekend, just to see the ocean. (I’m always drawn to water!) We left Saturday morning and drove four hours to Myrtle Beach State Park in South Carolina. The state park offered a nice sandy beach on the Atlantic Ocean, with a wooden pier, hiking trails, an activity center and more.
Beautiful clouds and sunshine over the Atlantic Ocean.
We arrived in time to eat our picnic lunch on the sandy beach. The weather was great…77* and sunny. The grandkids enjoyed playing in the water and the sand. Gary and I enjoyed the sunshine, and watching the grandkids have fun.
Myrtle Beach, SC.
We walked out on the pier, and later in the afternoon we planned a hike.
A wonderful quote to start off our hike.
As we started our hike, I was excited to read a nature quote on a sign at the beginning of the trail, and I thought to myself…this will be a fun hike. As we walked a little further, I started slapping mosquitoes, as did everyone else. As we continued on, we were attacked by mosquitos…so we turned around and walked back out of the woods. So much for a hike in this state park.
A field of cotton; looked like snow.
On our drive east to Myrtle Beach on Saturday morning, we noticed fields that looked full of snow clumps…and discovered it was cotton. On our way home the next day, we stopped at one of several cotton fields we passed.
We got out of the car and walked through the rows of cotton and got a good look at this interesting crop!
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium.*
This morning, after we walked the kids to their school bus stop, Gary and I went for a bike ride. We are able to use our son and his wife’s bikes. We were enjoying our ride around the neighborhood, then stopped to take a picture.
An older gentleman, who was walking his dog, stopped to chat with us. He had moved to the area, from New York, several years ago. We enjoyed our nice visit with him as he was sharing some of his wisdom! When we departed, he said a blessing over us. What a great way to start our day.
