Looking For The Positives

[kevin]

Temperature update Dec 1, -20 with the wind and Snow...very refreshing...Marg, Louisiana looks good today...

[Margm]

It ranges in the 30's, 40's, 50's at night and will get up into the 70's a couple of days this week.  We have been very wet, lots of rain.  My son works at the big VA in Shreveport.  He works the 11-7 shift and opens each morning before going home with a picture of the flag.  This morning he got the sun coming up on our flatland world with a slight breeze to the flag.  He does this every morning, and it has taken on a new life in itself.  We need to see the flag every day.  And with my hours, it is the only way I will see a sunup.  Stay warm.  We get used to the weather conditions where we live. My sister has her computer finally hooked up.  Our small town had a computer geek after all.  You all up north, keep warm and inside, if you can.  (You can see my son's reflection in the window taking the picture).  Sometimes the flag has wind in its sails.   

[kevin]

Good picture, that is flatland...is there much Prairie ?

[Margm]

Mostly river land around here.  I know there is a big swatch behind my daughter's house of just land, but I think that is about as prairie as we get.  River bottom land.  We have a beautiful place along the Louisiana/Arkansas border where it is almost like going up and down little hills.  Our highest "peak" is Driskill Mountain at 535 feet.  I grew up "between the creeks," and that was all I knew to call them.  It was Bodcau Bayou and Dorcheat Bayou.  All my family (in the distant past) lived and settled on or around those bayous.  No kidding about "crawdad mud" between our toes.  (I cannot stand going barefoot).  

[Widow2015]

Marg: Beautiful photography - brings back memories where I grew up in South Louisiana. The Spanish Moss in the trees gives such an interesting feeling.  Did your daughter take that picture? Dee

[Margm]

In deep south Louisiana, the people used the moss to make mattress filling for beds.  I guess every place has its beauty and also alligators and grizzly bears.  I live in North Louisiana and we always feel like we have gone to another state/country when we go to New Orleans.  My mom grew up in a place called "Red Lands" and the iron ore was so thick the water would stain everything red (before they got water softeners).  My dad's folks and my mom's settled right on the Arkansas/Louisiana line so I am used to hills.  No mountains though.   In my imagination, Heaven has streams for Billy to fly fish in and mountains with snow on top for us to look at.  And the temperature is always "just right."  

And you a Canadian boy, you grew up in South Louisiana.  Magical.  

Right around the corner of this road is Bodcau Bayou.  Kelli took a lot of pictures of the bayou and the cypress stumps.  Until they made it a law against cutting the stumps, every high school shop class would make cypress stump lamps.  They would sand them down and then shellac them (or varnish), I'm not sure which.  But all country homes that had boys had one of these lamps.  Then the state made them quit cutting them.

 

 

[kayc]

I love the mountains and trees, would love Canada except I like my temp. to be above zero, not below!  It's 20 this morning, had to go turn the heater on the pipes/water tank at 1 am, they hadn't predicted it'd be that cold, that low...shoveled my way out there! (snow)

Beautiful pictures!

Kodie got a surprise visitor last night, Iris came to look at our Christmas tree and brought some 
Turkey Breast so I sent her home with Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars for her and Mike.  Kodie did all his spinning for her and squealed, he was so happy to think she'd come just to see him!!

[Margm]

Dee, my daughter is a photographer.  The thing is, she likes it for a hobby and she keeps being asked to do weddings and did the Mardi Gras parades for a few years for a few groups.  If it is for a wedding, etc., it becomes a job and the joy goes out the window.  Billy used to tie fly's for fly fishing.  He would have his set up, all the supplies and people would try to get him to go to flea markets and sell them.  When they started making a job out of it he would put them up and start up again later.  I have a box of fly's that I was going to make shadow boxes with felt on the back for the kids.  Opening up any of his boxes is like opening Pandora's box.  I think "hope" was at the bottom of her box, but doubt I will find it in these. 

Kelli has a collection of old barns, old churches, bayous.  I want to find the one she fixed with the sun right behind the cross.  This is now called "The Rock Church" and we used to go to cemetery cleanings when I was a kid with my Mammaw and my Aunt Rubye.  They would have food served on big boards nailed between the trees.  The boards are still there.  This is where mine and Billy's plot is right behind my mom and dad, my grandmother and grandfather and next to my aunt and uncle.  Huge cemetery with nothing but trees surrounding it on highway 159 almost at the Arkansas line.  She manipulates some of her pictures too.  I have never seen the purple light on it before.  Purple is my favorite color (something wrong in the picture).

 

[Widow2015]

2 hours ago, Margm said:

This is now called "The Rock Church" and we used to go to cemetery cleanings when I was a kid with my Mammaw and my Aunt Rubye.  They would have food served on big boards nailed between the trees.  The boards are still there.  This is where mine and Billy's plot is right behind my mom and dad, my grandmother and grandfather and next to my aunt and uncle.  Huge cemetery with nothing but trees surrounding it on highway 159 almost at the Arkansas line.  She manipulates some of her pictures too.  I have never seen the purple light on it before.  Purple is my favorite color (something wrong in the picture).

Marg:  Kelli is so talented and creative as her photos indicate.  I think I understand her feeling on being asked to sell her skills changes the fun of being creative.  This is only my feeling and am only presuming since I don't have a creative bone in my body. The Little Rock Church is awfully pretty and reminiscent of the little country church in North Mississippi where my Mother and Dad grew up, married, and lived prior to moving to South Louisiana in the early 40's.  The little church where my Dad's relative are buried looks so similar to The Little Rock Church.  The last time I was there was when my Aunt passed in the '90's, she was my last relative on my Dad's side.  I'll never return to this place due to my age and distance but will always keep that little town and little church a warm memory in my heart.  Thanks for sharing.  Hugs, Dee

[kayc]

I kind of agree with that thinking, although the ideal would be that we all get to do what we love for a living, in actuality that doesn't usually happen, we do what we're good at and have hobbies we enjoy.  Or used to.  The last few years my hands have cut that out...

Love this picture!  She has talent!

[kevin]

Great pictures Marg.!!   We had _ minus  44 last night  with the wind chill....all Bus services suspended for schools...This will warm up at least 15 degrees by Friday...Grandson Atlas's birthday on Saturday( 6years old)....And its dark here by 4 :30 PM..only 15 more days till the winter solstice....

[Margm]

I wanted A/C on today (it's in the 70's) all week but my granddaughter has thyroid problems and even with replacement, she freezes).  Extra heater in her bedroom.  

Happy Birthday to Atlas.  Remember his baby picture and he sure fit his name.  He is a handsome young fellow.  

I know y'all can withstand the cold because you are used to it.  Some people feel the same way about our humid warm weather.  

Enjoy your holidays with all your family.  

 

[kayc]

I've never heard of it so cold, Kevin!  Wow!  And I'm freezing when it's in the 20s!

Wish that little kiddo a happy birthday!  Can you even get out?  Are you snowed in?  Snow coming here tonight on...

[kevin]

When its that cold  it never snows, thank god.....Looking at the weather this morning its at least 20 degrees warmer...As you guess, outdoor activities are limited for sure..

[kevin]

Weather turned and now 25 F and snow......Dog loves it and now I get my exercise...Calling this a Polar Vortex and now heading East...Hope that's it for awhile...

[Margm]

Just opposite here.  Gonna be up to the 80's tomorrow, high 70's today.  I keep forgetting what Marty's dad said about women, but it was sweet.  This southern woman does not perspire (and he said it more delicate), but I just plain s-w-e-a-t.  Even my head.  Hot headed country women.

I know you have a distinct warm up, but I sure can't make snow ice cream in Louisiana.  I learned how to make it with only condensed milk and vanilla flavoring.  Put it in the freezer, it gets too hard, so get a chunk and put it  in the blender.  That was Billy's favorite ice cream ever, and we got snow every year in central Arkansas.  He loved that.   

[MartyT]

4 hours ago, Margm said:

I keep forgetting what Marty's dad said about women, but it was sweet. 

"Horses sweat, and men perspire ~ but women only glow."  🧡

[Margm]

1 hour ago, MartyT said:

but women only glow." 

Thank you again.  I think you have to tell me each time.  But to know that men think of women like that is so darn kind.  

And America as a whole wish we had back our real family physicians, your dad, Dr. Gray, Dr. Garrett (my childhood small town physicians), and Dr. Gray was the only one who could treat my allergies even though I went to allergists.  

[kayc]

Wow, Kevin, that 60 degrees warmer than the other day!  A balmy 25!  Enjoy!

 

[kevin]

The weather swings are so dramatic...Hard on the highways and infrastructure...Our homeless get lulled on the mild days but the  cardboard is no good for the minus 20-30 stuff 

[Margm]

It is 79 in my house right now.  I have the fan on but my granddaughter will be freezing when she comes in.  I remember Marty's dad's quote right now and I wear a towel turban because my head "glows" so much.  Hypothyroidism is tough, even with meds.  

[kayc]

I hope there are homeless shelters.  We've lost homeless due to weather.  It is so sad!

[Margm]

I feel sorry for the homeless.  A lot of them, when offered shelter, will not take it.  I do not know where, but I'm thinking here (but my son works for VA and have not heard him mention it,) but one hospital is picking up mentally ill on the streets and not offering, but picking up and bringing the people who are homeless and have mental problems to the hospital psych floor.  They will keep them during the coldest weather.  My grandson is one of the homeless.  He, because of his drug use, is schizophrenic and has been in treatment.  He refuses treatment now and chooses the street drugs over living with a job, or trying to make a semi-normal lifestyle.  His dad, my son, his heart is broken.  He is in California and Scott has tried to reach him by searching the drug jungles.  A policeman once told him he was lucky to come out with his own life.  He is fixing to be 38-years-old and is so handsome your heart aches.  But, coming sane out of treatment, he said he was sorry, but he still had to go back to the drug lifestyle.  Help is offered so many times. Turned down.  Ongoing depression for my son, and there is nothing he can do.  He tried treating him the same as we treated him.  We got off the RVing life, bought a home.  Our son had the front of the house and cold turkey took himself off drugs.  We moved to another state to get him away from his dealers.  It was not easy on him, he wanted to leave once and Billy told him "okay, but don't come home."  He respected his dad too much, got off the drugs (and he was into the shooting up kind).  Of course Scott is always depressed and in a state of worry.  Grandson is in jail now, for what I don't know, but will be out in four months.  So, we worry about the homeless and have to thank God for the small favor of him being in California and not Alberta.  

[kayc]

Oh my gosh, Marg, I am so sorry!  How hard.

[Margm]

We have been sweltering.  This is December, where is winter?  I know where most of it is going in the USA, and I think the west coast is getting the blunt of it.  It just shows USA, but I'll bet Kevin and family and friends are used to this more than the south, for sure.  

Fixing to go get the PET scan for my sister.  I've gotten to where I dislike driving interstate, so will stop by for my daughter.  She has no trouble traveling this traffic.  I'm not so sure we, as we age more, if we are unable to do the things we used to do or if it is being contrary.  I can drive this drive to south Shreveport, I-20, I-49, then a loop named something.  I had rather not drive it myself, but I still can..  Still can do a lot of things I refuse to do anymore.  I'm elderly, you know.