Musing on a Thursday morning . . .

I was thinking last night in bed, and we all know what happens then . . .  I was thinking about ground hogs and Spring, and who it was that first decided that the arrival of Spring could be determined by the ground hog seeing it's shadow.  I think most legends are under-pined by some portion of truth . . . but this one, I'm not sure about.  Someone must have noticed at some point a ground hog coming out of hibernation on a sunny day,  and then counted the number of weeks until Spring arrived, but just why anyone would think to do that boggles my mind.   Could it be actually that the balance in nature causes the ground hog to wake up earlier due to harvests in the autumn being poorer and they get hungry sooner?   Who knows!

 

The days are becoming noticeably longer now . . .  and I like that.   It makes for better photography in the house during the day.  In the darker months there is only a short window of opportunity for me to take delectable photos . . . which means things have to be done a lot sooner.   I like having more time . . .

Still though . . .  the sun casts a pink glow across our landscape at twilight and then . . .  all of a sudden . . .  night slams down the shutter, and the swoop of ebony wings quickly drifts across, covering  the  sky, which only a few minutes ago was tinged with pink.   The air which seemed somewhat warmer earlier, suddenly crackles with cold.  As night takes over a lone star twinkles in the sky above the chimney tops which I can see just over the hedgerow at the back of our garden . . . and a cold moon slips into the skyline just about the rooftops, like a great pearl which glows in the night sky.

 

Sometimes it appears to be surrounded by  a great glowing ring or halo.  I think this is called a moon dog and caused by ice crystals in the atmosphere, portending a cold, cold night.   My ex mother in law always said it meant a storm was in the offing . . . I know not where the truth lies, I only know for sure that it mesmerizes and it is beautiful in it's own way.   I have tried many times to capture them in my camera lens, but to no avail . . .

Back home the cold winter air at night rings with silence . . . broken only by the odd sound of  the tree trunks cracking.   On a windy evening you can hear it whistling through the tops of the pines.   I can remember laying in bed as a child and listening to it as I fell asleep and thinking to myself . . . this is what Heidi heard when she fell asleep too, Heidi having been one of my favourite bedtime stories as a child . . . I love the thoughts of children.  They are so pure and so honest and right from the heart.  Perhaps that is because they are not long from their Heavenly Father's presence and  not yet as learn-ed in the skill of guile . . . as we . . .  or as afraid as we are of being mocked for out thoughts and muses.



The snow of January and February is clean and white . . . tis only in March that it begins to look dirty and becomes so very tiresome.   The housebound days of Winter are good in so many ways, but the heart now longs for Spring to arrive . . .

Yesterday I finished up page one of another paper doll I had been working on.



Her name is Little Red, and she is a paper doll who is not afraid of Big Bad Wolves.   I am only partially done her though as I have big plans for at least one more sheet of clothes and a type of tri-folding background that you can stand up behind . . . being Winter on one side . . . and Spring on the other.   She also needs a basket.

Yesterday's silver lining . . . the birds which seem to be singing a bit brighter with the lengthening days, Spring cannot be too far behind.

 

A thought to carry with you through the day . . .

If we could see the miracle of a single flower
clearly, our whole life would change.
~Buddha (563-483 BC)

 

Cooking in The English Kitchen today . . . Moussaka!    I cannot believe I got to this stage in life and am only tasting this fabulous dish for the first time!   I have a cracking recipe for it!

Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!