Today I noticed...The ice is melting layer by layer.

We commented yesterday about the thickness of the ice on the back porch and how the table went from being a solid, stacked sheet of ice to the grid pattern of the metal on top. Then, today we noticed that there was a layer of ice on top of that grid as well as a layer on the bottom. Plus, there is a fringe of icicles around the edge.

Partial Top Layer and Drooping Bottom Layer

The south end of the table cleared off yesterday but the ice that dropped off of it just landed in a pile underneath and it looked like we had dumped a bag of ice there. 

With the sun shining and higher temperatures today, there seems to be lots more dripping and I am seeing chunks fall off the power lines and trees. It does sort of sound like a shooting gallery when the chunks hit below.

When I looked up, I noticed that our gutter covering that keeps leaves out is also serving to keep the ice out and it is just sliding off and dripping. 

The sunshine makes it look like there are diamonds on the trees and atop the porch and all over the place. It is beautiful to look at - especially since we have suffered very little damage.

We have seen so many online posts of neighboring streets, roads, and yards where they have had damage and we've talked to several folks who lost power as well and our hearts go out to them. It was heartwarming to see where local coffee shops and restaurants took donations and provided meals, snacks, and drinks for the folks working to restore power and clear roads. When I saw those announcements, it made me want to do my part to be an unseen and unnoticed helper.

In times like these, I'm reminded of the Fred Rogers story about his mother offering reassurance and advice by telling him to Look For The Helpers.

2026 Snowmaggeddon Day #5

We are hanging in there and I am thankful to learn that many of our neighbors who were without power have now had it restored. We cannot imagine what it has been like for those power company employees. Navigating through the icy roads and walking and scotching on the ice to cut up the fallen and drooping icy trees; then, replacing broken power poles and lines. We are grateful for them and their dedication to serving others.

SOMEBODY had cabin fever a couple of days ago and just had to get out! One of the kiddos gave him a tall walking stick. So, he trekked out to the barn where he had parked the ATV buggy and truck. He motored round the ponderosa checking things out. Then, moved his truck and parked it at the basement entrance where it is close to the house with less iciness and threat for him to slip and fall.

The neighbor widow called and asked him if he would mind driving her down to the little township - about 5 miles - to work yesterday. She didn't have to be there till ten o'clock in the morning. So, he delivered her and picked her up at the end of her shortened day. 

In one of the check-in phone calls to my son who lives two hours west of us, we learned that he and his brother-in-law had trekked out to get refills of fuel for their generators. I told my daughter-in-law that I would love to have been a fly on the wall watching them. I'm sure it was about like watching two thirteen-year-old boys out on their own. They had tales to tell. One of the tales included picking up a woman and delivering her to a friend's house. 

He sent me some photos showing where they trekked and how the roads looked.

A View Through Son's Windshield

Another Windshield View

They drove under trees that were overhanging the road and saw lots of ice and snow damage.

I'm not so certain that driving under this tree was a wise move but sometimes it is better not to know what one's grown children do.

My daughter-in-law said that they are piling into one room with both children sleeping on pallets. They turned off the big generator and only ran a smaller one to keep that room warm. She said that during the night the kitchen and den area dropped about twenty degrees or more. They could see their breath! But, turning the big generator on brought the temperature back up really quickly.

One little family member got a tent for Christmas. So, she bedded down in her tent in the family bedroom and added about five coverlets to her space. She told me that she was so cozy in there that she had even sweated!

We are still lifting up grateful thoughts and hopeful thoughts for those who are still without power and are feeling stuck. We are also lifting up grateful thoughts for those folks who are out there working diligently to restore and repair damage caused by the storm. 

Stay warm and be careful out there!

2026 Snowmaggeddon Day #4

We've had sleet. 

We've had snow. 

We've had freezing rain. 

We've had more snow.

Yesterday, we had a bit of dripping off the roof that re-froze onto the handrails and porch.

I have lived through storms before that were bad. I don't know that this is any worse but, boy, it is different! I haven't seen anything quite like it.

Back Door View

Back Porch

 

Front Porch View

The sun caused some dripping off the roof yesterday. Here is a close up of how it would drip over thje edge of the gutter and freeze.

Once it dripped down onto the handrail, it would freeze and the icicle almost reached the step below.

Lights and plants at the foot of the front porch steps were encased in ice. Notice the icicle hanging off the front of the handrail.

Some of the roof icicles got really thick with the dripping. I am just amazed.

Lots of the trees are bent over. Some of them are even touching the ground. It is a pretty sight as long as I can just step out onto the porch and take a quick photo and come right back into the warm house.

The fencing is also beautiful so long as I'm just clicking a quick shot and scurrying back inside!

Our power lines are still encased in ice. We are some of those fortunate ones who have had power the entire time. The power flickered off a couple of times but it was not long.

The Mister and I have talked about this several times and how we have not seen anything like this before in our memory. 

Today I noticed...We get junk mail for old people.

I know we are old. 

For goodness sakes, we are retired and have Medicare for insurance.

We are old.

Today we got junk mail that targets old people that I didn't even know such a thing was a thing.

The Mister got a letter about this and I got my own letter about this.

Below is a photo of the first paragraph of the letter:

I have to admit, I almost scanned the QR code and set us up for a test with the company. They are giving away a $20 Amazon card to those who participate!

2026 Snowmageddon Day #2

 Yesterday was quite a day. The snow started falling at about nine in the morning. We had quite a bit after an hour of solid snowfall.

Back Door View

Front Door View

This morning, at around five in the morning, rain and sleet began to fall. After about an hour, there was a slushy mess everywhere and this is how it looked:

Back Door View

Front Door View

Everything in the air like tree limbs, power lines, light strands, porch rails, etc., has a coating of ice. The ground also has about an inch and a half of slushy ice setting atop it. There is water standing in puddles and low parts of the driveway that has slushy ice and snow in it as well.

Notice the icicles on the chaise and that the pile of snow and the entire garden stool is encased in ice.

The chairs and table are completely encased in a coating of ice.

The power lines look like this line of patio lights and notice the bulbs are even encased.

The wind has picked up a bit and there is creaking and cracking and popping. My bonus son says that it sounds like gunshots in the trees at the top of the hill behind their barn where there are limbs and trees falling. When a gust of wind comes along, those icicles fall as well.

The temperature here is 33 degrees Fahrenheit and meteorologists are predicting the lows to fall into the teens tonight. Tomorrow's high is predicted to be 19 and the low will be in the single digits. 

This is quite amazing for us here in the south.

On social media posts I am seeing huge trees that have fallen across streets and roads. The local news reported that over 200,000 people were without power at around noon today. About 70,000 of those households were here in our county. Folks have lost power at the north of us as well as at the south. I'm sure those trees are playing a role in that. Power company and Public Works folks have been out working relentlessly.

We are blessed and fortunate to have power and be able to stay indoors. The bonus son checked on the Mister's animals this morning and told him to stay inside because he doesn't need to risk falling in this mess. So, the bonus son and the grands came by on their ATV and checked things out for us. They also brought us a bag of ice melt salt and left it beside the back door.

Talked on the phone to my son who lives two hours west of us in a rural area. They lost power at about five-thirty this morning. They have a whole house generator to keep their heat and power going. They also have some small generators to power their barn and shop/office. He thinks they have enough fuel to keep the small generators going for three days. He wishes he had more fuel at this point because he is not optimistic that their power will be restored by then. Right now, though, they and their animals and equipment are safe and warm.

We are lifting up grateful thoughts and hopeful thoughts for those who are without power. We are ever grateful, especially, for those who are part of the power company and public works teams working to restore power for people. I have never seen anything quite like this in my lifetime.

Stay warm and be careful out there!

Just 3 Things | #14

We are bracing for a BIG weather event and I'd be willing to bet most everybody I know is doing the same - no matter where they live, it is probably going to hit them in some way. Our trucks and machinery are full of fuel. There is plenty of hay laid by for the animals and we have heat sources to protect their water sources. We have plenty of food in the cupboard and in the fridges. Our prescription meds have been filled. So, we feel ready for whatever hits. Right now the meteorologists are predicting that we will start with freezing rain of some sort - either pelleted ice or rain that freezes after it hits. We would prefer the pelleted version, of course. Then, it is anticipated that we will get snow atop that. Here in the south, that can be problematic for folks who must get out and go about their lives and work. For us, it is just an inconvenience - I hope. What's the weather like where you are?

- What I've Been Working On -

Finally. Finally. I got the all the Christmas decorations packed up and stored away. The little kitchen tree came down a couple of days ago. (This was a planned and somewhat organized disassembly of the tree that had fallen three different times since it was first put up.) Yesterday, I felt fairly normal and decided that I had completely recovered from the creeping crud that has been lurking around here. So, I took down the big Christmas tree that Lydia and Luci had helped me to put up and decorate. I tried to organize ornaments as I took them off the tree - sort of. Upon completion, I told myself that next year I need to do a better job and have a better system. I also made note that I've got to figure out a better way for the kitchen tree before next year. I hope I remember that and my intentions to scout for a good organizational method for storing ornaments of all shapes and sizes and bead garlands and all of the things that go on the two trees. I also have plans for scouting out a better option for the kitchen tree. Another thing I did was go round the house and pick up all the twigs and bits of faux greenery and berries that I had tucked here and there and boxed those up. The little blue wagon that Mike insisted he needed last year was really handy. I could fill the tubs and boxes that I have for different decorative elements and stack those into the wagon and pull it to the basement entrance. It is so much easier than trying to trek up and down the stairs while toting tubs and boxes of stuff. A couple of wagon loads and I was done. I was also mindful of where I stashed the items I used for holiday decor this year and made a mental note that I need to take some time and go through all the decor I have and weed some things out.

By the end of the two trips out the back door and down to the storage room downstairs, I was puffing and gasping and coughing. So, normal is not the state I think of when all that is going on. However, I feel so very much better than I have felt at any other time during the month of January that I am sticking to my guns and saying that I'm recovered!

- What I've Been Watching -

We have been watching mindless television. We have streamed a couple of series using Amazon Prime and those have been a good change from the sappy movies of last week. Crossing Jordan with Jill Hennessey is one of the series that has captivated us. I recall watching an episode or two when it was on mainstream television but it has been an interesting series for seeing how things were during that time in our country and for seeing how technology has changed. It is not too gory or too predictable. So, Mike and I have made conjectures from time to time when there was a crime and chuckled with satisfaction when we were correct and raised eyebrows when we were not.

What I've really enjoyed watching has been college basketball - in particular, SEC basketball. I've watched men's games and women's games.  Of course, around here our blood runs orange for The University of Tennessee. It was good to see the different teams acknowledging the impact Pat Head Summit had on women's basketball. I always love to see the interviews with different people who were players she coached or folks who coached with her. They all seem to support the fact that she was a coach who was devoted to the betterment of the players, to the betterment of the sport, and to the attitude and devotion of putting in the work to be a part of a winning team. While watching those interviews, I often thought about how far things have come since she was a player; how far things have come since she began coaching at a very young age, and the number of young women she really made a direct difference for. I also wonder how the new NIL situation would have impacted they way she thought and how she managed her players and the game. 

- What I've Been Reading -

This week I did some serious reading. His Truth Is Marching On by John Lewis.  There were so many memories the book stirred for me and so many impactful statements within those pages. I think I am most moved by Lewis's afterword. Perhaps the most important paragraph of all said, 

"There are forces today in America trying to divide people along racial lines. There are forces today that are still preaching hate and division. There are forces today that want us to return to the old ways, to lose ground, to take our eyes off the prize. It makes me sad, for we don’t want to go back. We want to go forward and create one community—one America."

Yet, Lewis still encouraged hope, 

"We chose community once, in the 1960s, and I believe we can choose community once more...the means by which America redeemed part of her soul then can guide us now. When you see something you believe is unfair or unjust, you have to say so. Silence is not the answer. So much of what makes America truly great is hanging in the balance."

Many of us are asking what we can do to make a difference. Lewis's response:

"How to march forward? We all can study our history and thus learn what has worked in the past and therefore might just work in the present and in the future. We all can be trained to find our way or to get in the way. The teaching of individuals like James Lawson, Gandhi, and Dr. King lift us. They move us, and they tell us over and over again if another person can do just that, if another generation can get in the way or get in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble, I, too, can do something. I, too, can get in trouble for the greater good."

 

I don't know that I am doing much more than airing how I believe injustice is taking place or sharing my perspective on the current state of our world with those who have no choice but to listen to me. However, when the opportunity presents itself, I certainly have intentions of getting in the way or getting in good trouble.

I hope the snowmageddon doesn't bring big trouble for folks. I do hope it allows folks to take a bit of time. To take a breath. To enjoy the beauty of nature. To take a break from the demands of living in a positive way. Be safe out there and stay warm!

Today I noticed...I appreciate little words of affirmation.

I've started transitioning from one grocery service to another. So, today when I completed my grocery delivery order and selected the Place order button, I was surprised to get a message telling me that I had saved an hour. 

Now, I have known that ordering groceries online saves me time for several years. I can just click on an item to add it to my cart as I think of it and not have to wander the store browsing for different items. I also know that I much prefer sitting in the privacy of my own home and completing a grocery order rather than wandering those grocery aisles. 

Even though I know those things, to have the app provide affirmation of those facts by telling me that I saved an hour really brightened my day. 

I began to wonder what other ways affirmation might impact us.

I am going to make a point to seek out ways to provide affirmation to those I encounter. It started this morning. I completed the survey sent by the grocery delivery guy. Then, I added a little personal note in the space provided saying that we really appreciate the job he does and are grateful that he was a part of our day.

What other ways could we lift up somebody do something ordinary in our lives?