Just a small post today because I’ve had some things on my mind.
First, even though I can’t figure out how to put a hyper link in a post, I did figure out how to post a blogroll, so now here, to the right, you can find the link to the Minnesota Moments article that currently appears in the winter edition of the magazine! So now, if you haven’t already, you can read the actual article about me and ten other Minnesota bloggers. Enjoy!
Secondly – and this is the stuff that’s been keeping me awake at night – the unnaturally warm winter seems to be causing unnaturally early behavior and it’s starting to stress me out.
These are the kind of waves we get around here. At least in a normal winter we do.
Example A: I have a strong urge to clean. Something must be wrong for me to have that feeling. Perhaps if I sit down long enough with a good book it will go away.
Example B: The Ice Fishermen who normally spend their evenings, mornings, afternoons and weekends out on the lake like the Grumpy Old Men that they quite possibly are, have been forced to tune up their riding mowers, tractors and/or combines in an effort to give them some valid excuses to get out of the house. Their snowblowers – sitting so lonely in the garage – mock them with their shiny headlights as they sit patiently, tongues lolling out, waiting for non-existent snowstorms to validate their reasons for being.
Example C: The cat who adopted us this fall has an unauthorized boyfriend with whom she spent the entire night last night. I very much fear that we’ll be looking for friendly farmers who might want some new blood in their mouse-catching legions this spring. Fortunately, around here, there always seem to be people who need cats whenever there are cats who need people.
The cat - "Capurrrrnicus" - in all her strange glory.
Example D: Everyone feels restless, as if spring fever has taken hold, but what we are really restless for is a serious snowstorm that will keep us indoors before the fire, all meetings, work and school cancelled. It’s the way we Minnesotans hibernate and without it we feel gyped, ripped-off, un-rewarded. You see, we expect unexpected holidays around here. Yes, it’s still January, and there is still the possibility of a serious storm, but as each day ticks off, we get more and more worried. “Maybe that meeting I don’t want to go to WON’T be cancelled by a storm! You mean I have to attend every single board meeting this winter? What is the world coming to?”
The kind of winter we have NOT had this year.
Yes, if I was stuck in my house due to a storm, I’d probably be complaining. The grass is always greener…
Making the mundane entertaining.
A fine day for an epiphany 
Is it really that warm where you are? No snow in Minnesota? That’s got to be a first. Here in Sydney we’re having the coldest summer on record. I’ve woken to yet another day of grey skies, cool temperatures and rain, rain, rain. So unusual. And, most people here who have a swimming pool are having to heat them for the first time ever. Normally in summer they heat themselves no trouble at all.
Hi Gretchen, I just read the magazine article. Fabulous! What a great promo for your blog. I didn’t realise you’ve only been blogging for just over six months! Congrats on a great start.
Thank you so much for your encouragement! And yes, it’s so weird to have no snow. There is some up north in Minnesota – I’m as far south as you can go – but still, it’s odd. Sorry about your chlly summer! That’s not right, either. Strange all over, I guess. I hope that you and I both will get what we want here SOON!
Enjoyed your photos. Go to the top of the white box where you write to create your post.
There is a B for bold and an I for Italics and put your mouse over each to find the one that looks a bit like a single chain link. Insert/edit link it will say when you hover over it Highlight the words you want to be linked in your test you are wringing. Then click that little box with the single link. A new window will come up with a space to add the link address. You can add a title too. Then You click on that and then there is a little box at the bottom right that says ADD LINK> You’re done!
Hope my explanation helps a bit. Give it a try.
You are so nice! I totally will have to try that!
that was text not test sorry for typo
Wow, Illnois here and i understand that strange CLEANING thing! I cleaned out my wardrobe the other day, it was horrible .. i am still recovering.. c
LOL! I have a terrible cold so I’ve slowed way down on the cleaning thing…but truly MUST do more as soon as I can breathe again. Cold or warm, it must be done!
I have done some of that spring cleaning, too. I have on several occasions gone outside and washed windows in a sweatshirt. WEIRD. That really is the only way to describe doing that knowing that normally, doing that activity is asking for frostbite.
Yes, that is weird. Though, in my book, going out “on several occasions” within a couple months to wash windows is just plain weird, no matter what the season! 🙂
Oh, how I remember those winters growing up on the southwestern Minnesota prairie. Late starts. No school. Early dismissal. Riding a mile into town on the John Deere with Dad to catch the one bus that would take us to school 20 miles away because the bus wouldn’t drive the country routes. Roads were too bad. Ah, those are my winter memories.
I rather like this mild winter. BTW, winters in southeastern Minnesota are nothing like prairie winters.
Yep – you know what I’m talking about!!! I am constantly amazed at how just a short distance can mean a big difference in weather. From here to where you are is approx. 2 hours, yet it’s not the same at all – even up to Mankato, just 1 1/2 hours is very different due to the river. Though, of course, if I head west from here it’s the same for hours on end. I don’t know why it surprises me so much!
I love the “unauthorized boyfriend” statement. I shall reserve this for when my daughter starts dating…
Ha! Yes, a good plan. Oy, I am not looking foward to that day.