Sunday, December 5, 2010

Snow!

We'll save the glorious outdoor scenes for later -- there will be plenty of those!

Here's a bit of "snow" on my holiday tree.

I love these crisp white crocheted snowflakes, and I have quite a few. I think this one came from my friend Gina, creative crafting soul in just about any medium she chooses to work with.

Gina and I used to work together at WKAR and it was a most remarkable creative partnership. We often said it was as though we shared a brain -- at times, when we were writing video segments for a campaign, we couldn't tell who had written which!

Here we are in the long ago at an Oscar party with our friends Carol (dressed like me) and Peter. That's Gina in the middle. It was during the dark years, when all of us were unattached and unfulfilled. (We all thought we were overweight and unattractive, too. Do you know how I would KILL to look like that again?) Below, Carol and I are with Jim.

A group of us working at the station bonded together as "SPIES" -- Single People In the Emotional Sewer (or, if we weren't being so hard on ourselves, "In Emotional Stress").

We had wonderful times, this offbeat group of three women and four men. We loved movies and our 24-hour progressive dinner movie marathon was a big hit! So was Gina's Oscar party and our "Blue Valentine's" party.

I'm pleased to say that we have lives now. Some are retired, some are married, some have children. We may still get into emotional stress now and then, but the sewer seems to have cleared out!

That first snowfall -- we approach it with such anticipation. And the beauty of it all -- when it's really a lovely, fluffy one and the after-sky is a brilliant, almost indescribable blue -- can dazzle.

Then reality sets in. There is shoveling. Bundling up. Taking care not to slip on the ice beneath the deceptively soft-appearing snow. We grab onto little things -- the color of the cardinals in the trees, the skittering of squirrels in the snow.

Those of us who aren't snow bunnies long for a light winter. A January thaw (and a February one, while we're at it).

But then spring returns, bringing with it crocus and daffodils, blue skies, warmer temperatures.

Seeing the snowflakes on my tree reminds me that in the big scheme of things, winter is short-lived. And soon, like the snowflake, it will be retired for a number of months. Like stress.

15 comments:

anno said...

Am loving all the red & white that shows up in this post! Beautiful snowflakes, beautiful red dresses, red sweaters, and that beautiful red cardinal in the snowy white tree. Just lovely, Jeanie!

Oh said...

Jeanie- You've augmented your header/sides (whatever you call) and I LOVE IT! (haven't a clue how to do it) But that little bird on the december 25th, ah, so sweet.

OK, and then there are all your photos. You tell us such great stories with your photos. And you look fabulous.

Holiday hugs to you and the Gyp.

Janet said...

You had me laughing at the SPIES! What a fun story about you and your friends.

LOVE the photo of the cardinal in the trees!

Bella Rum said...

You looked fabulous, dawling! How young we all were once upon a time. I love how you tell the truth about it. There were great times but most of us were not as comfortable in out own skins as we are now. Great photos.

Marilyn Miller said...

I just love red cardinals in the snow. We don't have them here in Oregon. Fun to see the old pictures of your gang of friends.

Jeanie said...

Your little off beat group looks like you were all having great time, even if you were all looking for more at the time.
The cardinal in the tree is a really beautiful picture.

beth said...

"those of us who aren't snow bunnies".....i'm right there with you sister :)

Dogwood said...

What fun to go down memory lane with you! Fun fun photos.

I love your snow photos.

Beth said...

Well guess who stopped by? And I actually posted! I am staying up late and so enjoying it. We had some flurries today,,I call them random flakes as you really had to squint hard to see them,HA! I Love you "way back" pictures. Your still just as lovely! Red is your color! Love the snow pics.
Miss You!
XOXO

Ruth said...

I often think of how the holidays make life harder for people under stress and lonely. Even though you were "SPIES" you had fun together, and you weren't really alone. That's so great. You look beautiful (you still do), and it's fun to learn about this time in your life.

Joanne Huffman said...

I both love and loathe the snow - it always depends on what I want to/have to do in it.

Gina said...

Oh Jeanie, what a riot to see these pictures again! I also would love to fit into that dress again :-)
We all went through some challenging times together but isn't it wonderful to now be on the other side enjoying life??!!
Thanks for the wisdom and insight you share.
Gina

~*~Patty S said...

lovely snow pics...I {heart} snow very much...great blast from the past pics too Jeanie
oxo

Annie Jeffries said...

Omigosh! I spied a cardinel! Love it.

ForgedinPaper said...

The cardinal is just a fab photo and the colour is eyecatching.

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