Feels Like Winter - Looks Like Fall!

Texas is in the deep freeze!

It was 18 degrees overnight. That's SUPER cold for the DFW area!

I was up early this morning and guess what I did?

I went for a walk. 

I used to walk every single day and so I thought I would start this brand new year of 2018 out on the right foot, so to speak. I spied this hat on a sidewalk in the neighborhood. Whomever it belonged to must have partied hard last night!

The air was cold and the skies were blue.

Leaves are still on some trees around here and there are piles of them in the yards.

Such beautiful colors.

I stopped to watch a few leaves float softly to the ground.

This tree had only two red leaves clinging to the branches.

I stood under it for several minutes hoping to see them drop down to my feet.

There are two houses that have lots of acorns.

See? Doesn't this look like fall to you?

We have all four seasons in Texas. 

However, our winters tend to look more like fall or spring.

I walked with scripture cards in my pocket and memorized and meditated on them.

My favorite was John 8:12 - 

"I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." I love that!

As cold as it was, I was warm as toast!

That's because I wore my old ski parka! Only my face got cold.

This coat is really old! Amber was born in 1985 and I believe I bought this before a ski trip to Colorado in 1983 or 1984. I remember how warm I stayed even on top of the mountains!

The reason I was up so early this morning was to take Summer and Rayne to the airport.

They are off, along with Sabrina and others, to New York City!

I am so excited for them!!

Hopefully Summer will pace herself and do well.

I'm praying so. No matter what, I'm sure getting away for awhile will help her in more ways than one.

She shared some of her photos with me........

This one of the super moon!

The pilot announced that it -54 degrees out there.

Beautiful!

As they were beginning their descent.

How exciting!

I've never been to NYC before so this may be my only chance to visit - seeing it through Summer's eyes!

We've been keeping warm by staying close to the fireplace in the den.

We are burning logs from our old elm tree out by the gazebo.

It's still standing but it died this year. Too much pruning, I think. Of course, it was really old. That may have something to do with it!

We cooked a big ham outside in the roaster.

We set it on the picnic table on the upper deck and it smelled so good!

I felt proud that the good smell drifting over the neighborhood came from OUR cooking!

We had ham, black eyed peas and cornbread for supper tonight.

The ham is still in the roaster. Louis Dean needs to carve it up but he was tired tonight and went to bed early. So.....since it's so COLD outside......and since we don't have room in the fridge for the whole ham......we left it outside where it is plenty cold!

We did that same thing when we roasted the Christmas turkey.

Cold temps can come in handy!

When I was a little girl, I read a lot. My stepfather bought things from auctions and sometimes he would buy boxes of books. One was written by Dorothy Parker. I loved that book. I was 9 and 10 years old at the time. While I don't remember the title of the book, it was not a novel or a book of poems but a more personal book about her life in New York and the social settings. She wrote about hostessing out of her New York apartment and when she didn't have a refrigerator, she would open the window and store her milk and perishables on the fire escape. This made me feel better because I had to be creative in keeping food from spoiling when we didn't have access to the kitchen. Instead of feeling badly about things, I felt rather sophisticated that I was being resourceful just like Dorothy Parker. I also remember she said there was nothing she wouldn't do to be well spoken of. 

She also quoted the poem by Edna St. Vincent Milay......

“My candle burns at both ends;

It will not last the night;

But ah, my foes, and oh, my friends—

It gives a lovely light!”

I think I shall do a little research and see if I can find that book from my childhood.

Never underestimate the power of the written word.

I'm forever grateful that I have been a reader my entire life and am a better person for it.

Our entertainment tonight was RED 2!

I love this movie and have seen it several times.

Louis Dean only liked it because Anthony Hopkins is in it.

I needed a bit of relief from all the Gunsmokes we've been watching lately and the old movies he loves. Westerns mostly.

This was what we watched this morning!

I think it's awesome that Kirk Douglas is still living! He's 101 year old.

It really was a good movie.

Made in 1967.

It said.....

"And introducing Sally Fields as Mercy."

I've always liked Sally Fields.

Louis Dean has been in bed for an hour or so.

I admit to cherishing a little bit of alone time.

But a little can go a long ways.