LOOKING FORWARD TO WARMER WEATHER AND THE MONTH OF MARCH – News From The Hills

The very last day of February slides off the calendar, making way for the month of March. We are not sorry to see her go, as she has been a month full of wintertime surprises. A good old-fashioned winter, some folks say, as they waded through knee-high snow to do their chores. With the bitter cold temperatures we have been enduring, snow still covers the landscape except for a few patches where the sun has melted it.

We have such good hopes for March! Springtime month, windy month, month of morel mushrooms (sometimes!) and month of earth’s awakening. But–we have more of winter to come, and we had just as well enjoy (?) it. Our old-timey winter surges ahead, freezing days followed by frigid nights. Outside chores are done in a hurry, and the hunting dogs curl up on their straw beds in their doghouses, with barely the tips of their noses sticking out. The arctic temperatures have driven the wild animals to burrows, and to sanctuaries in hollow trees.

It is wonderful how our Heavenly Father has provided for the songbirds, in the way that they can adapt to bitter winter weather. They are round, fluffy balls of feathers as they flock to feeders for their daily bread. Chickadees, especially, can withstand frigid temperatures by fluffing their feathers, thereby trapping more insulating air. While the land is locked in ice and snow, it is important for us to keep our feeders full of bird seed, as small birds must feed every day. They have to replenish energy lost the preceding night, and build a reserve for the night to come.

Whenever I watch these little feathered friends, I think of the care that God has for them, and then I remember the scripture that tells us in Luke 12:24, “Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse or barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” God’s love for us is without limit.

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We turn to comfort foods to sustain us during these bitter cold days; pots of brown beans and hot, spicy chili, with hunks of hot corn bread to eat with it. Someone told me recently that it seemed all they did was cook and eat, and their main topic of conversation is what to cook next. It is a good time to experiment with new recipes, as appetites seem heartier in cold weather. There are lots of things to do during the cold months when we are trapped indoors.

My sister Susie says if winter lasts long enough, she is going to have her spring housecleaning completed. She is cleaning closets, overhauling drawers and various other jobs. Daughter Patty decided to clean out a spare bedroom for me, and found a suitcase full of snapshots that belonged to Mom. Of course we delved into it, and spent the next few hours poring over old pictures. That’s the story of my housecleaning projects–I get sidetracked with old letters and pictures and never get finished.

This morning I found an account of the time when daughter Patty and her family lived in Elyria, Ohio–many years ago. It brought back vivid memories of their two-week visit home during this time of year. Some facts of life came back to me, such as; it is never too wet or cold for boys to play outside; it is never too cold for boys to fish in the creek; and six loads of laundry each day is normal for three boys. (How I do remember those times!)
After Patty and her energetic boys went back home, she wrote, “They are quite occupied with various activities during this winter weather, including pulling teeth. They pulled several while they were home and collected money from various relatives for each tooth. If they keep this up, they are going to be financially independent, if toothless!”

That is why I will never be able to sort out my papers. I get tangled up in the past. That reminds me of the wintertime games my own brood played when they were cooped up in the house. Most of them were played without my approval or knowledge until their later years.

One of them was called “Taste” where they took turns mixing a teaspoon of secret ingredients (nothing toxic or dirty) which they fed to each other. The object of the game was to see who could mix the most obnoxious concoction and make the other one eat it. It was a game I never knew existed, and only became aware of it until after they were grown and were recalling it in my presence (with great hilarity!)

Winter was hard on parents and children alike. It was rowdy games and laughter, fights and tears, commotion and love. The children grew up and left the nest, and it was over. At least we thought it was. Then the grandchildren came–now it is great-grandchildren.

The only solution that I can see is to invest in a bigger file cabinet to store the coming memories. How can you discard these precious things?

Speaking of wintertime cooking, we received a recipe from Cheryl Belcher (also known as the Squirrel Girl) that sounds delicious. This is one I want to try.

BETTY’S BLACKBERRY CAKE
1 box white cake mix
1 small pkg. black raspberry Jello
3 T. plain flour
2/3 cup vegetable oil
½ cup water
4 large eggs
2/3 cup blackberries –fresh or frozen (thawed)
1 tsp. vanilla

Mix in given order, adding eggs one at a time, beating after each egg.
Bake at 325 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. This can also be made using strawberries and strawberry Jello.

ICING
1 lb. confectioner’s sugar
1 stick butter or margerine (softened)
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup blackberries
Mix to desired consistency; spread on cake

I was honored to make a new friend a couple of weeks ago–Rev. Jerry Ranson of Hometown, who gave me a booklet of his mother’s poems. I want to share one of them.

MY HEART’S DESIRE
by Ethel D. Ranson Bonnett
To be found faithful when Jesus comes,
To have His blessing when life is done.
To be His soldier and His friend,
Help others see their need of Him.

To bear each burden with a smile,
To walk with him the last long mile.
To have my loved ones by my side
When Heaven’s gates swing open wide.

To meet my Savior face to face
And thank Him for His saving grace.
My heart’s desire is that this would be
To everyone reality.