Beloved,
The Blizzard of 2013 is what they are calling the storm that
really dumped on the Northeast last weekend. i did not get out of
my yard for 4 days but during the storm I was out on my stoop
shoveling as the snow was coming down sometimes at 3″ an hour. The
lake always has gifts for me but one of the ones I don’t get too
often is the little mini whirlwind that surrounds my house. If there
is any wind it likes to pick up and deposit more snow right in the
front of my house.
Of course, that is great in the summer as I rarely have mosquitoes
because the breeze keeps them away but in winter? Ah. that is a
different story. My neighbor called me to pitch in for the cost of
plowing our street which is a private way, and he said he wished
I could see what he was looking at. He was looking at my house
which was nicely wrapped in about 6 feet of snow. The snow was up
past my small kitchen window and it had covered all the windows
in the door of my garage. I shovel the stoop because if I didn’t,
I would not be able to open my door.
It was comical in a way as I would go out to shovel it and since the
drifts were taller than me, I had a heck of a time throwing what I
shoveled over those banks. And….the wind loves to play with me
because every time I managed to get a shovelful over, he would blow
it right back at me. I really did a lot of laughing but finally gave
up at 12:30AM and went to bed. When I got up the next morning, the
snow was high in front of my door. I wish I had a surveillance
camera so I could watch myself as I contort my body to try to get
through a space so thin that Twiggy would have a hard getting
through. But after many gyrations I managed to get the shovel out
there and then work it a little to dislodge some snow that is
against the door.
Finally, I made it and managed to shovel it. My thinking was that
if there was an emergency, they could send a helicopter and bring
me up in the basket but I had to make it out of my house first. I
could not walk as the snow was drifted over my head but at least I
was out side where I hoped I would be seen. When things like this
happen, I like to bring the humor in. There were many blessings also.
The first foot of snow was the heavy wet kind but the rest was the
fluffy snow which made the wind’s job easier but also mine as I could
pick up a full shovel rather than a little at a time.
Last winter was a great winter, I had to be plowed only once and the
temperature was so much warmer. Mother Nature knows what she is doing
though, she knows our water table is low because we did not have snow
last year so she made sure we had plenty this year. She did make it
light kind of snow and after three days, she sent the rain which
diminished the snow and also a heavy fog overnight which cuts through
snow like a knife through butter. We ended up with only half the
amount the storm delivered and now she is giving us beautiful sunny
weather to melt the rest.
All in our area were gifted with the governor closing the roads,
offices, schools, stores except Home Depot which was needed to
furnish parts that snow blowers and snow plows needed. And…..gas
stations so people could run their snow blowers. Most of all,
parents and children got to spend some quality time together without
the outside world diverting their attention elsewhere. They finally
had the time to be a family and get to know each other again. We
were fortunate as we did not lose power but many did. The piece de
resistance was when the Post Office canceled all mail delivery on
Saturday and closed all its Post Offices. I worked for the Post
Office for 23 years and in all those years, the Post Office never
shut down. I think the postal people deserved not to have to travel
in that kind of weather and be with their families after all those
years of sacrifice so we could have mail.
I had planned to get so many things accomplished since we all knew
the storm was coming. Like you, I have so many things that I would
like to catch up on and thought this would be the perfect opportunity
to do that. Much to my surprise, I did not WANT to do anything except
take naps, have hot cocoa, hot soup and just chill out. I started
to chastise myself and then realized that storms such as these, create
an opportunity to be GOOD to ourselves and just ALLOW and TRUST that
all is in Divine Order and will get done when it is supposed to.
That is called Divine Timing. So I relaxed and did nothing. I like
that feeling and plan to “remember” it more often.
I woke up yesterday morning and the snow looked like cotton candy,
soft and fluffy. It was all glittering like it was full of diamonds.
We had just a dusting but it was enough to cover the old stuff and
make it look like glitter. What a sight that was. So you see living
on a lake has many different opportunities to see the beauty that
Mother Nature tries to give us if we but look.
I hope your Valentine’s Day was full of love…beginning with the
love you have for yourself. Where all the other holidays celebrate
with more days than one, Valentine’s Day is just that…a single day
to celebrate. And…..it is universal. Love encompasses ALL. People
and animals and nature and absolutely this exquisite planet.
This past week we celebrated the wonders of Mother Nature, Ash
Wednesday, Mardi Gras and many other celebrations that I cannot
remember the names of. All cultures are celebrating at this time
which means globally there is singing, dancing, love and gaiety.
It so reminds me of when I was a child and enjoying each moment
that presented itself to me. Soooo many memories of when I felt
so trusting and innocent. This music seems to just go along with
all that I am feeling right now. Each of us is a Bridge of Love
when we share our gifts and do what we love. I have such gratitude
to all who have been such a bridge to me and although this music is
from my generation, I believe all generations love and appreciate it.
My generations did it Our Way and now it is time to turn the gavel
over to the next generation to do it Their Way. Yet…..we can still
be valuable as mentors with our life experiences.
I wanted to share this with you so you feel and know that you are
such a bridge also.
Paul Anka wrote this for Sinatra, and only a violin can make this
sound as beautiful as it truly is. Don’t miss this.
Andre Rieu doesn’t often play his violin through whole pieces; this
he did! Also some lovely photos of the arrival of immigrants to the
USA, such as Frank Sinatra’s parents.
CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW & ENJOY
http://www.youtube.com/embed/e-y581HdWfY?rel=0
Love and Light
Mary Grace
www.IAmMaryGrace.com
www.TheWoundedChalice.com
http://www.waleson5.com/marygrace.html
PO Box 403
Wales, MA 01081, USA
413-245-3977
