snow

JusJoJan26 Day 25: Transmission

/ Liz H-H / 11 Comments
Cartoon female dressed for bitter cold

January 25: TRANSMISSION. Many Thanks to Dar for today’s prompt, as we take a moment or two each day this month to reflect on words that come from the community. And thanks to Linda G Hill for getting us organized!

She was new to this kind of weather.

After shoveling a thin strip from the apartment’s front entrance to her car, and digging an oasis around her door on the passenger side, she felt sure she’d solved the problem.

She was new to the northern climate, sure that her southern-bred skills fully prepared her for the winter days. She’d seen footage on the television, heard all the jokes, seen all the memes, but the job offer was too sweet to pass up. The on-street parking didn’t seem like a serious problem when she’d moved here in late Spring. She was hearty. She was adventurous.

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JusJoJan Day 1-Mindfulness

/ Liz H-H / Leave a comment

January 1 – “Mindfulness”. Many thanks to Emily for today’s prompt, as we take a moment or two each day this month to reflect on words that come from the community. And thanks to Linda G Hill for getting us organized!

It snowed this morning. Again. I know it was this morning, probably after 7 am, because I didn’t see fresh tracks from the twin does that cross my back yard and jump over the waist-high fence that keeps our human neighborliness neighborly. The deer regularly stroll through before everybody gets up to start the bustle of their day. Cars running, lights snapping on in the winter dark, thump of young children’s feet on the thin wood floors, the jingle and crunch of a dog or cat eating and making music with their bowl of kibble. Meanwhile, I’m mindful in my dreams as I remember how busy life was when the kids were young.

Now they’re grown and I’m a gramma.

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FlashNano Day 29: “Write a story that takes place on the edge.”

/ Liz H-H / 12 Comments
Photo of the author, bundled and ready to take on the snow.

An Almost-True Winter’s Tale

I should’ve known better. This was just history repeating itself. After dark, but just before sunrise. Heavy snows three days in a row. Had to get up that early to be on time for my morning gig, so I rolled out of bed and headed outside.

Tall snow boots, puffy jacket, Andes hat to cover the ears, leather choppers lined with woolen undergloves. Garage door opener in one pocket, phone in another, and a lightweight snow shovel slung over my shoulder; I thought I was fully prepared. The goal was to clear the driveway before the plows got through, hoping to make clearing the street-side end easier, once the plows came through and dumped the street’s payload on the end third of my drive.

And then they’d come along once more, just to neaten the streets and undo all my hard work.

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Frau Holle 2025

/ Liz H-H / 8 Comments
tall broom leaning against a flat white wall, flooring is polished brick.

© Ayr/Gray

It’s an inside job for sure.

I gaze out at the fat, fresh snow falling, fairy voices singing with bell-like giggles as winds gust and tumble them into one another. Not yet time for Spring cleaning. It’s only February. Yet an urgent inner tug tells me to create something to meet the pure snowfall half way.              Continue reading →