"It's Snowing! It's Snowing!"

It was a quiet, normal evening at home. My clarinet teacher had left just moments before and I was in Matthew's room groaning to Beka and Matthew about all the horrible things I had to practice until the next lesson. We were getting ready to calmly go to bed and be reasonable and proper and responsible. But then...

...there came an excited squeal from one of the younger boys.
"Hey guys! It's snowing! Come see!"

There was a general stampede for the door, and there we saw, indeed, the first snow.

Can anything match the beauty of the first snow of winter? This one was especially gorgeous. The snowflakes were huge and glumpy, and came whirling down from the blackness of a winter night sky. Beka and I stood in awe and watched the glorious sight. Timmy and Caleb, however, were not quite so reverant. They began screaming, "It's snowing! It's snowing!"

Timmy and Caleb out in the snow. Photo by Beka.

I suppose there comes a moment in most people's lives when they forget all about being grown-up and responsible and just settle down and act silly for a few minutes, and end up enjoying themselves more than they have in years. I'm not very grown-up or responsible, but I sure did act silly that night, and had more fun than I have had in quite a while.

When we saw that snow coming down, some kind of winter madness seized all of us and we began dancing around the house. Beka sat down at the piano and pounded out some merry tune. Caleb and I grabbed hold of each other and twirled around the living room. Buddy and Timmy tumbled over each other as they ran to join us. Matthew sighed and went to bed. Mom laughed to herself and continued her work.

Beka stopped playing the piano and the rest of us twirled around the house after her. For a full five minutes we laughed and shouted and sang about snow and winter and danced around in ecstacy. Bathrobes and nightgowns whirled. Somehow we were too happy to sit still. We had been waiting for this for a month. Winter was here. The snow was here. Christmas was coming. How could we sit still?

A wild idea seized Timmy and Caleb, and they announced their intention of 'going out to play' although it was all of eight o'clock and 'dark as pitch' outside. I laughed and wished I were quite as silly and blissfully care-free so I could do something so wonderful and crazy. I half wanted to join them, but settled with grabbing the camera for some pictures.

Beka enjoying the snow. Photo by me.

I went outside with Beka to snap some shots. The snow was staying, and already beginning to cover the ground. It was beautiful. Timmy and Caleb ran around outside laughing uproarously. I snapped away. Beka caught me on the camera in the act of stretching out my arms and lifting my face to the snow. A very silly picture...

The world was beautiful under the spell cast by snow silently drifting from the skies. It was so dark. When I lifted my face I could see the snowflakes appearing out of nowhere. Everything was hushed and still. The snow fell without a sound. It began to work it's magic on the trees and grass around us. Things already looked like that wonderful legendary place called Fairyland.

Timmy and Caleb stayed out to play. Beka and I went back inside. It was too soon to go to bed after all the excitement, so we retired to her bedroom, after selecting a new book to read. (We enjoy spending our free time reading. I read aloud to Beka while she builds puzzles, knits, embroiders, or just lays in bed.) I began to read 'Little Women' aloud to her. We plan to tackle the whole 'Little Women' series, but who knows where we will end up!

We laid many plans after we finished reading. Unfortunately, we had to do up two very large pigs in the morning, minimizing our annual play-in-the-first-snow time. We decided to get up early and play before we began working.

I quickly headed for bed, exhausted. As I climbed into bed my writer's brain was whirling with ideas for the great article this event was providing me with, and the small section of my brain which is not a writer's brain was joyfully exalting over the wonderful time we were going to have the next morning. As it turns out, we did have a wonderful time. But how about, instead of writing all about it here, I share it with you in the form of a poem I wrote after it was all over? Maybe you'll like that better.

Please believe me when I say that I intended the following poem to be beautiful, poetic, touching, sweet, and everything else nice. However, I found as I sat down to write it that it quickly became the funny, bouncy, silly poem which appears to be all I can write. I truly have tried to write beautiful and poetic poems, but Beka can testify to my success (or lack of it) in that area. So I'll just have to be satisfied with this. Here it is:

The First Snow

Everything is covered in a layer of pure white.
Snow Elves have been working hard throughout the winter night.
The sun is not yet shining. Everything is still and gray.
It's the first snow of the year on this, a cold December day.

The table on the porch has on a cloth of snowy lace.
The birds and little creatures are showing not their face.
The bird-house by the steps has new white trimming, clean and fresh.
The wire on the chicken-house is white-washed wire mesh.

A fence-post and dead morning-glory vines covered in a cape of snow. Photo by me.

The animals are sleeping in the barn among the hay.
Winter's come and they aren't feeling much like winter play.
The only creature stirring is the little dog of brown.
He's running through the snow around and acting like a clown.

Tim and Caleb surface early from their beds today.
They are ready soon to play the winter day away.
They say they're going sledding, but they haven't got a hill.
They build a ramp of snow instead. It seems to fit the bill!

A very cold Caleb standing in the driveway. Photo by me.

Then I myself go walking through the drifts of snow and ice.
It's a lovely day and even the cold wind is awfully nice.
Beka watches from the window, shakes her head in disbelief
As I dig through two-foot drifts to get the shovel underneath.

What fun that was, but now the fun is over, I'm afraid.
We come inside. My, what a mess of water we have made!
We shake the snow from boots, and coats, and hang up wet-through hats.
Mom just groans and quickly runs for towels and for mats.

We all sit down for something warm. Hot and sweet for me!
Beka grabs the pot and quickly boils us some tea.
That was fun, but now it's time to grab the broom and mop.
It's quite one thing to make a mess. Another to clean it up!

Now the snow is melting fast. The sun has shone again.
We'll have to wait for more snow, if it comes and when.
The world is bright and noisy, alive with winter play.
It's the first snow of the year on this, a cold December day.

The Weekly Bible Verse

Matthew 7:13-14: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."

Bits and Pieces

Wow! What a busy week! Besides getting two snowfalls, we had to do up two very big, very ugly pigs we have been raising all year. It took us an entire day. A friend came over to help Matthew do the outside work, and then the rest of us worked hard inside washing, cutting up, packaging, grinding, and mixing up the meat. We made tons and tons of sausage with most of the ground pork. We were all very tired when we finished, but Matthew bought some stuff to make banana splits with and we enjoyed those as our reward. Besides, you ought to taste that sausage...

Rebekah and Matthew chopping and grinding up meat. Photo by me.

All week Dad and Mom have been working hard to get my computer set up with e-mail, Internet, and numerous programs. I always write and post my Weekly's on Mom's computer, which ties it up for a few hours every week and also makes it very inconvienent for all involved. After some hard work on Dad and Mom's part, I am all set up. I am actually sitting in my own messy room as I write this. I am very glad to get my e-mail on my computer, as well as Internet. It should make it easier for me to do lots of things. It also means I can work peacefully without people walking up to me and saying,
"Oh Rachel, you're on here? Oh boy, I've got something I REALLY need to do. Can you move over for just a minute? I know you have to write that Weekly, but this'll only take a second." A second, of course, means about ten minutes.

Well, that was my expectation at least. The reality has been a bit different. Beka is overjoyed that I have e-mail and Internet on my computer, since it makes it very easy for her to do things she would normally have to do on Mom's computer. Matthew also finds me having Internet handy.
"Hey, Rachel, can I use your computer for a minute? I just have to order myself some camoflauged gloves from Cabela's. Mom's on her computer, see, and I really need to do this...."

A Word About The Weather

Very cold, very snowy, very icy, very bright when the sun comes out. That's what our week has been like weather-wise. Not that we mind. It's nice having winter after months and months of spring, summer, and fall. It does get a little cold at times, but hey, just pile on the blankets, make some tea, get a good book, and turn up the furnace.

A Word Of Wisdom

Never leave a jar of black food coloring open anywhere. That stuff just doesn't come off hands, clothes, or counters.