January Joys

Snow Ghost pointing the way

downhill on Big Mountain

How's your January treating you?  Are you glad it's almost over, or do you gaze at the calendar in regret for how quickly the first month of 2018 has passed?  For many in northern climes, January can be a 'gray' time - frigid temperatures, short days with sparse sun, a hole left when the holidays are past ... for my part, January joy has been abundant.  In case you need cheering up (northern clime or not), I am sharing my modest chronicles in the hope you'll find something joyful here.

ONE: Curious sights around town

Kids and their gloves are soon parted ... reminding me of that age-old nursery rhyme: "The three little kittens, they lost their mittens, and they began to cry."

For the hardy Montanan, it's never too cold to get out your kayak ... as long as you have a crazy friend to paddle with you.

Penguins frequent our burg in celebration of the Whitefish Winter Carnival, mid-January to early February.  Curiouser and curiouser (cried Alice), this flightless bird hangs out with someone trapped in 1975!

TWO: Culinary delights

Salmon Quiche

My 2018 New Year's resolutions include cooking once a week (shocking to some of you - me cooking? - and to others of you - only once a week?)  But hey, progress is made one tiptoe at a time!  My sous chef has to agree to the menu, and has to assist without taking over (shocking to those of you who know the caliber of my sous chef!)  Two of our creations, Lemon Butter Salmon and Balsamic Potatoes, are not worthy of a repeat performance or even a link (much less a picture).  On the other hand, the Salmon Quiche is a keeper, with some modifications.  We made our own pastry and we increased all the ingredients by 50% except for the salt, dill and green onion.

(internet)

The Beef Cabbage Roll Casserole is your grandma's cabbage rolls without the hassle of rolling uncooperative cabbage leaves!  The leftovers disappeared quickly; it was our go-to dish after a day on the slopes or a work-out at the gym.  A solid addition to the family cookbook!

In between my forays into the kitchen, Spousal Unit (AKA Head Chef; AKA Man with Hat) does his daily magic.  And always waits patiently for me to document it!

THREE: Cruising on the white stuff

If I could have $1 for every time I have been asked "So, why Montana?", I could retire all over again!

Swift Creek run at Whitefish Mountain Resort

It's the outdoors, of course!

Or, as Spousal Unit is wont to ask, rhetorically: "Have I told you lately I like snow-capped mountains?"

View from summit of Whitefish Mountain Resort - mountains as far as the eye can see

We are (hardly) working to amortize the hefty price tag on our season passes to Whitefish Mountain Resort with regular jaunts on the slopes.  If you are a faithful reader of this blog, you may someday tire of these pictures, but I can't resist flashing these stunners to the whole world!

Whitefish Lake

Rime on window of 

Summit House

Moe-mentum Run

Clouds hovering above the valley floor

Yesterday, we viewed the ski resort from a different angle - snow-shoeing on its southern flank.  Four miles of tranquility, shared with a handful of cross-country skiers and their adorable dogs.

So, if you relish the outdoors, there is no such thing as too many winter sports.  Our most recent (albeit temporary) addition to the portfolio is skate skiing.  Unlike classic cross-country skiing, in which the skis move in parallel, skate skiing is a more intense and faster technique that mimics the movements of ice skates.  We took a couple of lessons, which helped us decide we are better off focusing on the classic style.  Skate skiing requires a groomed surface, whereas classic style can be utilized in any location with relatively flat terrain, which is plentiful where we are building our new home!

FOUR: Charming embroidery

I owe Joann of Scene Through My Eyes  a debt of gratitude.  In November 2017, her blog featured an extensive collection of hand-embroidered tea towels.  I nearly fell out of my dining room chair; I immediately recognized the style as one my Mother possessed, once upon a time. The 'rest of the story', as they say, is that my dear Mother gave them to me, and somewhere among our 10 house moves, they were lost!  You can imagine my delight, and hers, when I discovered that Colonial Patterns.com still carried the exact Aunt Martha pattern in question. 

So, this month, the 'towel project' is underway; to do the best I can to re-create the long-lost tea towels.
  



FIVE: Caring gestures

You can't focus on yourself when you are focused on someone else.  So if you find yourself in a grump (never happens to me!), look for someone who needs you, and your attitude will automatically take flight.

Recently, a friend of mine who lives quite far away has had a tough time.  I felt I was not doing enough to support her, and then I was inspired to send her a knitted prayer shawl and a journal with 31 days of hand-selected inspirational quotes - my attempt to 'be there' for her every day with a small pep talk.  Tears were shed as I put it together, and more were shed when she received it.  But I think, overall, they were healing tears, part of the essential journey forward.

#1 Daughter is in the final weeks of rehearsal for her last University of Cincinnati production, Love and Information.  As Stage Manager for the show, she is juggling many plates.  Unlike many other College-Conservatory of Music productions, this show cast all 30 CCM Acting students to perform as more than 100 characters - complexity times 10!  It is not lost on us that there is added emotion with the last production before she enters the 'adult' world of jobs and bills and, well, everything.  In our tradition, we sent her a care package as the tiniest attempt to bridge these final days and remind her she is loved.  

A "love" package

And you never know when that caring gesture might come back around, full circle . . . such as Spousal Unit surprising me with these vibrant blooms ...

Linking to:
All Seasons


Mosaic Monday

Nature Notes


Outdoor Wednesday


Willy Nilly Friday