The gravel in the driveway was getting a bit thin, so I put about a dozen 50-pound bags of it down several weeks ago. The recent rains exposed some more muddy spots, so I bought another five bags.
The irony is that Dad used to buy gravel by the train-load, probably for what I had just paid for about 20 bags. Anyway, while I was spreading the gravel, I noticed specks of white flying by. I didn’t think it was the fireplace belching ashes, so I watched more closely. Sure enough, some of the pellets were turning into flakes.
You can click on the photos to make them larger.
The Bolton House across the street
I decided I needed to bring in more firewood, so I hauled the wagon outside, then went back inside to piddle around for a few minutes. Suddenly, I saw people in the area posting on Facebook that it was snowing.
Son of a gun, it WAS showing. Snowing enough that the ground was white and I had to empty out the wood wagon before I could load it.
Walnut waiting to become firewood
When I bought Mother’s house from my brothers, I had a list of things that needed to be taken care of. One of the first was to chop down two maple trees that Mother and Dad planted when they bought the house. One of them was so hollow that it was a wonder that it hadn’t fallen on us or the neighbor.
I asked the tree trimmer to cut some dead walnut limbs that were about to fall either on the driveway or the roof. He looked this tree over and said, “You’d be better off to let me take it down now instead of having to come back in a year or so.”
I hated to see it go, but he does this for a living. I let him haul off all the big pieces, but had him leave pieces small enough that I could cut them to fireplace length without having to split them.
Shed in a Box
In 2013, David, Mark and I built Mother a Shed in a Box to park her riding mower in. It was a lot easier for her to do that than to wrestle tarps over it.
It’s getting some stress tears in the tarp top that I’m going to have to patch up with tape as soon as it warms up.
Mother loved having these spinners in the yard so she could tell how hard the wind was blowing. This is the last one left, and it’s only a matter of time before the elements get it, too.
Gradually returning to nature
There was an old tree at the corner of the yard that died many, many years ago. Mark said not to cut it because there were holes in that indicated that it was home for all kind of critters.
Old age and gravity finally won out. It’s gradually becoming compost to feed other plants.
Needles and flakes
The tiny ice crystals lodged wherever they could. Fortunately, they weren’t accompanied by damaging ice and sleet.
A study in green and red
The holdover red holly berries add a festive touch to the cold. It’s 18 and falling at midnight (feels like 8 degrees), and it’s headed for 11 at 6 a.m. I don’t want to know the “feels like” temperature.
The “white stuff” didn’t last long here .. a bit more predicted for later in the week too ..
Ken,
Good to have you back blogging. Missed your posts.
So glad to have received this. It’s been a long time since I’ve gotten anything.
Thank you!
I won’t be back to the seven-day-a-week postings, but you’ll see me more frequently as I get back in the swing of things. I’ve missed y’all.
Hi Kenneth,
I would like to ask for your permission to use one of the pictures of your 2S classification forms in a TED talk that I have next month. I’m telling the audience about the 1969 draft lottery. If you’d like, I can mask your name from it, but I want to show what a college deferment form looked like. I would appreciate your reply.
Thanks in advance!
Yoram Solomon, PhD
I sent you an email. Thanks for asking.
We got out of Missouri just in time! January was NOT fun!! Down here in sunny Florida, it’s in the 80’s this week–a bit warm, I’ll admit, for someone who avoids the beaches, but I’ll gladly trade it for the bitter winds of home. In a minute, I’m going to walk to the marina and look for manatees!
Ken, I am thrilled to see your post again. Missed it tremendously. I love the snow but not the temperatures. Your pictures are wonderful. Thank you!
Hello Ken, I am glad to see this column publishing again. I enjoy all the news of my former home. For those of you who knew my brother Jim, he passed away last March. I know he also enjoyed the information and reading all the letters about Cape. I am asking if anybody knows how to reach Jeff Schultz, Cape Central class of 1973, please email me and let me know. Thanks again Ken. Tim Luckett
I was born in Cape, March 1951 at Cape Osteopathic Hospital, I lived in Cape (on Mason St.) until I was 4 years old and then my Grandmother took me to Indiana so I have to say I’m so glad these pictures were posted I never remembered seeing snow on the ground while playing in my Grandmother’s front-yard(and back yard) back in the 50’s. I inherited that property on Mason St. from my Grandmother so I still have a connection to Cape, once again Thanks for the picture everyone.
Quite a thrill to see you posting again! It feels like a happy reunion. Thank you for not forgetting us.
Especially since I haven’t been back to SEMO
in a very long time and yet it is as fresh as ever in my mind.
Welcome back, Ken! I, too, have missed the posts. As for the snow, could I wish our newest 14 inches upon Cape? Our total is over 55 inches for the winter.
That’s OK, Phyllis. I wouldn’t have minded another inch or two, but I like the IDEA of snow much more than actual snow.
So glad to hear the news from you again!!!
I’ve been snowed under in a figurative sense. Being snowed under in a literal sense prompted me to sit down in front of the keyboard.
Thought I had done something wrong and been taken off the e-mail list! 😉 Beautiful winter photos!
just moved back to cape. it is good to see some names that I remember from central high and also see the photos you post
Welcome back.