This is how God showed His love among us:
He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.
This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son
as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.
1 John 4:9-10
This is a white Christmas, in Cohagen.
Day before yesterday, we had a frosty fog all day that produced "whiskers" on everything outside.
Yesterday, it snowed all morning and thickened the whiskers! It's beautiful, but so cold it makes your teeth hurt.
Sunflowers
(I know they should've been cleared out last fall, but I leave them for the birds to pick at...sort of...)
My rock wall garden bed catches all the snow...beautiful for moisture in the spring, and picturesque in the winter. It's my favorite flowerbed!
(And it's currently under those three foot drifts, so you'll just have to picture it in your head.)
I love the golden hour, right before the sun sets. Blues and golds and pink-whites...
The wind makes snow sculptures in the shelterbelt.
(Usually, there are cat and kid and dog tracks through them, so this is a rare picture!)
My blown glass heart, on the trellis.
Here's a very confused, single sharptail who has been hanging around our place for the last week. She floats in, like a feathered football, and perches in the karagana trees, looking quite pleased with herself and picking all the pods left from summer.
I don't know where her friends are, but she seems content to fluff around by herself.
This picture was taken through my livingroom window, to the north.
She dresses herself.
The temperature was hovering around zero.
She DOES have access to caps, snowpants, mittens and scarves.
In the words of our friend Gus Glasscock,
"If you're going to be stupid, you better be tough."
(We need that on t-shirts for the whole family.)
It takes 15 minutes to dress the boy in all his winter gear.
It takes him 5 minutes of plodding aimlessly in the snow to decide he's had enough.
I've wanted to say, this whole year, that one of the most unexpected, wonderful things about keeping this blog has been making and renewing friendships. My family and I have been blessed beyond measure by those of you who read and respond to the Cohagen Chronicles, either by comments here or comments in the store/post office/phone call/ letter etc.
I wish I could adequately express my gratitude and downright happiness!
Being a typical Dutton, I'd hug all of you, if I could. And don't think I'm not trying to plan a blog-friend picnic sometime in the future! Wouldn't that be just the best fun? Bring your tents, campers and dogs to Montana!
(I'll let you know.)
(My mother-in-law is gasping for air, this very minute, because she just read that.)
(There's a family of boys, in Michigan, packing their bags...)
Love you all, and have a beautiful, blessed Christmas!
6 comments:
Love you and all of your well-written, touching, and funny posts as well.
I really would love to stop on my way by sometime. I don't know that I'll bring my tent, but the dog is a possibility. Everytime I drive through your area, I wonder where you are.
Have a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a fabulous 2010!
Beautiful pictures! Great idea on picnic/or gathering. I am always "on" for a party!!!
Merry Christmas Eve back at you with love and hugs!
Merry Christmas dear ones. The scenes are absolutely beautiful, and the kids are so cute all bundled up. It brings back fun memories. However, it also brings back the memory of sticking my tongue on a hammer, and then yelling for HELP! My folks had warned me not to do such a thing, and of course, what did I do? My dad poured water on the hammer and got it off along with a layer of taste buds. You are right--if you are going to be stupid you have to be tough.
Love those beautiful snow pictures and wish we could have been there to help you celebrate His birth..We have no snow but cold wind and frozen water on the fountain every morning so feels a little like Christmas..love to all from TX
Thank you Mary! I love reading your blog and learning about Montana. That first pic of yours was so beautiful I clicked it and made it my desktop picture! The other pics are beautiful too!!
Did you bring in your stepping stone from your flower garden????
If it does break all up, I would always make you a new one...
Hope you had a very Merry Christmas and hope you have a very blessed New Year!!! Hugs, Lori
Erin...I'm usually standing in front of the sink, trying to pretend I can't hear the squabbling, OR on a 4-wheeler, shifting cows. Neither option would entice you to stop, I'm sure, but I'd love to see you. Maybe we could meet in Miles City or something. Or, when I DO have the Blog-out, make plans to come!
Aunt Rosie, your taste buds must've been revived when you moved to TX! Shocked into service, or something like that. I'm sending love to you and Anonymous in TX...it's either Aunt Phyllis or Marina...either way, they have my love, too.
Lori! I think the stone is safe. I haven't examined it closely, but I don't think there are any cracks. I'm glad you liked the pictures...that angel is from the famous Nativity set. In just the right light, she's lovely. In the wrong light, she's garish...and that's not a good look for an angel.
It's so good to hear from you all! These comments carry me, some days. Well, the comments, coffee and a Psalm or two. Love you!
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