84. Frost on the Pumpkin

Well, dear friends, there was frost on the pumpkin this morning!  I guess we are in for a cold winter...well, cold by my standards.  I spent my formative years in Iowa and have many fond memories of childhood snow  fun,  however, I'm a  little older now and  am very happy without snow

Bones ache a little and we have enough trouble navigating the gopher craters in the yard as it is, snow and ice would just spell more knee surgery. 

I could tell you lots of little stories about my walks to school from our little acreage out side of Ottumwa, Iowa, like how we stopped at the brickyard office to warm our hands on their potbellied stove or how we took hot baked potatoes in our coat pockets to keep our hands warm.  (Only the first was true, my Great Uncle Reese always said that it was so cold that the cows gave vanilla ice cream.) Bob always rolls his eyes and says "And it was five miles and up hill both ways." But then he is a Dallas boy.

I remember one really cold afternoon in particular.  I always wore warm snow-suits and mittens with a length of ribbon holding the mittens together and strung through the sleeves so they never got lost.  When I left home in the mornings, my mom always carefully tucked my dress into the pants.  I was supposed to do the same thing coming home from school.  She also supposed that the teacher would supervise and help when necessary.  With 32 children to attend to...I doubt tucking in my skirt was high on her list.  At any rate, I neglected to tuck in my skirt.  On the trudge home, we all decided that rolling and sliding down the snowy and hilly country road sounded like a lot of fun.  By the time I arrived home my dress skirt was frozen solid and sticking straight out like some crazed ice ballerina.  Suffice it to say that I NEVER did that again.  My mom never believed in corporal punishment, but her angry eyebrows and deliberate words made future expectations reality.

With the weather so chilly, I decided to gather up all of the hats and sweaters I have made for premies  and other little babies who need to keep their little heads warm.  I didn't realize I had made so many. If any of you are so inclined to knit or crochet for these in need, I send mine to "Stitches From the Heart."

Stitches from the Heart                   
4572 Telephone Road, #909
Ventura, CA 93003
http://www.stitchesfromtheheart.org
Toll Free: 877 985-9212
 
 If this baby isn't precious, I don't what is!


Well, it's Taco Tuesday at Taco Roco where tacos are a dollar and we can dine al fresco so Maggie can join us.   Bob and I like the Chili Verde, Maggie prefers the shredded beef.