Paint that background solid white for an idea of what it looks like here!

My muse emerges when I am in a peaceful and beautiful setting outdoors. Now, outdoor trips are rare thanks to deep winter in the north, when I am mostly indoors for months at a time.  I moved a comfy chair next to the doors leading to the deck for some visual inspiration. The house across the alley has a dramatic weeping willow tree that is clothed in hoar frost. I see a few small birds searching for food so I pause to toss out some seeds. They are all over it–enjoying a winter feast. One of the resident Blue Jays lands on a nearby branch, looking for peanuts. I toss out half a bag and smile when I hear him cawing the good news to the others around the neighborhood. Within 30 seconds, a half-dozen Blue Jays soar into the yard and grab the peanuts in a feeding frenzy. They swoop in, grab one peanut, fly off to a branch, eat, repeat. The larger ones feed first, then the smaller ones. I toss out the rest of the bag and watch. Their chest fur is puffed out to protect them from sub-zero temperatures, making the birds look fat. However, seeing them feed so frantically tells me they are probably finding few food sources. In the time it takes to type this, a pound of unshelled peanuts disappears. I toss out several cups of black sunflower seed, but they don’t have the same appeal. No problem, the squirrels will come by later for the sunflower seed.  Blue Jays and squirrels are a welcome muse.

My most recent mini-adventure: last weekend a friend and I drove to a local lake during the annual ice-fishing derby. We planned to fish, but the air temps were well below zero. Standing on ice all day in those conditions no longer appealed, so we just drove around on the frozen lake, checking out the scene. The serious ice-fishing people have fish houses with heat and seating areas. Everyone, therefore, is inside their houses and it feels like no one is in the makeshift fishing village on the ice. Yet, hundreds of people are fishing–many from Minnesota and elsewhere. I took photos, but my blog platform says they are too big. I don’t know if they changed the maximum size; some day I will figure it out. Winter might be a good time!

My thoughts this winter often drift to the process of physical aging. I visit nursing home and assisted living residents who suffer so much from physical issues. Some are lifestyle related, but many others are caused by the natural aging process. The body weakens and fails in so many ways (eyesight, hearing, wearing joints). I hear people in their 90s wondering why they are still living. It seems so brutal, to waste away in pain and suffering. Why? As a minister, this is an important question so I spend time considering the situation. As I stare out into the winter wonderland backyard, I decide that as our bodies physically waste away, we are meant to heal our earthly wounds and to develop our spiritual strength. I decide to do more spiritual stuff when I visit (talking about God and faith experiences). I think I will read some of the healing stories to them. So many seniors love to have people read to them.

The world is quiet up in the northern lands. I could  sit here most of the day as I finish my sermon and prepare for confirmation class. However, the cold drifts in through the large glass doors. I return to my living room chair where my feet warm thanks to the little fireplace heater. I look at my pile of hand-sewing projects, my winter soul food, and words escape me again.