Snowy Day
Today it looked outdoors like it will for months and months now. It snowed, and kept snowing lightly much of the day. It is fluffy, and not difficult to remove from the car’s windshield. However, since it was warm just yesterday, the roads were full of black ice and the traffic was horrible for those needing to use the highways. It seems the first day of snow is always a bad day on the road. People just forget about driving slower, for some reason.

The sky was gray, the ground was white, the trees looked colorless, and the sun tried to shine through layers of clouds. This is what always makes me question whether I live in the right location, once this stuff starts.

The Voice Flew Away
In related news, last night I totally lost what I had left of my voice. It has been getting progressively weaker since late October. In fact, when we sang at the Midwest Ukefest, I had to choose songs that were in a more limited range so that I could do a good job, I had lost several notes at the top of my range already. I did have a small bit of voice during my birthday party, and I sang three songs that night, but Sunday night it was all over.

This is not terribly uncommon for me, though it has not happened this thoroughly in a good long while, maybe years. It is not painful this time, it’s just weak from allergies (to mildew, and since it has been warm and wet all month it has been too much to battle). I know that if I just listen to my body, it will heal. And since it is finally frozen outdoors, perhaps the mildew load will lighten up and I’ll get my voice back soon. I’m glad that my Foster Center class that typically meets on Thursday, will not meet this week because of Thanksgiving. I’m guessing by next week I’ll be set to go (I have a portable microphone I use in class, anyway).

So, for the first time in years, I celebrate the snow. Yippee! Come on, voice! Come on, snow!

Photo Shoot
So… this morning a photographer came to take pictures of me and my handknit socks. We had a fun time.

In fact, he walked in and noticed a block print I have on my wall (it was the basis for my purpletree design logo, see above but minus the drop shadow) and he said, “Hey, I have that print, too!” He bought it when it was on display with a bunch of other female artists’ prints, several years ago. They were being sold as a portfolio/collection of 10 prints, and he got one collection. Then he invited nine friends to meet him at a local eatery, and they each chose one print as a celebration of their friendship. How cool! And he has mine, even more cool!

Well, now we all have proof of my vanity. The porch is one of the more colorful places in our home, and so I sat on the porch with a cotton sweater and no coat, in order to have my photograph taken (actually, many photographs). Sit this way and that way, smile, move, change foot position (most of the photos made sure to show off the socks I was wearing), take more pictures. In the snow. Me… the cold-phobic. I’m definitely vain.

You know, the newspaper business is a very complex and interesting one. My grandfather had an award-winning small weekly newspaper in Minnesota from about 1950 to the 1970s, and my uncle had one there, too (both on my father’s side). My father had a PhD in Journalism. I am more aware of the odd bits about this business than most. It’s pretty hard to get all the facts right, in any article. In addition, honestly, I’ve never been a great follower of the paper that is now so interested in me (this week, anyway).

Nevertheless, I have had a wonderful time with the two folks that came to my house for this article- the reporter and the photographer. I think we clicked and had a great time. If the article reflects half of the fun we felt working together that very short while, it may turn out to be an OK article. Of course, you don’t even know if it will go to press until you have it in your hands, but I am letting go of that.

They think the article will either be next week Wednesday or the week after that. I’ll let you know when I’m sure it is for real.

The young photographer has my print! Imagine that. Makes me feel really good…