3 Quarters Today

My Life, my photography, my passions

365project

Day 43/365: New England Blizzard

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Day 43: Snowy Red Barn, Ellington, CT

Winter storm Benedict brought a record snowfall to the State of Connecticut. I was lucky to be there when I was to remember great snows of my childhood which brought back memories of snow forts, snowball fights, and sledding at Wickham Park.

New England snow is different than Nebraska snow. It is softer, gentler, and quiet. Even though Benedict was officially called a blizzard. Compared to Nebraska storms, Benedict was a whisper.

I spent several hours shoveling snow in the driveway, and enjoyed it. There wasn’t a 50 mph wind cutting through me, and the temperature was almost a balmy 27 degrees with a slight breeze of maybe 10-15 mph. A vast difference from most shoveling conditions in Nebraska when the temperature is in the teens with 50 mph winds.

Bowing to my middle aged years I took several breaks, took pictures of the birds in the backyard, and just let memories linger. As I entered the “plow ridge” at the bottom of the driveway I paused.

Here was another difference. In Nebraska the street plows wait until the snow stops before getting to the residential areas. If a plow had come by my Mom’s once, they came by at least a dozen times pushing and packing snow at the bottom of the driveway. The streets looked good and passable, if you could get out.

As I paused to start the heavy lifting a pickup with a blade drove by, I glanced and nodded. He stopped, asked if I would like the bottom pushed out, and I smiled and gave the thumbs up. In less than two minutes the bottom was clear. Turns out, he was the son of a neighbor two houses down and 45 years later I meet  Bobby Milton. A name I hadn’t heard in many many years. I didn’t know him, and he didn’t remember me, but he was probably 10 years older and into racing cars when I was in elementary school. But when I mentioned his Great Dane, Xeno he smiled and said, “You really did grow up here.”

He then went across the street and pushed out another neighbors driveway where a nine year old boy had been shoveling for several hours. It was a random act of kindness, one of several in the week I will remember.

Day 42/365: Remembering Mom

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Day 42: Mom Loved Flowers

Mom loved flowers. Not the extravagant fussy kind like roses, nor the hot house flowers such as carnations, but random, creative arrangements of lilies and wildflowers, with a profusion of color. It was always a challenge at Mothers Day and her birthday to find creative arrangements to send. She always enjoyed describing them to me over the phone. I think she would have been happy with this.

Day 41/365: Prayer Shawl

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Day 41: Prayer Shawl

Just one of the many comforts I received at my Mothers bedside was from Mary, a Hartford  Hospital chaplain.  After initially talking with her in the mid afternoon, she returned later with a Prayer Shawl knitted by the ladies from her church especially for patients and families at the hospital. She wrapped it around my shoulders and it’s warmth and comfort was overwhelming as we said prayers and the final service for my Mother.

“May God’s love be upon this shawl

and with you as it warms, comforts and embodies you.

Through our needlework, may it be a reminder

our prayers and thought are with you.”


The Prayer Shawl Ministry

The First Congregational Church, Canton Center, CT

 

 

Day 40/365: Friendly’s Sundae Break

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Day 40: Friendly's Sundae Break

Oh, how this Mint Chocolate Chip Sundae at Friendly’s Restaurant hit the spot. Every part of this sundae from the whipped cream to the smooth ice cream and rich hot chocolate was so delicious and the best part is I shared it with my best friend Laura.

A friend who opened up her door early Saturday morning at 1:30 am and let me crash on her couch, a friend who held my hand through the worst of the day, and a friend who from across 1500 miles still knows when I need a phone call before I do.

We don’t have Friendly’s Restaurants in Nebraska, and every time I go home to Connecticut this tradition has to be fulfilled. There isn’t any other ice cream restaurant like it in the United States. Sure, they serve food, and other restaurants serve ice cream, but none dedicates a whole menu just to sundaes.

A little part of world disappeared as we sat, laughed, and made mmmmm,….,mmmmm sounds as we savored our twin mint chocolate chip sundaes.

Day 40: Couldn't resist another picture...a "Happy Ending"

 

Day 39/365: Night Trees and Snow

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Day 39: Night Snow in the Trees
Day 39: Snow and Peace

At 1:30 am I walked out of Hartford Hospital feeling numb, exhausted, overwhelmed, and into a surreal environment that did not match my previous fifteen hours. The day started with a morning meeting with my Mothers health care team in the neuro-intensive care floor and ended in the hospital chapel as my Mother was received into heaven into the loving arms of Jesus Christ her Lord and Savior.

The physical difference of the machine dominated room compared to the scene that welcomed me outside made me stop and take a deep breath. Snow fell gently to the ground and I was transfixed. I stood and stared at the wonder around me that looked unreal, pristine, and untouched.

I was alone, not a person in sight, and a great sense of peace and calm overcame me as I lifted my face to the sky and gave thanks to God for His many blessings.  It was only then I felt whole again and not torn or anxious.

God’s reminders are everywhere, His messages are found in unexpected places and unexpected times. This time is was a quiet snowy night, outside the hospital doors.