Appreciating the Cold

I wrote this three years ago, but I’m repeating it today because last week was just like this.

It was five above zero when I put on my down jacket, pulled the earflaps down on my cap, grabbed my walking stick and set out from the cabin for my morning walk. The sun, struggling to climb above the pine woods to the east provided a bit of light for what had been a very dark night, but offered little warmth as I headed down the trail.

How soon one forgets how quiet a chilly winter morning can be. I heard not a sound, no crow call, no rustling of dead oak leaves, no creaking of bare tree limbs. Nothing, save for the crunch, crunch of the cold snow under my boots as I trudged along, often stopping to listen and hearing nothing. Hearing silence.

As the landscape grew lighter with the rising sun, the frost covered branches of the trees along the trail sparkled and glittered and reminded me how beautiful can be the most simple of things—morning frost in first light.

Upon returning to the cabin, I pushed another stick of oak wood in the wood stove, sat in my rocking chair with a cup of coffee and reminded myself that life couldn't get much better than this.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Take time to appreciate the simple things.

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Wednesday, January 11. 6:30 p.m. Midvale Lutheran Church, 4329 Tokay Blvd. (corner of Midvale and Tokay), Fellowship Hall. Launch of new book, NEVER CURSE THE RAIN. Books available on site for sale and signing from Mystery to Me bookstore. All are welcome. Enter the church from the parking lot. Enter north door where an elevator is available to lower level Fellowship Hall.

Saturday, January 14. 9:00 -12:00 a.m. Sequoia Library, Madison. Writing Workshop.”Writing From Your Life” Limited enrollment. Contact Sequoia Library: 608-266-6385.

Saturday, January 21 Noon. Heidel House, Green Lake, WI. Pheasants Forever. Noon talk. Whispers and Shadows. Book signing.

Saturday, February 11, 2:15. Garden Expo, Alliant Center, Madison. Roshara Journal

Sunday, February 12, 1:00 p.m. Garden Expo, Alliant Center, Madison. TV documentary “Never Curse the Rain” book signing and discussion.

Purchase Jerry’s DVDS and his Books from the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose, Wisconsin (a fundraiser for them):

The library now has available signed copies of Jerry’s DVDs:
Emmy Winner, A Farm Winter with Jerry Apps (based on The Quiet Season book.)
Jerry Apps a Farm Story (based on Rural Wit and Wisdom and Old Farm books.)
The Land with Jerry Apps, (based on the book Whispers and Shadows.)

Also available are several of Jerry’s signed books including: Jerry’s newest novel, The Great Sand Fracas of Ames County. and Wisconsin Agriculture: A History.
Jerry’s newest books, Roshara Journal (with photos by Steve Apps) and Telling Your Story—a guide book for those who want to write their stories—are also available.

Contact the library for prices and special package deals.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984
barnard@wildroselibrary.org
www.wildroselibrary.org
920-622-3835