Author: Jeanne Lemmon Skinner

Winter’s Beauty!

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Every season has beauty!

All I saw when I raised the blind was another gray, rainy day. January and February are known for long, gray days in Ohio. My eyes went to the birdfeeder and then this tree. It was beautiful!

I knew I had to get a picture, so I headed outside. I took several shots and then began to explore the yard. I noticed a few green leaves pushing through the dirt, a busy squirrel digging in my flower bed, and two robins hunting for worms. It was great! Mother Nature had given me a dose of her natural medicine.

We have several more weeks of these rainy, gray days but today there is snow on the ground. It brightens the day even with gray clouds. It’s not enough to shovel, but enough to make everything look fresh. I’m grateful.

I enjoy living in a state where I can experience four different seasons. This winter has been mild, and we are all eager to see if that will continue. I don’t want a delayed winter. Please no snow on my hyacinths this year! Today I will walk in the snow and look for other beautiful things nature has waiting to be discovered. Every day has something to rejoice in, and I need to remember that!

Pollyannas Make Us Grateful!

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The Glad Game can change anyone’s outlook!

I was talking with a friend who had never seen the movie Pollyanna, but she knew what it meant to be called a Pollyanna. I think if there were more Pollyannas, people would be happier. Think of all the books written about how to be happy. Surrounding oneself with happy people is one of the suggestions.

Pollyanna was written in 1913 by Eleanor H. Porter. It eventually became a board game and a movie. It’s the story of a little girl who went to live with her rich aunt after her missionary parents had died. Her father had taught her the glad game and she taught it to the people of the town.

It’s definitely a feel good movie, which I like. It’s also a lesson in gratitude. Finding something to be glad about when a person is facing great difficulties is a challenge, but there is always something. Maybe it’s just a friend to talk to, which of course is something to really be grateful for!

Pollyanna is a fictitious character, but the story had a tremendous effect on its readers and obviously the entertainment world. I know it had an effect on me.

Mountain of the Holy Cross

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Once was a national monument!

I discovered this photo in Michael Medved’s book God’s Hand on America. The photograph was taken in 1873 by William Henry Jackson in Colorado. The story of him carry heavy photographic equipment and developing the picture on site was fascinating.

The cross was formed by deep fissures in the mountain that were filled with snow. Explorers had talked about seeing it since the 1840s. When Jackson and his party finally reached a point above the fog, they were rewarded by seeing the gleaming cross. As they stared, a magnificent rainbow appeared. The men were awed by this sacred sign. The site became a holy site and attracted thousands. Some attributed miraculous cures to it.

The photo was widely popular and in 1951 became a postage stamp. Unfortunately, sometime in the 1940s the right arm of the cross was lost due to rock slides. The site was a national monument from 1929 until 1950. I thought some of you might find this as interesting as I did.

What Inspires You?

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Where does the path lead?

This picture hung in my classroom all year. It was now spring and one of my students asked, “When are we going to write about that picture?” I had not thought about making that an assignment. I told her if the picture inspired her she should write about it, and I would love to read it. She said she didn’t like to write that much! So Sad!

The picture could be the basis for several stories. At the end of the path there’s a tree that the cat would climb in my story. The tree allows the cat to have a different perspective of the garden. She would see the homes of the garden insects and critters and appreciate the beauty of what the gardener created. Maybe she’d see the gardener differently and understand why he didn’t want her using his flower beds as a giant litter box! It’s just a thought.

I enjoy art and don’t feel every piece speaks to me. But when they do, I feel I have a connection with the artist. Someone took this picture who had an artistic eye. I wonder what he or she would write about it. Any thoughts?

Beautiful Imperfections!

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This bowl was created with a bump!

I love pottery. In fact my husband calls me a pottery junkie. This is one of my treasured bowls. I like it because it’s so different. I have a cupboard full of pottery bowls that were each uniquely created.

There is a Psalm that calls God the potter and refers to us as the clay. I’ve always liked that. It also helps me accept the fact that I’m not perfect and don’t have to be. My bowls aren’t perfectly created and yet they are beautiful and they hold a variety of things.

We hold a variety of talents and knowledge. I have bumps and imperfect coloring, but I still have talents. I can make a great pie and I can design a beautiful flower bed. However, being a good person who accepts others is what is most important to me.

The political environment of our country is so divisive it’s scary. I love my family and friends for who they are as unique individuals, and it really doesn’t matter if we have different political views. The potter who created me, created them, so I think that’s what is important. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone remembered our shared creator?

Fairies and Fires!

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A Fire Provides More Than Warmth!

I love our wood burning fireplace. No, I don’t mind building the fires or removing the ashes. I think a fire has a magical quality as many stories have been told along side one.

Obviously man has used fire for centuries for heat, light, and cooking. It also keeps unwanted animals away. It even keeps the fairies away until the fire dies down and only the embers are left. The soft, red glow of the embers is an invitation to the fairies to come out of hiding. They cautiously gather in the ring of light and the ceremony begins.

The dance of the fairies is well known for its beauty and mystical quality. Only a few have witnessed it. I was told the fairies’ wings were silver and their clothes shimmered in soft colors of blue and green. After the dance, wishes were taken to the embers to see if they would be granted. Wishes that caught fire were accepted and white smoke carried them into the night sky.

I wonder if this will work in my fireplace. I think it’s worth a try!

Tell Me About Yourself!

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What a terrible comment!

Could you be more specific? Perhaps ask where I’m from or my education or what is my job? I just heard this remark on a TV show and was irritated. I can remember sitting in a chair squirming while the guy across from me grinned. He had said, Tell me about yourself! What did he want to hear? My life’s story? I won a blue ribbon for the train I drew in elementary school; I should have started with that.

This was not a job interview, but it felt like it. I was introduced to a friend of the man I eventually married. If I hadn’t been so intimidated, I could have thought of some interesting attributes!

People are interesting. Their talents are discovered through conversation. Artists, chefs, writers, and scholars can be revealed. I don’t think anyone would share his or her talent in response to that comment. Maybe the best response is, I’m a great listener. Tell me all about you!

Coffee is more than a drink!

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The joy of a cup of java!

Many of us begin our day with a cup of coffee, but it took The Boston Tea Party for coffee to become the drink of the people. Rebelling against the tax on tea, the colonists turned to coffee. Coffee was part of the rations the soldiers (both Union and Confederate) received during the Civil War. During WWII, coffee was rationed here in order to ensure our soldiers had enough. After the war, instant coffee became popular. My mother drank it, and I don’t know how. Yuck!

Coffee has had a profound effect on society. There are coffee houses, coffee breaks, coffee groups, and “Let’s meet for coffee.” The quiet time spent talking over a cup of coffee is special. It’s a time of sharing and listening. For many, it’s a time to relax and perhaps reconnect with those who are important in our lives. Our lives are busy and sitting down with a cup of coffee is frequently needed. The caffeine helps too!

I salute James Folger, Maxwell House and the Hills Brothers for promoting the sell of coffee. They were rewarded financially, but we were rewarded with a drink that brings people together in a quiet, communal way. Enjoy your coffee and those you share a cup with, it’s an important part of any day.

Waiting, Just Waiting

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Waiting for Snow!

A sled without snow is useless. All it can do is sit and wait for the flurries to fly. It makes me think of Dr. Seuss’s Oh, the Places You’ll Go! and the Waiting Place where people just wait. Over the holidays I heard a lot about what people were waiting for in 2020.

Students are waiting to hear where they will be accepted for college, others waiting to hear about jobs, a few waiting for medical tests to be completed. All are waiting. The question is what do we do while we wait?

I admit I’m not very good at waiting. I choose not to be like the sled and just sit, so I’ve learned to redirect my energies if I can’t affect the wait time. There is always someone who needs help and there is always something that needs to be done. I love a new project that takes my mind off whatever I’m waiting to happen.

I don’t want to spend much time in Dr. Seuss’s Waiting Place. It isn’t a pleasant place and nothing gets accomplished. If you find yourself there, look around and see where you are needed. Giving of your time and talents will help you feel confident about what lies ahead. Also if it ever snows, get on a sled and enjoy the ride!

Food for Good Luck!

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Eating Black-Eyed Peas is a Southern Tradition

I have never eaten black-eyed peas. Every New Year’s Day I eat sauerkraut and pork. I grew up believing it brought good luck in the coming year. I decided to do a little research to find out why.

Pigs move forward in rooting for food and since we are moving into a new year, it seems appropriate. The German settlers ate sauerkraut with their pork and since many Germans settled in Ohio their traditions have continued. I also read that cabbage counts as a green leafy vegetable that brings fortune in the new year.

In the South, black-eyes peas reign as the New Year’s meal for good fortune. One story is that the only food Union soldiers didn’t take during the Civil War was black-eyed peas. They thought it was food for the animals. To have the peas spared was indeed good fortune!

Grapes are also considered a food to bring good fortune and in Spain they are eaten as the clock strikes midnight. In addition, eating a green leafy vegetable brings good luck along with cornbread because it is yellow like gold. I never knew I had these food options to bring me good luck!

I will continue my family tradition and have pork and sauerkraut cooked with apples. That along with mashed potatoes and gravy will be delicious. The diet begins January 2, so I plan on enjoying my New Year’s meal! Happy New Year, everyone!