Monday Musings

I produce my weekly blog, but beyond this endeavor, my creative juices are dammed, have ceased to flow. Perhaps the ennui is a result of the bombardment of news. I am a news junkie, but the overload of political information has saturated my neurons. The excessive input has blunted any output. Finally, I wrote two haiku last week after a dearth of writing. Hopefully, the sprout of poetry will lead to a robust crop of words… …from a tiny drip to a brisk stream of consciousness. Do you ever feel stuck in a rut, unable to progress? What tricks do you use to break free? You can follow the Author on her  Website  or  X .

  A week ago was Epiphany Sunday. As guests at a local church, we experienced a new tradition. The ushers stepped forward in what we expected to be the passing of plates, the usual request for offerings. Instead, the officiant entreated the congregants to take a simple gift from the brass coffers. We were instructed to reach in without looking and select a wooden star. Each star had a single word inscribed. The pastor asked us to place the star at a location in our home where we could see it each day and meditate on its meaning in our lives. Just as the Star from the East, led the Wise Men towards Bethlehem, this token is to become a guide star in our future days. You may wish to choose a word to motivate you in 2025. You can follow the Author on her  Website  or  X .

  The first big storm of 2025 arrived over the weekend. Governor Stein declared a  State of Emergency  before the event to permit citizens and civil authorities to prepare properly. The white fluff was only a few inches deep, but the icy rain that preceded the snow made for a deadly combination. Our area received about 4 inches. Traffic on the main highway in our area, NC Route 421, between Wilkesboro and Boone, was at a standstill for several hours due to two semis jackknifing, one on either side of the road, near Deep Gap. Closer to home, our serpentine mountain roads, with several steep grades, were a nightmare. Two construction pickups with trailers jackknifed and blocked egress. Our postman slid all the way down the community entrance road, across the county road, and down the opposite embankment into some trees. Several residents had to abandon their vehicles on the roadside after failing to climb the rise. At least 20 cars got stuck on the two-mile county access ro...

  Blizzards  and ice storms are impacting a large portion of the US. I spent over 50 years in northern climates: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Montana. Today, I live in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where we are usually blessed with a temperate climate. These days, I dread going out if wintry weather is predicted. Unlit, narrow, switchback mountain roads with no guardrails can be treacherous if covered in ice and snow, especially if untreated with salt or unplowed. I awoke to an icy fog, pine boughs bowed with the weight of icicles. As the sun rose and its radiant heat bore down on the scene, a constant “raining” sound occurred: the tinkle of ice and dripping water. Now, the trees stand upright, branches raised. It’s a good day to stay inside. Chili is cooking in the Crockpot, the aroma warming the senses. The perfect time to snuggle down with a good book. Or maybe go out and frolic in the snow, like these folks in  Washington, DC . You can view a delightful ...