Winter on Stauffer
Not all aspects of snow and winter are bad. I remember my days when Orlin and I were farming. The only way to get through some aspects of winter was to make fun out of the work. Orlin got a kick out of me when I would clean the gutters in the dairy barn. It was my pride and joy when I had the last carrier loaded with manure and pushed it out of the barn to the huge manure pile in the cow yard. I got to sprinkle lime on the walk way and make everything clean and white . . . for a time. Hey . . . it got me through the less than glamorous chores. It also taught me that chores are a necessary portion of the life that we have to enjoy. Wouldn’t have missed a single day of those farming days. The memories are and will always be sweet.
Today, Dennis and I both shopped together for our Christmas present to each other. We checked out the options in Fleet Farm. I tried out several. Dennis tried out several. Which maneuvered the easiest. Which choice pushed fairly easily along the aisles. Some options were heavy. Some options had wood 
handles. We both decided on the one that was easy to handle and lightweight. It also was easy on the eyes. WE have a new snow pusher!! It’s going to replace the older gray one. I doubt that the old gray one will hit the garbage at this time. The old one still has some wear left in it . . . as long as the screw that is holding the handle on survives. Dennis and I will just be able to do a push in tandem down the driveway. I believe we can’t complain as the gray one was purchased ten years ago. Just as decades ago, I plan on making fun out of the snow that I am sure is still to come. The best part is the snow that I push will disappear in time to come, not like the barn chores product that had to be moved again to make room for more.
Not all things “winter” are bad. Last night when I was getting the house ready to be shut down for the night, I couldn’t believe how beautiful the sight was out of the west porch windows. The street light hit the awning just perfectly to be a backdrop of some of the snow that had become ice sculptures. Winter has much to offer. Winter has much to be enjoyed. I can still see winter through the eyes of the child that still dwells in me. Priceless.