Being Native
Nature, Life John W Wilson Nature, Life John W Wilson

Being Native

Once, in the days before children, in earliest years of marriage, we went camping with another couple. Dear friends. It was winter. We were young. It was cold. We stayed in a tent. The temperature dipped into the teens.

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I’m Ready
Nature, Grief John W Wilson Nature, Grief John W Wilson

I’m Ready

Still wet. Still cold. Going to get colder still. The forecast low Thursday is 14. I’d say that will be a hard freeze. A squeeze the life out of everything freeze.

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Star Light
Nature, Life John W Wilson Nature, Life John W Wilson

Star Light

There was a second big storm yesterday. This one brought hail and rain. My son and I pulled our vehicles under the carport and watched the ice fall.

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Tear Day
John W Wilson John W Wilson

Tear Day

This is about grief. So, turn away if that bothers you. Yesterday started out with much promise. The weather had warmed, the sun was out, the roads were clear, and I had a list of errands to run.

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Almost Done 2
Nature John W Wilson Nature John W Wilson

Almost Done 2

As I suspected, the snow in my little piece of Texas departed the scene with the arrival of the sun. Its exodus sped up when the temperature crossed 32. The pasture is once again wearing its brown winter uniform while the winter greens are still green.

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It Comes in Silence
Nature John W Wilson Nature John W Wilson

It Comes in Silence

I like the silence of snow. It falls with grace and arrives in dignity. It’s in no hurry to leave, either. Unlike its cousin the rain, which splatters and clatters and is always rushing off to get somewhere else, snow sits around, enjoys the view, and waits for the sun.

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Grandmother’s House
Nature John W Wilson Nature John W Wilson

Grandmother’s House

Well, this weather event is interesting, in that Chinese curse sort of way, may you live in interesting times. All week long I was looking toward today and relief, only to realize last night that we have another round of winter scheduled for today.

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Almost Done
John W Wilson John W Wilson

Almost Done

Woke up to the sound of snow melt this morning when I went out onto the porch. Our temperature is 33 and promises to go a little bit higher today. We’re still scheduled for hard, cold nights, but it seems the weather picture is shifting back to our favor here in Central Texas.

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A Good Break
Nature, Life John W Wilson Nature, Life John W Wilson

A Good Break

I made a pot of beans yesterday. Which seems relatively mundane until you realize it took a crock pot eight hours to do it. And yesterday there were people unable to even heat themselves much less run a crock pot for eight hours.

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Let It Snow
Nature, Life John W Wilson Nature, Life John W Wilson

Let It Snow

First, I am eternally grateful we still have power. Second, we’ve turned the thermostats down to 58, which isn’t something we do even in the dead of summer.

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The Embrace
Life, Grief John W Wilson Life, Grief John W Wilson

The Embrace

There’s a picture of a hug on my phone. It’s between me and my late wife. Her left cheek rests on my right breast, the top of her head close to my chin, her face turned to the camera. She’s smiling.

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Gray Days
Nature John W Wilson Nature John W Wilson

Gray Days

I hate to make a big deal out of something a lot of people experience all the time, but it is getting really cold. It’s going to be a where-were-you-when event.

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Hard Water
John W Wilson John W Wilson

Hard Water

All my trees and plants are bowed down paying homage to water. It started yesterday with a thunderstorm in 30-degree weather.

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