February 8, 2026

Here we are, finally really  into February!  Another three weeks and let's see how close to Spring we get!  It has been a strange week, with each day seeming to hold onto the next one by its coattails!   There weren't a lot of changes, but let's see what they were!  The last week or two had some changes in the state of at least one family member, who has reached a goal that he might not have wanted to reach in just this way.  It has made me think more deeply about what is in store for others of us!  Fortunately, he has friends who are sticking with him in a loving relationship.  Do I really want to pursue this topic?  Let's see what we find and how it relates to the question.  I have spent a goodly bit of time making more and more of those little cloth froggy toys.  I've passed them out to people who I think can use a tiny piece of love in the form of a peaceful little creature.  Yesterday I gave one to a politician who came to give us an encouraging talk about the local situation.  Today I cut out and started a few more, as I figure the world really needs cloth toys more than weapons!  

Remember those Amaryllis from last week, the ones that had had their roots wrapped in red wax?  They did very well this week and continued to bloom, one flower after another, on the dining room table!  Yes, that's one of those ever-present puzzles on the table top!

It's been quite a week - You may have noticed that this blog is late getting out.  It will probably be a short one too.  Here you see the Pond surrounded by snow but with a fairly large wet patch where the heater is having a bit easier time expanding the melt.  Indoors the Boxelder Bugs continue to visit me - quietly, so that I barely spot them once in a while!

Remember Chaim's "pet" Squirrel Larry?  He's a little more quiet these days - for one reason we haven't been going out back very often and the little guys WANT us to come notice them.  Chaim still has the pocket of nuts to offer them but WE HAVEN'T BEEN GOING OUT BACK VERY OFTEN - IT IS BLOODY COLD OUT THERE!  You probably recognize this as last week's portrait of Larry.  Next up is another familiar sight these days - a nice chilly Icicle.  In picture 3, the pond seems to be different depths at different places, but I think that's because the snow has piled itself at different depths depending on where you are shooting from.

Someone or Someones are still visiting the Pond, carefully going down far enough to get to the un-frozen part.  I seem to recall being told as a child not to drink icy ice water, but somebody seems not to have heard that warnng.  Actually,  the "child" in this particular instance may have heard SOME of the warning, scooting down to the edge of the water, and getting a nice sup of very cold water.  

My friends, I thought you might like to have a confirmation that the outdoor temperatures are rising, so got up from my nice warm chair to verify that, and found the outdoor temperature was 14 F.  Look, erase that thought from your mind, we'll take that reading next week instead, you'll see, you'll see.  Here -  you see that aged chair sitting behind the shed watching the little black squirrel on this side of it.  

It might cheer you up to see what this part of the yard looked like a week or two before.  It WILL warm up again.  Soon.  In just a bit.  

All right.  That was just to show you the scene can change.  In a couple of months there WILL be fishes in the pond.  And the fishes will make new fishes.  There will be frogs.  There will be unimaginable life pulsing through this landscape again.  I guess Life is like that.  All the silliness those rich men perpetrate will slow them down.   We here in our simple back yards will love Nature and nurture her.  And she will love us back and show us her bounty and her children.  I've no idea how she keeps on doing this.  But I think it has to do with our own love for her.  So, everyone, root for the home team, that is, whatever your back yard looks like. Life has to keep going on.  And on.  Boy, can I wax poetic.  But I'll shut up and let you wax your own poesy.  Spring is coming.  We know that.  I'm talking like this because I want the people I love who are shut up in nursing homes will hear some of it and gather courage, and keep alive and  keep ME alive mentally and spiritually.  LOVE  each other, and love our mother planet.  And keep it coming!  More next week, love, Martha