flowers in ice

Flower-Gathering by Robert Frost

I LEFT you in the morning,
And in the morning glow,
You walked a way beside me
To make me sad to go.
Do you know me in the gloaming,
Gaunt and dusty gray with roaming?
Are you dumb because you know me not,
Or dumb because you know?

Childhood memories.

"Put somme cardboard in it boys.'

The Irish have entered the world of strange sports.

          

The season of goodwill was firmly put to one side in the Republic of Ireland earlier after hundreds took part in an annual Christmas Tree throwing competition. the 'sport' is very popular in the Scandinavian countries of northern Europe.  Held in Ennis, County Clare since 2012, it's a simple contest. Who can throw a 5ft Christmas tree the furthest?  The traditional trophy is an old badminton trophy with a badminton racket hanging out of it and a Christmas tree on top.

Bald Knob, Cold Knob

  

About 30 years or so ago, the family (me, wife, 2 young boys) took a trip on the Cass Railroad in WVa.  It was a nice fall day, about 70 degrees at the departure point.  As the train ambled up the ridiculously beautiful mountain, the temperature kept falling.  By the time we made it to the mountain top it was well below freezing with a fierce wind to boot.  The train was not heated.  I took off my long sleeve shirt to give one of my kids some warmth.  I still had a t-shirt on but was as cold as I could be.  My wife had a light jacket that she wrapped around the other child, leaving her like me wearing a short sleeve t-shirt.  We were all shivering with no recourse.  An hour and a half up the mountain;  an hour and a half return.  Someone, a sympathetic woman gave us a chocolate bar that we split and tasted so comforting..

I love W.Va but that day we were unprepared.
By the way, near the top of the mountain was the remnants of a small town tucked in a small hollow.  I don't remember the name but at the time it was recognized has having the coldest temp ever recorded in the Continental US.

Cows on ice

This winter is ruff on all

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZP60-syBeY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZU-owLWV3Q

Will we ever understand the English?

On New Year's Eve in Allendale, England, villagers carry burning barrels of tar on their heads. The 45 barrel carriers - called Guisers - parade through the town and the whisky barrels are used to light a bonfire at midnight in the town center while spectators and participants shout "Be damned to he who throws last." Hey sounds good to me, burning tar on my head.

Loyalty

A dog had been faithfully lying beside the body of its 67 year old deceased owner for several weeks when the pair were discovered in a flat in Hungary.  She was severely malnourished when found, could not stand, and had to be dragged away.  She's doing well.