Not talking about the weather is hard to do...It's so “in your face” literally! That strong wind whipping across the parking lot last Sunday? Well, it was good to see a lot of folks come out for our RIC Sunday! I hope those who took part and also those who could “live stream” at home felt the Spirit's presence in that worship!

It's fun to think back to former winters, and how things can change through the years. I cannot remember having “snow days” very often when I was in school. We'd listen to WCCO radio for our town's name to be announced, and I still look for Milaca to go by on the alphabetical list at the bottom of the TV screen. When we lived up in Frazee, MN, teaching school, they didn't have many snow days either. Cold weather was the thing. It would get to minus 40 degrees quite often. When students knew where you lived and that it was your car parked out front, they would get some pretty bizarre ideas to “get back” at their teacher. One early morning we awoke to find Vicks Vapo-rub smeared all over our windshield, and frozen on. It was the hardest, most stubborn goop to get off that we can remember.

Some nice things did happen. People would ask if you'd like to use their fish house some evening, and we tried ice fishing for the first time. Walking out on the lake to get to the little shack? Being sure it's the right one is important. The small lake did not have many....nothing like the whole villages you see on lakes now. So, we sat there and were pretty much bored...no TV, not much light, staring down that hole for what seemed like hours. Finally a large fish swam up to the bait, and I was determined to catch it. It finally grabbed onto the lure but not quite hard enough. As it was about to take off, I put my arm down the hole and grabbed! We had one fish to take home. A wet arm is a small price to pay.

-Bloomington Bird Lady