Winter updates

This morning we woke up to another 6 or 8 inches of snow, a heavy, wet snow that is difficult to shovel but good for snowmen and snowballs.  I wonder what it has done to St. Olaf's, the ice basilica on the campus of Notre Dame? Photos and film clips of the Mass that Fr. Pete, one of Notre Dame's most beloved priests right now, along with Fr. Greg, Holy Cross's religious superior, concelebrated on Monday night, for the Feast of Candlemas, have been a bright spot circulating the internet.

  

slipping in the igloo

My photos don't quite do it justice, so you should watch one of the videos, like this one: St. Olaf's

You might not be able to tell from my photos, but there is an ice altar, stained glass, and even ice crucifix inside. I'm not sure how they sculpted it, but it is beautifully done and quite the masterpiece.  When we walked by yesterday, a jar was overflowing with cash - a hand written note indicated donations would be given to Our Lady of the Road, a ministry to people in need on the south side of the city. My daughter and I volunteered there with other parishioners last week. We were on the clean up shift after the breakfast service, but many people were lingering over coffee and cold hash browns. Although it is not typically an overnight shelter, during this weather, the facility offers couches to sleep on, so we put washed sheets back on the couches and chairs, put away dishes and wiped tables. It wasn't much work, but it was a valuable reminder of the needs in our community.  

The basilica replica was built by a couple of architecture students. There's also an ice igloo - maybe a confessional? - next to it with a bench and sparkle lights, and in front of another dorm is the beginning of another structure- perhaps abandoned when the basilica set the standard for ice structures so high - but the half built walls look like the beginnings of a stage or a fort. 

We finally put our woodburning fireplace to use, and nothing is more pleasant than to sit by the fireplace and read after dinner. I have a friend who posted a video that flashed scenes of winter wrecks, people shoveling, and cars snowed in, followed by bright scenes of California palm trees waving in the sunshine, people walking the beach, and convertibles with the tops down, to point out how great California is. What it doesn't show is people laughing while skiing or sledding or building ice castles or staying cozy by the fire with a warm cup of tea!

This isn't reading by the fire - no photos yet! - but cozy reading in bed

The wonder is that all of these delights - and different kinds of difficulties (traffic jams, fires, storms) - are all a part of the experience of life in America.  If my kids learned anything from moving around, I hope they learned that there are many wonderful places and no perfect ones - except maybe the Yorkshire Dales! (loving this season of All Creatures Great and Small!)   

A flashback: it's the beginning of birthday season around here, and the little guy on the left in this photo just turned 26. Lots of happy memories!

Scenes from winter

During this winter of discontent, here are some scenes of winter wonder: 

Snow, snow and more snow around our house. Every day we have to shovel again because more snow has fallen during the night. Each morning and each evening, I check on our pond with 2 koi who are hopefully hibernating. I add pots of hot water around the filter and the bubbler to keep them from freezing. I don't know how the fish are going to make it. 

  

I tried to capture the glitter of the sun on the icy snow, but my camera/photo skills are not commensurate with the task.

   

Scenes from different days: An overlooked Christmas ornament and a snowman who since being made has been buried.

A couple weekends ago we went to Nashville to watch our daughter run at Vanderbilt. As a bonus, we visited the Country Music Hall of Fame to satisfy our middle schooler and visited with my cousin who is a Dominican sister and my college friend whose son was also running. 

  

Taylor Swift's outfits, a retrospective of Dolly Parton's career, and Elvis's gold Cadillac were highlights of the CMHF.

   

Oh! And some memorabilia from Hee-Haw!

On the way home we stopped to see my parents and family, and the next day we visited the Indianapolis Museum of Art, which was free in honor of Martin Luther King Day, with our granddaughter and our son and daughter-in-law. Nothing is sweeter right now than watching that baby discover the world. She is so adorable - curious and cute. 

 

 

The Clowes Pavilion has a light show. My grandparents often took me and my siblings to the Indianapolis Museum of Art, now called Newfields, but the galleries have changed a lot. I don't recognize much of the museum but this Tiffany window from the Indpls Presbyterian Church in honor of Benjamin Harrison, the courtyard, and the little dark room that houses a Rembrandt self-portrait, are all still familiar. The Robert Indiana LOVE sculpture used to be outside but has been moved in because of weathering.

I always love an image of Charity being mauled by hungry children.