2012 exits tonight



"My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near"

If I had to choose just one poet as my favorite it would be Robert Frost.  While scanning and sorting more photos I  found these photos of Uncle Carl with horse and primitive sleigh.   No identification of dates or place but I am thinking this is the late 30's or very early 1940's before World War II looking at Carl as a young guy here.  Where in Pennsylvania  who knows.  When I saw the horse drawn sleigh I thought of, no not Jingle Bells, but Frost's  "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" a poem I have used through my life for different events. I have put quotes from that poem with these photos, it seems to suit them, don't you agree?  One of my projects for the coming year  is to create my own greeting cards using thoughts, sayings, poems, reflections. 

What is that tied up into the tree behind the horse in the first photo?  A box?  For what?  A marker for the hunt, but I see nothing to confirm that and this looks like a wide open field,  new  snow or the last of it ?  So many questions and thoughts generate from just a couple photos. 

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.

 

"Promises to keep" the refrain that ends the poem was the theme I used for my Business and Professional Women's presidency year back in the 70's in California.  It's an appropriate refrain for life, much to do and press on, "...we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep."  The political leaders of this country would do well to read and understand that refrain. 

Now  in moving to the New Year which will happen  quietly here for the two of us, we have no desire  to be out and about on this of all nights.  Jerry laughs, "It's the worst of nights, too many amateur drunks out there."  The warm comfort of our home suits us just fine.  There is much to be said about contentment.  Truly I do not think I have seen a  midnight hour since I don't know when, my eyelids will not stay open that long, so tonight will be no different.  Tomorrow is the Rose Parade and bowl games, we here on the Wisconsin border will be rooting for Wisconsin in the Bowl and watching with interest,  Monty Ball, Wisconsin Badger go to guy and whom I say is my cousin.  Based on the DNA research that Ancestry.com has done for me I have 7th and 8th cousins all over, so who knows.  Somewhere in the Ball genealogy are many secrets.....This New Year's poem by Edgar Guest is a great way to close the old and welcome the new year.   Happy New Year to all of you..