I’m over at The Blood-Red Pencil blog today having some fun with Valentine’s Day jokes, so if you need a laugh, hop on over. But do stay here long enough to read this wonderful essay by my Wednesday’s Guest today, Slim Randles. I enjoy his stories so much and especially loved this essay about snow. So many people have been blasted by the winter storms that just seem to keep on coming, I thought looking at snow from a slightly different perspective would be nice. To keep us all warm as we jump into a snowbank with Slim, lets have a cup of hot cider.
Somehow the snow is a little like Christmas. We can expect it. We can listen to the television weather and expect it. But still, when it comes, it’s like a gift a wonderful unwrapped gift, because it is the wrapping.
Doc found it when he turned on the porch light before dawn and the sheer whiteness of it came to him, and he smiled and let the cup of coffee warm his hands and the coffee itself warm his insides.
Snow – whether it’s an inch or three feet – tucks us in, he thought. It’s an act of love, covering each of us equally, as a mother would do. There should be an ordinance, he thought, smiling, that no one should be required to get out and drive in it, shovel it, curse it, until at least the initial magic has passed. Soon enough, we realize, it will be plowed into muddy strips on our streets and slushed into the gutters and our shoes will complain and we’ll have to be careful not to track it in the house. That comes later. Road closures … they come later, too. When these heavy gray heavens pull back to reveal the moon and the sun, the cold will come, along with the threat of ruptured pipes.
But not now. Right now, in the holiness of early morning, Doc had the best of the snow. The gentle, eternally silent blessing of winter.
It should stay that way at least through breakfast, he thought. At least through breakfast.
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I’m also pleased to announce that Slim has a new book out. He has written many, and you can find out about them HERE. His latest is a book for children of all ages.
Ol’ Jimmy Dollar
Slim Randles
52 pages; 8 x 10 hb ISBN 978-1-936744-40-4 $24.95
Rio Grande Books
info@nmsantos.com www.LPDPress.com
Ol’ Jimmy Dollar is Slim Randles’ first children’s book. An award-winning author and
syndicated columnist from Albuquerque, Randles is known for his adult books but this kids’ story has been rolling around in his brain for years. It is about Jimmy and his dogs’ – Utensil, A-Frame, and Awesome. Cowboys and Cowgirls will love this simple, cute tale. The book was illustrated by award-winning artist, Jerry Montoya of Grants, New Mexico.
Ol’ Jimmy Dollar makes for sweet dreams and if you have a dog, even better!