The north wind rushed up like a ragged feist dog, gnawing the backs of my hands with hard little raindrop-teeth. An old sweet gum nearby shuddered in her sleep and moaned slightly, as the sky fell down about us.

I reached out and placed finger tips lightly upon her living flank, and bowed my forehead to the ancient crevasses of her breast, in one moment sharing a primal memory of a time when man and wood and stone and sky were one.

A single red-brown leaf flittered across the forest floor like a crippled sparrow, and breathing-in nothing but a breath of silence, I lifted the axe and again turned to the work of men.

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), January 24, 2002

Answers

(to the new answers page, thank you)

-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), January 25, 2002.

clapping wildy

-- helen (bravo@need.some.more), January 25, 2002.

Excellent, Lon!!

I have only one cavil; a Texas north wind is simply unable to gnaw on hands. Now an Alberta North wind chomps with teeth sharpened in Siberia and strengthened in the rush over the pole :-(

Our high today was about -23C (-10F, for the old fogies amongst us ;-) Yes. I did say "high", although I'm not sure that was quite the right term...

-- Tricia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.net), January 26, 2002.

That was wonderful Lon! Were you cutting down a tree for firewood? It sure turned cold. I don't even want to THINK about an Alberta North wind! YIKES! Tricia, the problem is that it was 80 one day and then 40 the next. The body just can't adjust that quickly. But then, I'd NEVER adjust to -10!!!!!!!!!!! ;-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), January 26, 2002.

Trish, I can tell you've never been in the woods with a Texas norther blowing in, with a light rain, just turning to sleet, and the grey sky hovering about your ears. And it always catches me by surprise. Just three days ago, we saw an alligator swimming by in the bayou, and now it's decided to play winter again. By next week, we're supposed to have highs in the 70's.

The worst thing about winter in south Texas, is the clothes. My winter wardrobe is a pair of socks to wear with my flip-flops, some carduroy cut-offs, and a heavy-weight Hawiian shirt.

(You're just being smug because you know that in a few days, you'll be lolling in the sun down at Didney Whorl with Unk and company.)

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-- Lon Frank (lgal@exp.net), January 26, 2002.

Lon, Mish Trish just THINKS she's been cold 'cause she's been in Candahuvia for a little while.

You're absolutely right ... she's not been cold till a blue norther blows through 'er.

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), January 26, 2002.

Welllllllllllll, Lon, you may be right... Disney Whirl is big on my mind these days! ;-) I can hardly wait. And daytime "highs" near -25C (-13 or so F) give the waiting a certain edge that I doubt it would have if I lived in balmy (or is that barmy? ;-) Texas.

As for you, Robert... you didn't even answer my invitation to join us in Florida, so you're in my black book right now, and I don't mean the one with hot guy's phone numbers!!!! (Hmmmph, blue northers blowing through me indeed. T'ain't nothin' gonna blow through this gal!)

I wish we could visit Disney with every FRLian I've been lucky enough to meet here (or on the original BB), but things just don't seem to be working out that way. Maybe in a couple of years for our silver anniversary? Put it in your planners, people :-)

-- TRicia the Canuck (jayles@telusplanet.ent), January 28, 2002.

AAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacckkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk..............

Skewered by the fair Canadiaiainainainain. (You didn't get the reply? Guess I need to use stealth geese rather than Lon's carrier pigeon service.)

Just back from a couple days on bsiness in Huntsville, Alarbamer. Anything else go on?

-- R. A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (racookpe@earthlink.net), January 30, 2002.