As life goes by

Wow! When winter appears, it just comes in a flash. Having days of warm weather tinted with cold breezes and then the wind blowing in freezing blasts of air makes a person recognize winter can be cruel. Many of the people who have moved to Lost Bridge Village on Beaver Lake have moved from areas that have the kind of weather we are now getting. They might wonder what happened to the mild weather they were looking for when they moved here. Surprise! Surprise! They have come to Arkansas where the weather changes from day to day, maybe even hour to hour. Tuesday and Wednesday are supposed to be cold and snowy (3 to 8 inches possible).
My Merlin App found a number of birds in 20 minutes or so: White-breasted Nuthatch, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse, Northern Cardinal (male and female), Dark-eyed Junco, Harry Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, and Carolina Wren. A friend of mine sent me a picture of eagles in a tree across his field. It seems like that is the tree they always sit in. They may be able to see ½ mile, so a good look out position.
The basketball games have been fun to watch and “expect to win” games exciting. When we played Texas A & M number 8 team, I felt we had a chance to win until the last minutes. It isn’t as hard to lose to a top team. Today the Razorback baseball team is playing. I am not too sure how many people will be able to sit out in the cold windy 25-30 degree weather. Those boys have to be tough to stand that kind of weather. It made me think of Jane’s grandson, Austin, who played at Lyon College in Batesville on a baseball scholarship. He has graduated now and gone on to study to be a dentist. My granddaughter, Mary Margaret, runs track for Missouri State. They travel to colleges up North and it is cold there, also. Many of their meets are indoors this semester. I have seen her run at the University of Arkansas.

My daughter, Amanda Kay, is floating for ten days on the Buffalo with a group that go each year to rivers all over the country. Amanda even likes the Polar Bear Plunge! I just can’t imagine doing that! Even sitting on bleachers watching ball games isn’t something I enjoy if the weather is cold! I understand we may have eight inches of snow Tuesday night. Hard to believe. I will watch out of my sunroom windows.
When my four girls were in sports, I watched softball, basketball, and swim team events, and one’s sport was choir and lots of choir events! Later, Rachael was in the Roller Derby and I could not stand to watch that event. I thought she was going to get killed! As Jane said, “When your kids graduate, there goes your social life.” I guess that is why I watch so many Razorback games.
Take good care of yourself. The flu has been easy to catch but hard to get rid of. The doctor told Kara to stay home, rest and stay away from others. It has taken her a week to get over it.