What a difference a couple of days of sunshine can make, even when it's cold outside like it is today. It is always a good thing this time of year to feel warmth from the sun on one's face. It's good medicine I think, even though some of those near and dear to me keep admonishing me to, "Stay inside and take care of yourself."
Well, I do dress warmly, in lots of layers just as the beloved Hannah Hauxwell did. Not that where we live comes even close to being as cold and desolate as was the bleak Yorkshire Dales where Hannah lived alone for most of her life without electricity. But, I have been inspired by her story and have even found myself quite drawn to her way of dressing. I actually see nothing wrong with wearing raggedy clothing with lots of patches and coarse stitches. Of course, for me, there's always, as a last resort, my extra warm L.L. Bean coat, but it's much too warm on days when the wind chill is above 40 degrees..
 |
Millie seemed to be on top of her game today, as she ran of her own free will across the meadows and through the woods, She's in her prime now, at four years of age, and a perfect specimen of agility and endurance. How lucky we were to have wandered, four years ago, into the animal shelter that cold February day. Why, she needed us almost as much as we needed her.
When Millie and I are out walking, it's easy to lose sight of her for just a bit, for she is so well camouflaged in the colors of the winter woods. But, it's never long before I catch a glimpse of her, sometimes standing on a rock or log looking quite majestic, almost primal, as though she's still a little wild, which sometimes I think she is, and always will be.
As I have written here before, most winter evenings we watch some old movie that one of us has recorded some time ago. It has been a lot of fun this winter because so many old Western movies have recently been made available for television. But, once we go back to Daylight Savings Time, movie time will, pretty much, be over for this year. We are now trying to clean up our recordings, deleting what we have already watched or what we aren't going to watch. However, there are a few of the movies that have become favorites that we know we will want to watch again next winter. Here's the list, along with a favorite quote from each one.
Quigley Down Under, starring Tom Selleck ("This ain't Dodge City. And you ain't Bill Hickok.")
Cast Away, starring Tom Hanks ("Wilson! I'm sorry, Wilson! Wilson, I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Wilson! I can't! Wilson! Wilson!") This is from the scene in which Wilson, the blood-faced volleyball with tufts of dried grass for hair, is bobbling away into the ocean...Well, it always makes me cry!
The Count of Monte Cristo, starring Richard Harris and Jim Caviezel (Abbe'Faria: Here is your final lesson: Do not commit the crime for which you now serve the sentence. God said; "Vengeance is mine."
Edmond Dantes: I don't believe in God.
Abbe'Faria: It doesn't matter. He believes in you."
Dances With Wolves, starring Kevin Costner (…"But, in the end he only smiled and talked of simple pleasures. He reminded me that at his age a good fire was better than anything. Ten Bears was an extraordinary man.")
There are three or four others that we will be keeping, and some musical programs, as well. Music, there's always music!
"Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.
~ Plato
 |
| Happy Adoption Day, Millie! And Happy Valentine's Day, My Sweetheart! |
Take care, all of you!
And, Happy Valentine's Day!
Mary
23 comments:
Awwwe! Aren't adoptees the best? I too appreciate Hanna H. Have you ever seen "The Rounders" with G Ford and H Fonda? It's from the 60s??? but pretty funny.
Happy Day for Millie! She looks so full of life...just happy to be alive and with someone that loves her.
Happy Valentine's Day to you, too. I just realized about the only movie I can quote from, or near quote is Steel Magnolias....where Weezer says 'I'm not crazy, M'Lynn, I've just been in a very bad mood for 40 years!' And there is another I won't quote here...
They say that dogs keep you young, and I suspect that is true. Our Gibbs is 2-1/2 years old, and keeps my hubby on the go, no matter the weather. My back issues won't take the creek-fording and mountain climb they do every day, but it keeps both of them fit and happy. Happy trails to you and Millie!
I also took advantage of the sun to layer on warm clothes and walk outside. What a difference when the sun shines!
I watched the Hannah Hauxwell episodes some years ago and have them saved on you tube to watch again. Particularly poignant is the scene when Hannah climbs wearily into her bed in the loft after a long hard day.
Lonely post - lots of memories!
I was quite affected too by Hannah H's story and find myself thinking of her from time to time. What a lonely life she had.
Millie does manage to look very majestic!!
Winter is back but Millie looks to be loving it!
My two most favorite western are tombstone & butch Cassidy & the Sundance kid. I do like Quigley tho. (And I'd watch little big man over and over). Your Millie is forever young (and beautiful).
What great photos of Millie! Mine were rescues too and I miss them so much but I can't afford any more plus my running after them and training them days are over! LOL! Millie's a beauty and she does look a little primal. I love your movies and quotes. I don't watch many movies but You Tube has lots of the old movies which I like.
I'll have to look up Hannah Hauxwell. I might have seen it but not sure. I love real life stories like that. One of my all time favorite books is Two in the Far North by Margaret E. Murie. It's an autobiography of her growing up in Alaska back in the day. She ended up marrying Olaus Murie who was a famous biologist and worked for the government studying wildlife. They had the greatest life together....her life was one adventure after another! I don't reread many books but that one I do! I think she wrote it in 1957 after Olaus died and she was at the far end of her life.
I have never been a clothes horse except when I worked but at home...I still wear some flannel shirts that my boys used to wear when they were younger. I'm frugal and practical and I like to be as self-suffcient as possible. I will definitely have to search for Hannah! thank you!
Love your sketch! I've missed them.
No movie watching together here; the farmer can't hear well enough to keep up with the words and so he goes to sleep. So for the most part I wait until he's asleep and then watch home renovation shows or musical shows. It makes me sad since we're both entering the late fall of our lives and one or the other will be left behind.
I got to walk in sunshine today too. :)
People say the same things to me too!
Great pictures of Millie. Seems like a perfect place for a dog to run.
I'm not really a movie person. Rather read the books.
Have seen all of the movies listed and so love the Count of Monte Cristo. Love watching it over and over. Janice
Your first photo here is a haunting one and I really like it. I am new here and can't figure out in what part of the country you live. Kinda-sorta North?
I'm late wishing you a Happy Valentines Day, but I hope it was wonderful. Love your photos as always. Millie looks very happy and so full of life. Our little dog turned nine this year and she still acts like a puppy most of the time. Blessings to you and your family. I hope the rest of winter is pleasant. :)
~Carolyn
I have never hear of Hannah Hauxwell , but will research and read about her. Sounds so interesting! Your Millie does blend in well with her surroundings........but how pretty her eyes shine in your photo! Keep enjoying your movies and stay warm!
How wonderful that Millie and you "found each other". Millie is beautiful and does blend in well with her surroundings! Her eyes are beautiful in your photo!
Sandra, your comment makes me think so much of Eeyore's birthday in Winnie the Pooh. "It's my birthday, the happiest day of the year." Can't you see all the presents? Can't you see the cake, the candles, the pink sugar?" However, I think a bathroom makeover might rank a bit higher than pink sugar! For a girl living on the North Dakota Plains, I would imagine you know a few things about dressing Hannah Hauxwell style. Take care, and keep warm!
Nookworm, we live in the foothills of the southern Ozarks. Some winters, we get quite a bit of snow and others very little.
You have a very charming blog here. :)
My brother recently went to New York City and woke up too early one morning, so he turned on the tv. "Bad Day at Black Rock" was on and he'd never seen it. He wouldn't tell me what it was about, except that it's not a western, as we both thought. He said it was worth watching, so I'll have to put it on my list. I don't watch many movies, but have recently discovered "Lark Rise to Candleford" and it's so excellent I can hardly believe it.
It's wonderful that your dog was "rescued" by you and the appreciation is mutual between both parties. :)
Beautiful
How wonderful to get outside and walk in the sunshine. Sounds like Millie had a great time. Those movies are some of my favorite, too.
We just watched Casablanca. A Good Year is also one of our favorites. We love old westerns. Especially those with Audie Murphy. Winter is the perfect time to snuggle and watch a good movie.
Every time I come and see that picture of Millie, it makes me happy. Just that joy of living!
Post a Comment