The Snowflake Chronicles

Things I Love

4 Masa’il 163 B.E. - December 15, 2006

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Snowflakes as they fall bring back memories of my grandparents’ house in Oklahoma. I sit in the living room, watching the falling snow cover the front yard, creating a field of white that extended to the horizon and hid the landing fields of the airport across the road. Waking up the next day to wait for the snowplows to come and clear the road and the landing fields.

Oak leaves falling from the neighbors tree in late November after the first freeze in Las Vegas. Multicolored leaves blow across the street and under the wheels of passing cars. On those rare occasions when we get snow in the valley, the neighbors’ kids make roll the snow and the leaves into huge balls for the bodies of leafmen that stand in their yard until the late rising sun melts them a few days later.

Birthday presents wrapped in silver and gold Christmas paper, with red and green bows on top of the package. That I carefully unwrap because if the paper isn’t damaged, it can be used again. Grandma Newland always emphasized that the paper was reusable. You don’t use the paper to wrap gifts in again, but you use it to line draws and shelves.

Roses of any color, but especially black roses; those deep purple that look dark velvet black. They remind me of the depth of space as seen on a clear night in Oklahoma, as you look into the sky toward the edge of the Milky Way.

Horehound candy wrapped individually. Small bit sized pieces that I can pop in my mouth and let them slowly melt. Or I can make a cup of hot tea and drink it while the candy is in my mouth and let the tea melt the candy.

Valentines candy, the little heart shaped bit sized hearts that have message on them. The kind some girls used to give to you boyfriends in grade school, I got them, but never had anyone to give them too. I ate them myself and wondered what it was like to share candy with a guy.

Cats: Spot, who lays on me when I go to bed, he lays on my chest and shoulder purring in my ear until I go to sleep. Lion who won’t let me stay up after midnight (time), but rubs against my legs until I go to bed. Midnight who has half a dozen white hairs on this throat like stars in the night sky. Troubles, who got her name because she kept running across the bedroom floor before she opened her eyes. Beauty the long silky haired black cat. Prince the one with the black strips. Rusty who was pregnant when my sister gave her to us. Balou grandma cat.

Hot coffee that is strong, dark; sometimes with chocolate; sometimes unadorned without any thing but the rich dark brew and grown anywhere in the world.

Chocolate kisses and hugs; any type of chocolate.