Ollie's Valentine Greeting

"WHY, IT'S ME, ME, ME OF COURSE!"

Dear Diary,

Ollie is a lovely Barred Owl that visits me from time to time and he sends his Valentine's greeting out to all my Blip friends. Today is the day to spread the love in any way you can even if it is only smiling at a stranger. Peanuts for Gaylord and Squirrel Nutkin this morning!

Today is also the coldest yet this winter...-15F! I photographed the frost in the upstairs bathroom window to commemorate it. (Extra photograph) Dotty has talked about days like this when she was little and having to break up the ice in the water pitcher in the wash bowl in her bedroom! Life was much harder for rural folks in Maine in the 1920's.

I have gotten a great appreciation of my ancestor's struggle with just the day to day business of living through my study these past three years. Last February, when I visited a living history museum to encounter a Maine winter of the 19th century, I had my first experience with an outhouse in temperatures of around 20F. One didn't tarry I can tell you! Instant on heat and hot water and indoor plumbing are things we take for granted now but for them it was all hard work.

But today I will dwell on warmer things and wish you all a HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!