As I sip my morning tea, in a vintage green Fire King mug, like my grandma, Olga, used to have, my table is surrounded by memories. A crocheted Thanksgiving gnome by my friend Nanette Shirkey, a handmade card from Judy Post, basket weave corn from the Waterford Fair years ago. Every little knickknack brings back a memory of years gone by.
The last vestiges of summer and fall will soon be gone, leaving behind another year of memories.
Under my deck, near the basement window, a steadfast little volunteer snapdragon, has reappeared every year like clockwork. It pushes through the gravel, its persistence to grow and flourish in an unlikely spot, is admirable.
A recent frost wilted its leaves, so I cut the two flower stems off to salvage the blooms, who were unaffected by the previous evening frost. The next day, the snapdragon leaves were healthy and perky, as if the frost had never occurred. And another tiny little pink bloom is emerging!
As always though, winter is upon us. A few warm days, alternating with wind and cold, tell me that little snapdragon can only hold on for so long. Eventually, it will recede back into the earth, under the gravel. Hopefully, its seeds are resting comfortably below, in hibernation, awaiting the thaw of a new year and the promise of spring- as the saying goes, hope springs eternal.
As 2025 comes to a close, life continues, like the seeds of that little snapdragon. There was loss, friends and family have left us. We retain the memories, like drinking from the memory filled Fire King mug. Hopefully, we will all be looking forward to the new year, and the promise it brings. The holidays signal the celebration of what is to come.
We could all take a hint from that little snapdragon. Its tenacity in moving forward, despite the circumstances- let’s all display the determination of its flowering and make the most of the coming year.
As 2025 comes to a close, like those hibernating seeds, life continues, with or without those pesky New Year’s resolutions!
We, at The Chronicle, wish everyone a safe and happy holiday, and we look forward to bringing you more stories in 2026. Thank you for reading our little paper!
All is well, at Mountain Meadows tonight.
