Monday, February 02, 2009

My Apologies to Robert Frost


My Apologies to Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in yellow snow,
And glad I am not to travel both
One traveler with four legs runs to the tree
And looks down as he hunkers low
And lifts his leg to take a pee
-
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged from my front porch, and I—
I took the one with the white snow,
And that has made all the difference.
---

We had a bit of thaw this weekend with temperatures climbing up above freezing and the snow is packing down. Yesterday was the warmest day of the year—it was 38 degrees F. I decided that I had to take a picture of the “two roads” off my front porch. When it was bitterly cold, I was having a hard time to get my dog to do more than just go to the edge of the porch and lift his leg. So I ran him a path to a locust tree in the front yard and he’s smart enough to know that’s what that path is for (but he doesn’t always make it to the tree). I’m noticing that Trisket (the dog) isn’t moving as well in the snow as previous years. That’s to be expected, in dog years he’s now older than me. But who else shovels a path for their dog, I think that mutt is spoiled.

It was a great weekend, capped off with an exciting game last night. What a ballet act by Holmes in the end zone to pull in the winning pass. Both teams played well (except for the penalties) and kept the game exciting. Did you have a great weekend?

21 comments:

  1. I actually got enthralled in the game. It certainly was a good one. I decided to root for the Steelers just to give you some extra help. Looks like it paid off.

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  2. You cleared a path for your dog? You must be a good man. I couldn't get into the game and the commercials lacked entertainment value. Cards beat the Panthers so I had no dog in the fight. I settled in with book three of the Twilight series and enjoyed a brainless read.

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  3. I did watch most of the game, but I must confess--I was in it for the snacks and beer.

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  4. I laughed at the poem adaptation, lol.

    And yes, your dog is spoiled!!!!

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  5. LOVE the poem and the path! Congrats to the Steelers- did u wear your tie for the game?

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  6. You didn't toilet train Mr Trisket? :) I actually watched the game and it was pretty good. Steelers were a stronger team, even I this nonsports fan can tell. The men in red screwed up so many times in the first half.

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  7. Thanks Ed, I'm sure your rooting made was what kept Holmes' toes inbound :)

    Kontan, I'll do anything to avoid yellow snow!

    Fantasy Life, I had some Porters stashed away for the game

    TC, Glad to hear you laughed at the poem--it's odd seeing the two paths off the porch!

    Diane, I wore it earlier, for church. I can now wear it all year (if I have to wear a tie). I did wear a Stillers' cap.

    Mother Hen, was there any yellow snow where you fell (in your profile pic or your x-country skiing experience?) Probably not, if you potty train your dogs...

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  8. That is surprisingly nice of you, Sage.

    We don't have a garage so we keep the snowblower in the shed which is towards the back of the yard. Big A blows a path from the shed up to the driveway and Hooch enjoys using it most of the way before he then goes off-roading to do his business.

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  9. So the yellow snow was the piss from your dog? Aww, what did you feed your dog? Yellow cake? :) I've no dog. But got a Tiger... yeah hear me roar! (I'm using the Tiger Balm patches for the "injuries" sustained from the xc skiing, and hoping that the Tiger "aroma" will scare all the trees away when I next hit the slope!) :o

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  10. PS: just saw your "sites of interest" listing. Hey pretty good, especially the Hot spring info. The Bible searches site looks good too.

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  11. My old lady
    shovels a path for the dog.
    A large path it is;
    two feet wide
    and varied in destination.
    That the dog
    still goes for the deeply piled snow to get buried in
    makes her
    the stupidest mutt in all of creation.

    apologies to Carl Sandburg

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  12. WOW. You got a whole 38 degrees? Balmy. I could go out without my under armor in that kind of weather.

    Love the poem. I think Robert Frost would be proud and probably wrote his own fair share of these. :)

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  13. Murf, "surprising nice?" Why do I feel I just got backhanded with that compliment?

    Karen, I don't think any ground hogs dug themselves out around here yesterday or this morning (it was 5 degrees)

    Mother Hen, I would be politically incorrect for me to make yellow jokes to you, right? Stay away from trees! And did I see right, that there are hot springs in the Bend area (there ain't any in this part of MI)

    Walking Guy, LOVE IT!

    Lisa, Sunday got to 38, but we haven't be above freezing since and it's been pretty cold in the mornings.

    Gautami, thanks (you're the poet, but you also need to check out Walking Man's poetry!)

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  14. He's an incredibly lucky dog, and you are an incredibly kind dog owner. Our 2-year-old miniature schnauzer is still at the bounce-through-and-over-snowdrifts stage, but I know that age only moves in one direction, and someday he, too, will slow down.

    You've given me some inspiration for making the process easier on him. Thanks!

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  15. Poor Trisket. Getting older is hard.

    I don't really like very much poetry but I love Frost. And I LOVED the game!

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  16. Sage the poet of pee. I thought that was my job. Murphy would expect an indoor backyard to do his business. They're supposed to be spoiled. I love spoiling mine. Aren't you a Presbyterian minister? Just found out one of my old HS buddies is one in South Georgia.

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  17. Great poetry! We shovel paths for the dogs out front and also the back deck and then a path to the back deck. Spoiled indeed!

    There would be big trouble if there weren't any.

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  18. Nice version of the poem.

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  19. Clearly I am behind on my blog reading since you asked this question about LAST weekend. I will fast forward to this nice weekend with a birthday lunch for my mom at City Grocery in Oxford, a restaurant by John Currence. Delish! Memphis Symphony concert that night to hear an old college pal lead the pack with a beautiful trumpet composition. Not my normal weekend, for sure, but one that will be nice to think about for awhile.

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