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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW New van would help family's future stay bright ... The crayfish invasion ... Mail Tribune 100, Dec. 13, 1915 ... New van would help family's future stay bright ... The crayfish invasion ... Mail Tribune 100, Dec. 13, 1915 ... SOUTHERN OREGON JOURNAL Southern Oregon Journal: Cold walks and quiet thoughts Comment By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Social News My 1900 farmhouse doesn’t have much insulation except for what we’ve crammed into the attic and a few crevices here and there when making repairs. In doing so, we discovered ancient German newspapers in the walls and one Mail Tribune issue dated Sept. 6, 1942, with headlines such as, “Allied Fighters Inflict Damage at Buna Kokoda.” Newsprint didn’t do much to hold the heat. I call my home Sophia, or Aunt Sophie. She has generous windows that invite light, moon shots and a birds-eye view from my office at all those carnival leaves I can enjoy in the knowledge that maintenance men will make quick work of them, for which I will tip them with cookies and coffee cake. Anyway, I was chilly, but it was time for a walk. I took a gander at the thermometer outside, which corroborated my suspicion that it was colder out there, as it quivered around 38 degrees. But the sun shone, so I summoned pluck from my pluck store, bundled myself in cat-burglar black, and struck out. The valley had recently enjoyed a good scrubbing, and the deep blue cumuli hung over the east end looking like they were adding the finishing touches with face powder, or more accurately, laying angel hair over the hills.Roxy Ann benefited nicely. What is it about the quieting effect of snow, even from a distance? Sunlight danced inside millions of drops clinging to the leaves, which still clung to host branches. And I was there walking at just the right time to witness the show. The natural and spontaneous effect beat anything Busby Berkeley could have choreographed. And it was free. I enjoyed the chill and was snug and walking briskly under a stocking cap and gloves, when I met a woman with a small grandson. She wore no outerwear. When I asked, wasn’t she cold, she told me she came from a much colder climate, and that it was relative to what you were used to. Amazing, the adjustments one can make. There were few others from cold climates willing to join me outside. I noticed my longhorn cattle neighbors, Larry, Moe and Curly. Curly was up and ambling. I wondered whether he longed for the Southwest. I wondered if he missed a place he couldn’t put a name to. Soon, as my circulation picked up speed, I remembered this was my favorite brand of walk — cold, clear and with the patter of leaf chatter overhead and underfoot. The quiet got me thinking. Fairly out of the clean blue, I recalled a book my brother, Alan, loaned me years ago at this time of year. It was a soft-spoken book about the Christian Advent (arrival) season, referring to the coming Messiah. The author, Phyllis Tickle, who lived on a farm in Tennessee, tied it in with all things natural she found there. It’s titled "What the Heart Already Knows." Ms. Tickle recently passed away at age 81, but before she left, she wrote beautiful books and poems about taking time for quiet, enjoying nature and meditating on good things during this interlude. By the time this lands on your porch or inbox, Black Friday 2015 will have come and, mercifully, gone without me. I’m a non-competitive shopper. I’m no contender for queen of the deals. A good day shopping is not only rare for me, but like my favorite walk — cool, thoughtful and uncrowded. Today is the first Sunday of Advent. I'll sit back and light a candle, indulge in the luxury of a few quiet moments, and make room for a little hopeful anticipation during this season. Peggy Dover is a freelance writer in Eagle Point. Reach her at [email protected]. By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Peggy Dover for the Mail Tribune Posted Nov. 29, 2015 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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