Monday Morning Musings:
Sunrise over the Delaware River at Red Bank Battlefield ©️Merril D. Smith, 2021 
Morning Moon over the icy river ©️Merril D. Smith, 2021
In this winter of confinement
in grey, I look for color and light
of moon and sun, a feathered message
or fairy glow
the still quiet of snow.
I cook and bake,
think how I will celebrate
in future days—
now I huddle and with cat-cuddles
dream, write, read
Challah 
Shakshuka 
Mandelbrot
and watch the river rushing go
noisy in the quiet falling of the snow.
So. . .it’s still a pandemic, and I haven’t gone anywhere or done anything special, and there’s nothing much to muse about that’s new. It’s been cold and blustery, so we haven’t even gone for walks somewhere new. Right now, the news here is of the snow. Last year we didn’t have any snow at all, so this snowstorm is a big deal. We had some snow yesterday afternoon and night, and now we’re getting wind and sleet, but we’re supposed to have heavy snow (and wind) this afternoon into tomorrow.
Merril’s Movie/TV/Book Club: We watched the movie Herself (Amazon Prime). My husband and I both enjoyed this movie of an Irish mother who flees an abusive relationship and literally fights to build a home for her daughters and herself. The performances rise above what could be cliché and melodrama (and convenient circumstances); the scenes of domestic violence are handled sensitively. The way the two daughters played together reminded my husband and me of our daughters when they were little girls.
We’re part-way through Season Five of The Expanse (Amazon Prime). It’s a wonderful series. It’s the kind of sci-fi that I like, in that there are real plots and believable characters. It’s a much grittier than the Star Trek world. It’s about colonies and empires, and what happens to Earth’s colonies—Mars and “the belters”—those who have and those who have not. Season one begins with a mystery and a detective, and it goes on from there. It’s a complex show with lots of plot lines that intersect. I highly recommend it.
I’ve read some of Kate Atkinson’s more recent books, so I went back to read Case Histories, the first in her Jackson Brodie series. It’s excellent (though I’m not a fan of Brodie’s sexist comments)—but her writing is just so good, and I love how the cases come together and connect.
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
Excellent photographs nicely linked.
Thank you very much, Derrick.
The river (any river) can be consoling as it flows unhindered by the worries that plague us.
True, Ken–though this one was a bit scary. 😏
I’m glad you’re staying hunkered down, Merril. Brr…the river video gave me the chills. It looks so cold. Lovely photos today!
Thank you, Jill. Yes, I was just walking down a quiet street that ends at the river, and I could hear it rushing, but I didn’t expect to see it so high!
Usually your posts make me hungry, Merrill, but today I’m hungry AND cold! The snow sure is beautiful, though. I’ll take a look at the movies. You seem to pick ones I really like. We watched Soul on Disney Plus at a friend’s recommendation and loved it. Cute, but also meaningful Pixar movie.
Thank you, Cheryl!
I’ve heard Soul is good.
Beautiful pictures..
https://swarnaz.com
Thank you.
I’m interested in what you say about The Expanse. I’ve been considering it. Your vote helps! In return I offer Orphan Black. We’ve watched it twice. And I think there will be a third!
The Expanse if really good, and I think you’ll like it, since you like complicated plot lines. We loved Orphan Black! We watched it as it was being aired–maybe at some point we’ll go back and binge it through.
Definitely will check out Explanse. And Orphan Black. Oh, I could go on and on, I only wish I hadn’t seen it so I could have that pleasure of newness again! I’ll offer one more. Person of Interest. Though the “you are being watched” theme is a little scary these days, and it is pretty dark, yet it manages to provide hope. I have also watched this twice.
It doesn’t look like I can access that one, but thanks! But I have a ton of shows and movies to watch on my lists. 😀
Sometimes hunkering down is a hidden gift. You still managed to take some beautiful pictures, write a lovely poem and share some good potential TV watching!
Thank you very much, Dale! It feels like we’ve been hunkered down for months. 😀
That’s coz it has!! 🤣
🤣
The river has blessed you with another beautiful dawn. The calm before the storm, looks like. The snow started for us after supper tonight, and it’s really coming down.
Thank you very much, Liz. I forget what day I took that photo. It’s still snowing here, but we had sleet, too, so we didn’t get as much snow as they originally said we would in the Philadelphia area. I guess north Jersey is getting much more.
February seems to settle into sameness even without a pandemic. And yet your photos show how the world, even if in subtle ways, provides a fresh palette every day. I love Kate Atkinson too–rereading Jackson Brodie (sexist cad that he is and all) might be what I need about now. I wonder how long a wait I’ll have if I reserve it at the library…(K)
Thank you very much, Kerfe. February is birthday month here–husband, daughters, and mother-in-law, but we won’t be able to get together with any of them. I got Case Histories and the second book without any trouble from my library contactless pickup. They’re not new books, so there shouldn’t be a big demand.
My younger daughter’s birthday is Sunday. A good month for birthdays!
That’s my younger daughter’s birthday, too!
1994. Probably younger than yours.
I have come back a few times to look at this beautiful post…love your photos!
Thank you so much, Linda! We didn’t have any snow last year, so this seems like a lot.