If we make it through December
Everything’s gonna be alright I know
It’s the coldest time of winter
And I shiver when I see the falling snow
–Merle Haggard
Spent almost all day yesterday clearing a path through the nearly two feet of snow that fell overnight from Wednesday into Thursday. My poor tractor– and me– were woefully overmatched but we prevailed in the end. It’s the price paid for living well off the road back in the woods. But it doesn’t happen too often in this area so it doesn’t seem too large a price to pay.
Well, that is, after the work is done.
I didn’t have a lot of time to think about today’s blog so I thought I’d just share a seasonal song. Well, kind of a seasonal song. It just seemed to fit this month and this year as well as any that I can remember. It’s from If We Make It Through December written by country icon Merle Haggard. There aren’t a lot of songs from Merle that rank among my favorites though he’s written some fine tunes that I like a lot. But this one might be my favorite of his songs.
I’ve included two versions for you. One is the original from 1973 by Merle Haggard and the Strangers and the other is a little less country performance from Holly Cole.
Give a listen if you are so inclined. If not, get out of here and go have some sort of a good day. Whatever it takes to get us out of his December.
Redtree Times 
I wondered how much snow you’d get. Now, I know! Kudos to you and to the snow blower.
Unfortunately, it’s a plow and not a snow blower. I have to clear about a third of a mile of drive for my home and studio and snow blowers just don;t work well on the dirt and stones of the driveway. I had one years ago and it was always breaking down because of the beating it took. So, it’s a plow which means a lot of banging and beating on the tractor and myself, especially in snowfalls of this sort where the sheer weight of the snow, even though it was a cold light snow. But as I said, we don;t get the big snows on a regular basis like our neighbors on the near Great Lakes, Erie and Ontario. Now, that is real snow.
Gary, once again your song selection opened my eyes. I have to say I really prefer the Holly Cole version. It seems I’ve spent my life listening to Merle… Not always by choice. My dad was the country music fan, I was more into rock and roll.
My son lives in Cold Spring, NY and he sent me a shot early on of his snowfall. I didn’t even think about how it would affect you. It looks like the prognosticators are foretelling of a white Christmas heading your way… I hope it’s also Peaceful and full of joy.
Love Merle! I guess he wrote that one before Shelly came along.
“I know I’m only Shelly’s winter love
She only seems to need me now and then
I know I’m only Shelly’s winter love
But she’s mine alone till springtime comes again”
Thanks for posting it!