The First Days of Winter

It snowed for about a nanosecond this morning.  Mostly it is cold and raining and looking to get down to 17 degrees this evening. That will certainly change the game.

 There's a strange phenomenon out there...it started yesterday and is continuing into today. The roads are not iced. The decks are not icy. But ALL the treetops are like filigreed lace, and even the little maple in my front yard has iced branches...from the middle up. Today's high is forecast to be about 32, so it certainly feels like winter.  Tomorrow's high: 21.  With a low of 3.  Yikes.

  The hens have presented me with 5 beautiful eggs today.  They have finally started laying again, and we have eggs...if we can get them before they get pecked and eaten. A couple of the hens are all broody, which is what saves us, because once they get an egg or 2 under them, they refuse to budge. And so, save them for me. Yippee.For the first time in a long time, I have over a dozen of my own eggs in my fridge.

  Last night we attended the annual Solstice Celebration at La Vista, and as usual it was wonderful. Great people, great snacks and hot drinks, great program.  The 2 young girls that turn the sun staff every winter are growing up before my very eyes. We have been coming to these for about 8 years, and they have been doing it for 10. The older one is a freshman in college now!


 Evening time now. And frigid cold.  We went to the 2 o'clock matinee to see The Hobbit so we would be out while it was still light in case the roads got bad.  Arrived home around dark, and everything was fine...except that my car wouldn't start so we had to take the Irishman's truck. Anyway, got back here  and marveled at the beauty of the ice laden tree branches and bushes.  Made a nice supper and ate and then watched the first disc of the Season 1 of The Newsroom.  Even when we did have tv, we didn't have HBO (ever).  So this is delightful.  Thanks, Netflix.  BTW,   The Hobbit was great, Peter Jackson once again did a great job.


  I finished up making and sending out Christmas Cards this morning. At least, I think I did. lol  We'll see how many more trickle on through. I can't believe it's only 3 days til Xmas.  We have a friend coming over for a Christmas Eve supper, so I will be cleaning house all day tomorrow and then cooking all ay Tuesday. All my gifts are wrapped, although I do still have a basket left to make up  and deliver. I've done all I can or want to do as far as gifts are concerned.  I'm sure that by Tuesday night, I'm going to be ready for a couple of days of down-time.  So I'll be trying to get everything tidied up (it's kind of a mess right now...)  and caught up and cooked up and ready set go.  lol   Haven't really thought about what I'll be doing for Xmas Day food...some leftovers, I suspect. For supper Tuesday, I'm roasting Cornish Game Hens and serving them on a wild rice and mushroom mixture.  I'm going to make a sweet potato dish (because we have lots) and a nice green salad and perhaps a cranberry orange salad. and a dessert of some kind. Creme Brulee, perhaps.  I'll make an antipasto plate with pickled vegetables and cheeses and crackers.  I will make a seafood chowder to start off the meal and have enough leftovers for Xmas day, hopefully, so I won't have to do a lot of cooking. Might make something like a dish of scalloped potatoes with ham, and then just gorge on all that dairy.  lol  I was also thinking about maybe a French Onion Soup instead of the chowder...keep it more of a peasant meal and not get too fancy. Just real down to earth food. Hmmm...  Oh well. I'll just make it up as I go--that's what I always do anyway.  lol


  Okay--it's getting late and I'm ready for some sleep. 


  I hope you are all listening for the blessings in the silence of these long nights and short days...and have a Merry Christmas, each and every one.



Namaste.