Hello my friends,

 

     It is the Saturday before Christmas and I'm basking in the post-storm quiet that comes after a 10 inch snow storm. Last weekend we suffered the effects of the ice storm and found ourselves without power for several days.  All I can say is thank God for the wood-stove and my mother's old Down comforters. We managed with lots of soup and whatever else was in the pantry. We did loose a 60-70 foot maple tree that thankfully fell away from the house, missed the garage as well as the blue spruce my Mom and I planted 15 years ago.  If anything had happened to that blue spruce, that would have saddened me deeply.  But I had the tree cut up and all the branches chipped into mulch for next summer. All that's left is to find a new tree for the mourning doves!!!!

 

    We're expecting another ten inches of snow Sunday into Monday and a snow/ice mix for Christmas Eve. I guess we can say we're going to have a white Christmas.

 

     I'm expecting 8 for Christmas Eve dinner and we've decided to forgo the gift exchange. We're going to share in an Angus prime ribs dinner and just enjoy the festivities around our dinner. People are experiencing too much pain with the difficulties of putting food on the table let alone paying their mortgages etc. To splurge on gifts that no one wants and ends up being exchanged or recycled just didn't seem appropriate this year.  So we'll enjoy dinner and the beauty and joy that comes with sharing it with family and friends.

 

     So t all who have shared thoughts, words, feelings and love - I wish you all a Merry Christmas, a good holiday and many blessings in the coming year.  Peace........Bittersweet

 

Today is one of those rare mornings - truly restful and peaceful.  When I woke up I looked out toward the sky and there was a gray and heaviness that cast a darker shading on the world. I started to raise my adjustable bed to a sitting position and then I saw what always excites me.....snow.  The flakes were gently falling, no wind, and falling like the softness of dusting sugar. So swirling, just that straight line of falling flakes. It wasn't a heavy snow perhaps 2 or three inches but enough to snuggling on to all the tree branches and dust the fields with a white coat. Then it was up to be greeted with hot coffee. 

 

I then watched Sunday Morning, with Charles Osborne, one of my favorite TV programs. They always have a wonderful offering of segments and this morning was no different.  Today's highlights were Odetta, a new singing trio - The Priests, Presidential animals, ( my favorite being Washington's screaming donkeys,) the first performance of The Nut Cracker in the 50's by an unknown dance studio in NJ still performing today etc.  Always a delight.

 

This was followed by my youngest brother making me ham and eggs with buttered toast not necessarily a common occurrence, a fresh pot of coffee and then offering to water my orchids.  How is that for gracious living! But then again, I will be making tomato sauce to go with the eggplant parmesan for dinnr.  And while I embark on that activity, I will be watching the NY Giants play the Eagles and hopefully with this win, win the division title and have home field advantage.  Not something that frequently happens.

 

So a very good Sunday.  I feel blessed.  I live very much........from want or fear and wish I could say that for most of the world.  Blessings from the snowy hillside.  Bittersweet