Wishing You...

A happy and prosperous new year! (That's Anthony snoozing in front of the fire).  The cats' stockings are still hung up because, even though Santa filled them up on Christmas eve, they're hoping that La Befana, the good Italian witch who delivers gifts to children in Italy on January 6, will drop by with some more goodies for them.  I think it's a safe bet to say that she will.  ;)

Winter Solstice

"So the shortest day came, and the year died,

And everywhere down the centuries of the snow-white world

Came people singing, dancing,

To drive the dark away.

They lighted candles in the winter trees;

They hung their homes with evergreen;

They burned beseeching fires all night long

To keep the year alive,

And when the new year's sunshine blazed awake

They shouted, reveling.

Through all the frosty ages you can hear them

Echoing behind us - Listen!!

All the long echoes sing the same delight,

This shortest day,

As promise wakens in the sleeping land:

They carol, fest, give thanks,

And dearly love their friends,

And hope for peace.

And so do we, here, now,

This year and every year. Welcome Yule!!"

Susan Cooper, The Shortest Day


This is a re-post from December 22, 2011

What Ruby Bear Told Me

I baked some cookies this morning (white chocolate chunks and macadamia nuts).  Little Ruby must have followed the scent of them to my cottage.  I heard a soft knock on the door and opened it to find her there, her cape billowing in the blustery winds we're having today.  Well, I couldn't turn her away, it was only 31 degrees outside, and the wind made it feel like it was down in the teens.

So, I invited her to come in and sit by the fire and got out my newest Christmas china plate, 

along with the mug that goes with it.  I filled it up with ginger tea for her and sweetened it with honey...a lot of honey.

As she was eating the cookies, she told me that today is National Cookie Day.  She said she likes to keep track of things like that.  After she finished, she thanked me and said she must get on her way as she was catching the scent of almond spice cookies coming from the north.  I told her I hoped she would visit often and bring her relatives...hmmm, maybe I shouldn't have added that part about the relatives! 


Linking with:
Through My Lens
Our World Tuesday

A Christmas Bonfire

Last night Crestline had its annual bonfire in the North Shore parking lot. 

Across the lake the community tree shone above the message of "hope." 

There was a tree with presents... 

and Santa was there so the little ones could tell him their wishes.

This wee one wasn't too sure about the guy in the red suit. 

The fire department was there to keep an eye on the bonfire. 

There were people wearing necklaces of Christmas tree lights...I must get one of those for next year! 

Of course, there were lots of tiny ones running around  

among the grown-ups gathered around the bonfire. There's something very tribal about gathering around a bonfire.  Everyone was well behaved, singing along to the Christmas carols and enjoying the free hot dogs and cocoa... 

while the nearly full moon shone down on all of us.