Winter scenes

 Only seven degrees this morning, but a spectacular winter sunrise. 

I crunched down to check out our bit of riverfront. Something looked "different" from the house when we arrived yesterday.

No wonder. More trees felled by the busy beavers, including the healthy young cottonwood posted with our property sign at the head of the trail. No respect! John salvaged the sign before it turned up on a beaver dam somewhere down the river. If there are any trees left in the spring, I guess we'll find another place to hang it.

Amanda and Tom are working today, so we drove Nova to her job at the clothing boutique in Winthrop. Maya is skiing this afternoon with friends. The kids sure have a great life over here.

And so very grown up. 

Well, here we are in the final hours of 2024. I'm personally having a hard time feeling optimistic about 2025. But then I look at these beautiful young faces, and can still hear our dad saying, "Take one day at a time." 

Goodbye old year

We're making the trek over the snowy mountains today for a belated holiday celebration. The driving conditions look OK. We haven't been to the Twisp house since October, so a very different scene awaits.

The Promise

Remember, the time of year
when the future appears
like a blank sheet of paper
a clean calendar, a new chance.
On thick white snow
You vow fresh footprints
then watch them go
with the wind’s hearty gust.
Fill your glass. Here’s to us. Promises
made to be broken, made to last.

By, Jackie Kay

 

The secret of life

 

"The secret of life is try not to try too hard." 

That's a line from a corny old James Taylor song, but he has a point. 

As I progressed on this embroidery project, I got more obsessed with the stitches, making them smaller and denser (but not necessarily prettier) and basically driving myself crazy. Loosen up! 

Anyway, these little patterns took a couple of years to finish because I only embroider in the winter.  Making a thousand French knots isn't that much fun, but I like hand sewing.

Our friend Julie is an artist on the sewing machine, and she gave us this gorgeous runner for Christmas. 

One of her magnificent full size quilts hangs on the wall in the Twisp house, another generous gift and a prized possession. It's the first and maybe only thing I'd grab before the house floats down the Methow River. Not just beautiful, but useful.

Are you considering any New Year resolutions? Next year I've resolved to get out my sketchbooks and draw more. Nothing gets you out of yourself like a hobby.

Boxing Day

 

I hope you had a merry little Christmas. Ours was quiet but pleasant with phone calls, sweet text messages and some mid-day socializing with Dave, who braved the messy freeway to Seattle. We spent the entire rainy day inside enjoying our gifts, both material and spiritual.

Today is the second day of Christmas and Boxing Day in Great Britain. 

The holiday goes back to the Middle Ages, when the merchant class would fill boxes with leftover food for the less fortunate. Servants traditionally got the day off, because they had to work yesterday.

 

The Twelve Days of Christmas is largely forgotten in the United States, except for that song I don't care to hear for another year.  

This time of winter was once a wild, twelve day period of non-fasting celebration before Lent. In the olden days, the holiday was just getting started on December 25th. After all the anticipation and preparation, it's a shame that Christmas is a one day event in modern times.

But lovely Hanukkah, The Festival of Lights, is just getting started. Enjoy, friends!

Lo, How a Rose E'er Blooming

 

A Christmas rose in the garden yesterday-- never mind the black spot. It's going to be a green and wet holiday in Seattle, with heavy snow in the mountains.

We're postponing our Twisp trip until next week when conditions improve (and we can get in the driveway!) This isn't the first or last time, and it's actually nice to spread out the celebrations. Christmas is a season. We're glad to be home tomorrow and my brother will pop by for a visit.

"Lo, how a rose e'er blooming" is an English translation of a heavenly old German carol called "Es is ein ros Entsprungen." 

For Christmas Eve, here's a heavenly performance by Linda Ronstadt, from her "A Merry Little Christmas" album released in 2000. Wishing you peace and joy.

 

Maya's cookie workshop

 

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!