Gifts...

 We had a lovely, peaceful Christmas. The holiday weekend started off dubiously with a wild rainstorm on Friday. Seventy-mile-an-hour wind gusts rocked around the house, and the skies dumped inches of water. Mid-morning, we lost electrical power, which meant we had to cancel the rest of our work day. Our own dogs dodged bath time, too; we had planned to freshen them that afternoon so they would be pretty for Santa. They did not complain. 

As the temperatures plummeted, Chris got out the portable generator we bought last year and fired it up. Running extension cords, we got a few lights burning, and Chris being Chris, powered up the television and internet. And the Christmas tree, which tickled me. 

 To our delight, the hard-working Central Maine Power folks got us back online before noon on Saturday. So despite the frigid temperatures, no pipes froze, and we could cook the Christmas Eve feast we had planned. I tried a new recipe to go with the traditional roast and popovers, Potatoes Dauphinois. They were a tremendous hit, despite being a bit fussy to fix. Definitely a "once in a while" treat, as they are full of cheese, cream, and deliciousness.  Here is the recipe if you want to take a peek or try them. https://www.thespruceeats.com/gratin-dauphinois-recipe-1375736

Christmas morning, our daughter, son in love, and The Owlet came for a special breakfast. Chris baked a delicious egg casserole with sausage, diced red potatoes, onion, spinach, and lots of flavor. Rachel made some golden waffles and brought Vermont-made maple syrup with food-grade mica chips that looked like lots and LOTS of glitter. You know life is good when your syrup is festive. We took our time opening the thoughtful gifts that were tucked under the tree. The Owlet opened her own presents, wearing cozy pink pajamas and her signature look of one sock on, one sock off. She particularly enjoyed a book her Papa picked out, sitting by the tree and examining every page, and a soft mermaid bath toy, which she gave a hug and a kiss. 

Shortly before Christmas, Chris received an extra special package. It was sent from his sister Brenda in Mississippi. She is a fantastic quilter and made him a "Quilt of Honor," to recognize his time served in the Navy. She has made similar quilts for all of the veterans in her church, but I am pretty sure she put extra love into this one for her brother. It is the largest of any honor quilt she has made, and Chris and I are both deeply touched by her kindness, artistry, and skill. It is also very warm, a great bonus.

The dogs had stockings stuffed with plush toys, dehydrated chicken strips, cookies, and other goodies. The fluffy one in this picture was a guest for the holiday and quite excited about all the treats. 

Santa remembered the chickens, too. A compressed sunflower seed bell for them to peck at made them happy. 

I took a moment this year to appreciate my greatest gift. This guy. 

From our first dating Christmas in '83, I have been blessed to spend 39 Yuletides with him helping to make the holiday and every day magical. There is no more extraordinary gift than that. 

December bounty...

We invited friends over to bake and decorate sugar cookies last week. It was fun and festive; women gathered in the kitchen, passing the baby from hip to hip, chatting and creating sweetness. 

 

It happened to be Flirt's 13th birthday. She was happy to have company here, especially at the end of the day when one of her favorite guys came by. She thought his visit was a gift just for her and melted happily into his big arms, squinting her joy. 

A storm came through, with warm winds bringing rain, then the temperature dropped, and snow fell, leaving a slushy, icy coating. 

It was too heavy and wet for the snow blower and was challenging to shovel. Chris braved it, clearing the path and steps and making room for customers to park their cars, but it was sloppy and difficult. A few hours later, I heard an unusual-sounding motor as I was collecting logs for the woodstove from the deck. It was my neighbor returning from clearing his mother-in-law's driveway with his tractor. I thought about how kind he was. A moment later, he swung into my driveway and handily scraped the remainder of the ice and slush. Kindness beyond measure. 

I finished my Christmas decorating by putting red and green bandanas on the goats. They look festive. 

The countdown to Christmas is upon us. Customers bring gifts and treats and shower us with happy seasonal wishes. It always makes me smile when they leave with a happy pet on the end of a leash and say, "Love you!" as they go. It's a joyful season at FairWinds. 

 

Highs and lows...

 I started the week off with a wee little cold. It wasn't bad, so I went to the eye doctor, where I found out the procedure I had last month didn't work, so surgery looms. I also went to pick out a Christmas tree. The nicest man helped me at the farm stand, and we had a friendly chat. He ended our visit with a "God Bless you" that was so heartfelt it has stayed with me all week. 

A local group of volunteers decorates our town with wreaths and wonderful, whimsical gnomes. One appeared on the little traffic island in front of our house, and it makes me smile every time I see it. 

Tuesday and Wednesday were cold and rainy, and my pretty tree got soaked sitting in the back of my truck. Meanwhile, my cold turned into a not-so-wee sinus infection. All the dogs and cats must be pretty before Santa comes, so I soldiered through, but my energy level was low. Wednesday, I felt particularly awful. Rachel said, "Evans is working late, so I will stay after work. I'll do your chores and put your tree up." I said, "You can't do ALL the things!" She said, "I can if you hold the Owlet!" And she did. She took care of all the animals, got the chainsaw out, cut the bottom off the tree, and tidied up the lower limbs. The tree was drenched, and she shook the stuffing out of it until it was nearly dry. She hauled it into the house and wrestled it into the stand. Then she put the lights up while the Owlet, a big box of tissues, and I snuggled up on the sofa and cheered her on. Seeing the twinkling lights boosted my morale considerably. 

One of our favorite friends came with her two beautiful dogs and gave us sad news on Friday. One of her dogs has had heart problems all her life, but things have gotten quite serious recently. Tears were shed, and extra care was given as we groomed. We also learned an especially dear friend suffered an accident and was severely injured. More tears. 

Today (Saturday), I had the day free to putter, and that is what I did. Still feeling crummy, I moved slowly but managed to do a lot of the holiday decorating. 

The Owlet came by for a bit while her mama ran some errands. I gave her a tall pewter bell with a wooden handle that a grooming customer gifted me for Christmas many years ago. I wonder if she knew then that it would become a treasured item in our family. Rachel used to play with it when she was little, and today the Owlet gave it a ringing workout. 

She was also delighted by my mother's vintage jack-in-the-box. It now has a new generation to love it. Later the baby and I had a snuggle, and she fell asleep on my chest. I had a peaceful time looking at the tree and holding my own little angel. 

I had plans to meet with friends for a happily anticipated supper out tonight but had to cancel, so I didn't share my cooties. But I cooked a small roast from a heritage breed pig my neighbor raised, along with pan-browned potatoes. The house was warm and quiet and smelled deliciously of garlic, herbs, and pork. We've had a peaceful evening, and I am sure I will feel better tomorrow. The new week will begin with its own highs and lows. Hopefully, more of the former and fewer of the latter.