Old and new...

Standing on the bring of a new year, most of us spend some time thinking of the days past, and wondering about the time to come.

Today it snowed; slow, lazy flakes that fell from a leaden sky. I went for a walk. The icy flakes frosted my hair and muffled the sounds of the world around me. I was taken by the look of this leaf... last seasons life, now dead and frosted with winter ice. Still beautiful. In mere weeks new growth will spring to life here, a different beauty, and wonderous just the same.

I am looking towards the new growth potential that 2010 holds. Of all the things I hope for, I especially hope for growth. I dread remaining stagnant... there is so much left to learn, experience, taste and delight in.

Happy New Year! I wish for you... growth.

Beef...

My friend raises cows. This year she harvested two steers. We are buying one half... in fact, we currently have two freezers packed tight with what we call, "grass fed, free range, dolphin safe, beef." We cooked the first of it recently, N.Y. sirloin strip steaks. Delishious! And tonight I cut the heart up and let the dogs dine upon it. The advertisements are right, beef, it's whats for dinner. For a long, LONG time.

Pony in the snow...

                              Chanel, with her deep, plush winter coat, looks delicious against the snow. 

Sounds of winter...

Last night a cold front blew in, and I do mean BLEW.  The wind whipped and raged so loudly it woke me from a sound sleep.  I could hear the flag on the deck snapping and cracking, and the "whoosh" of the trees at they bent  and swayed.  I dozed off and the next sound I heard was the scrape of the town plows as they rumbled by.  Snug in the dark I knew that this meant that the cold wind had brought snow with it. 

I went for a walk in the morning light, up the hill, over the rushing creek.  The creek cuts a dark swath through the newly whitened woods as it sings.  I try to capture the beauty on film, but pictures don't do it justice.  Chickadees punctuate the air between the branches, the only life in sight.  Back home they stay close to the deck, feasting on seeds and nuts, calling to each other through the frosty air. These are some of the sounds of winter.

Springtime in December...

Today dawned unseasonably warm, and it got warmer. It rained, and rained and rained some more. High winds blew the rain sideways, it hit the windows in a billion audible "pings." The old snow was mostly washed away, leaving behind bare ground dotted with icy patches. Walking to the chicken coop was treacherous! The streams and brooks that lace the Maine woods were swollen with the rain and snow melt, rushing loudly over granite boulders. It felt for all the world like spring. Tomorrows forecast? Snow. And that, dear reader, is why they say, "If you don't like the weather in New England, wait a minute."

Santa visits the dogs...

"Look! And SMELL! Santa filled our stockings! He must not check to see if dogs are naughty, or those socks would be full of air instead of treats, toys and goodies." (Tiger Lilly the bad, bad boxer and Smooch the rather naughty pug kept watch over the stockings while we whipped up breakfast. They were very happy when it was time to see what delights were stuffed inside.)

Poppy pug got a cushy new bed, too. Because she has been very, VERY good, (the elf hat is hiding her halo. She is an angel dog for sure!) She prefers the sofa of course, but a soft bed by the fire is also perfectly acceptable to a comfort loving Pug.

The dogs have had a very nice Christmas day. I hope all of you have, too!

Not even a ...

Not a creature was stirring... not even a mouse!