First taste of winter brings thoughts of Christmas

Under the weeping birch on the east side of the church - a favourite hangout for many birds

It's been a couple of weeks or more since I wrote last, in a complete funk about having to pay for more space - the principle of the thing, not that the money was a lot. I thought that I could go on forever, just posting images and writing a story or making a comment.

Well life is full of surprises. Sometimes I adapt well to them, and sometimes not - obviously I didn't like being told I was out of space for images and could write all I wanted, but no pics please ma'am!

But yesterday I was in the process of getting my "house in order" so to speak and realized I missed writing a little something every day or every day or so. And I relented. As you can see.

Chuckling a bit ruefully - and wishing that when I looked outside today the above photo is what I would see, on this Sunday so close to Christmas, I've been thinking about how fortunate I am to live in such a beautiful countryside.

This scene isn't from years ago or even last year. But a couple of weeks ago I woke to this beautiful wet sticky snow coating everything in sight. It's what I hope Christmas will be like, though goodness knows I don't like driving when it's snowing.

The front of the church - laden with snow, tracks from dogs running out to bark at their friends across the road. Still and quiet now.

Yesterday it was muddy and mild. I even got a few tulip bulbs planted and some long overdue gardening as I also brought in a couple of loads of wood, hoping the promised snow would give me a morning view like this one. But no snow in the forecast except for possible snow flurries this evening. Ah well Santa will get by I'm sure. And it is easier to get around, but not nearly as pretty as it is with snow.

I love snow I've discovered. I've loved it since I was tiny and Dad used to pull me and my brother on an old fashioned wooden sleigh with a sort of seat at the back, out onto the ice of Lake Simcoe - a great adventure.
In the snow, I could spot rabbit tracks in the orchard, or in the kitchen garden that served the school where Mum and I lived, Dad being in the army and stationed near by.

Bird tracks make patterns in the snow - they tell stories, so do squirrels' prints, cats', dogs', anything that moves when Old Man Winter or Jack Frost - or whomever whatever we call the being that brings us this delight - decides we deserve some new snow. "The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow - gives the lustre of midnight to the houses (?) below..." Familiar? Maybe I relate snow to Christmas.

Whatever it is, and as much as I sometimes get cross when I find driving difficult, or it's tougher to haul wood in the wheel barrow (I've asked Santa for a toboggan, since I heat the church with wood, stacked neatly in the drive shed - the only thing that's neat in there at the moment), I love snow.

No snow, but a beautiful sunset anyway

So while the sun sets I'll make a Christmas wish - that those who want snow get it, that those who want heat and sun get it, that those who need rain get it, that those who just want a break in whatever it is, get it.

And thank you all for your kind comments and your wishes that I get back to writing the blog again. How wonderful you are, family, friends, followers, readers known and unknown. Here's to a warm and happy celebration of whatever you celebrate at this time of year. It doesn't matter if you are religious, spiritual, aetheist or just getting by - wherever you are, December seems to me to be a time for celebration. For joy. For sharing. May you have someone share something wonderful with you this evening or morning or soon, or perhaps you're the one doing the sharing? It is blessed both to give and receive if it's done with spirit and grace. At least I feel that way. What about you?