~After Christmas Angel~

    I have not written in a few weeks now.....caught up in the frenzy of getting ready for Christmas. Then came all the fun celebrating. Yesterday was the recovery. Christmas was wonderful and I have so much to be thankful for.
    Here is a poem I wrote in early December:
                                                     ~ANGELS~
Lovely, Celestial Beings.....
Ethereal and Graceful
Casting Peace and Hope across the Heavens
Glazing the Silvery Stars
Sprinkling the Budding Blossoms
Swirling in the Gentle Breezes
Filling the World with Light and Beauty.

Snow is here~

We are finally getting some snow. It looks very pretty, but the roads are getting slippery. It is still coming down, and I am enjoying watching the birds flit about. I hope there are a few seeds left.....Mr. Squirrel - pictured above, spent a great deal of time filling his fat face this morning.
We are all hoping and praying for a snow day around here. Trust me, us teachers want it just as much as the kids do! It would be nice to get a little accumulation, since I would  love to go cross country skiing.
I am going to make a quick trip to the grocery store, and then plan on staying in for the rest of the day. Some sort of chili or soup with homemade bread will make a perfect dinner. Maybe bake some cookies too. I have a request for window panes - the ones with colored mini-marshmallows and chocolate chips.
Lots to do inside today..... Christmas cards, clean up, work on reports, exercise etc. However, what is sounding most appealing is time on the couch with a book, followed by a snooze.
Listening to some Christmas music - Mannheim Steamroller (We saw them last night in concert - what a fantastic show) and watching it snow. Yes, a good day to stay inside and enjoy my indoor garden

Christmas Trees~

                                                                                      

It has been a  long week.......lots going on at home and at school. Last night I was really tired, so the last thing I want to do was head out to a Christmas party. When it is this cold, and dark so early, once I get home, I do not want to leave. However, I did venture out to the party.....the annual Christmas party for my poetry group.   This years party was at one of the members home instead of at the library, since they were having a problem with the furnace. Her home was lovely....full of plants, glass and art. How fun to see the essence of who my friend is displayed everywhere. Even if you had never met her, once you walked through her house you would have a strong sense of who she is. Her lovely collection of clear, glass Christmas trees displayed on a long table with  a mirror behind them, has inspired me to start one of my own too.                          

Of course, there was lots of delicious food and drink shared, along with some beautiful poetry too. Members share their own original works, as well as favorites too. Mary read one the I just love. Here it is: 

little tree
by: e.e. cummings (1894-1962)

ITTLE tree

little silent Christmas tree

you are so little

you are more like a flower

who found you in the green forest

and were you very sorry to come away?

see i will comfort you

because you smell so sweetly

i will kiss your cool bark

and hug you safe and tight

just as your mother would,

only don't be afraid

look the spangles

that sleep all the year in a dark box

dreaming of being taken out and allowed to shine,

the balls the chains red and gold the fluffy threads,

put up your little arms

and i'll give them all to you to hold

every finger shall have its ring

and there won't be a single place dark or unhappy

then when you're quite dressed

you'll stand in the window for everyone to see

and how they'll stare!

oh but you'll be very proud

and my little sister and i will take hands

and looking up at our beautiful tree

we'll dance and sing

"Noel Noel"

Hibernating!

       It is absolutely freezing out! The first really cold blast, and my positive intentions and good attitude have gone right out the window! I have not pulled out the needed gloves, hat and scarf, so I am cold and bitching about it. It was so easy to set my lofty goals when we were having a heat wave in November (a balmy 60), but now that the temps have plummeted and the wind is blowing.... it is all coming back to me - all the things I hate - getting into a cold car, chilly drafts by windows and not wanting to leave my house after dark. Yup....some of the many reasons people hate this season! I am ready to hibernate..... to take a cup of tea and a good book and crawl under a fluffy blanket.
       I have not had a chance to walk in several days. I was gone over the weekend and then have been busy after school. Funny thing is, when I manage to motivate myself to take a walk in the cold - even for just 15-20 minutes (of course, I am very bundled up), I come home feeling sorta refreshed and energized. I did do some exercises tonight in the house, and that felt pretty good.
     Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will get used to it. I always do.  There is one benefit to this extreme cold....... when the temps warm up a bit - it will feel like a heatwave!

~LIGHT and DARK~

     The light in the late afternoon was brilliant today. There were lots of clouds and when the sun rays suddenly broke through the clouds - the countryside seemed to light up, and the barren landscape became illuminated! I was on my way home and turned down a dirt road to snap a few pictures, but did not get many before the sun disappeared for the evening.
      Friday my sweetie and I were taking a long drive -almost 5 hours, to his company Christmas party. We were discussing the early onset on evening this time of year in Michigan. I shared how a friend had previously mentioned to me that with a 5:00 sunset time, he needed to move further south. This did not make sense to me.....a Michigan native who has resided here my entire life.....doesn't it get dark like this everywhere? Duh.....
      My sweetie gently explained to me that, no, further south does not get dark as early as it does here up north.....and then reminded me how the cousins from Florida always comment about how it stays light here so late in the summer......until after 10 at night here in June.
      Well, that got me thinking ( yeah, I know, I am a little slow sometimes). These early winter evenings do suck, but would I trade those long summer nights for more light in the winter? Hmmmmm....... Nope. I don't think so.
       While I don't enjoy it this time of year, I absolutely LOVE it in the summer! I guess you have to take the good with the bad. I need to accept the darkness, while I look forward to the light. The shortest day of the year will be hear in a few weeks.....and then after that - I start looking for the light! I think it's called Hope.