The feasting continues with Jane and Tommy visiting last night for Rudy's take-out.   

It will take some doing to get this season's weight gain off.  Definitely been eating too well.  

Meanwhile (my favorite transition word), it rained last night.  Blessed moisture from the sky!  Not enough to be measurable, but definitely enough to wet the world.  

This morning saw a heavy cloud cover, perfect for hiding indoors by a fire, even if it's a natural gas fireplace.  The air has that damp coldness to it that penetrates the bones deeper than the thermometer would have you guess.  The forecast is for more of the same tomorrow, perhaps with gusty winds, and then a very cold Monday morning.  Nature's Notebook observations will require extra layers. 

Boxing Day

The day after Christmas was surprisingly busy despite a slow start: 

• Laundry
• Quick trip to the grocers
• Kitchen cleanup
• Appending one missing photo to the "England - Part 1" book 
• Peanut butter cookies (including another dash to the grocers for shortening)
• Picking up a big take-out order at Rudy's
• Dinner with Jane and Tommy
• Kitchen cleanup, redux

Cottage with Thatched Roof
South of Combe House, near Sidmouth

The weather continues with record-breaking warmth, although the forecast is for much colder in the next few days.  There may be snow in the mountains, but I doubt if we'll get rain down here in the North Valley.  

I may need to take extra steps to protect some of the bonsai that are in smaller pots.  Otherwise the garden only needs minimal care and twice weekly watering.  

The Goldfinches are using the Bodhisattva fountain heavily, especially in the mornings, probably because it does not freeze up.  Niger and the other seed mix for the House Finches aren't disappearing as fast as the unhulled sunflower was.  

Spotted a greyish shorthair on the back wall as it made its way westward into the neighborhood.  With Fluffy gone, our backyard is a cat-free zone.  The universal "Pst, pst, pst" attracted its attention, but it eventually moved on.  

Holiday Wishes

Joyful Tidings to All Most!  There are definitely more than a few people on my naughty list.  Travel Schlepp is not one of them, despite his Christmas Sweater. 

Cheers to the Naughty List!

The holiday countdown continues:  open house at Deb and Nat's place this afternoon, then Christmas Eve dinner at Debbie's.  Tomorrow is a day of rest <whew!>, but there's still laundry and one more batch of Glen's Merry Mix to concoct. 

Friday we'll have Jane and Tommy over for Rudy's BBQ here.  That leaves the deck cleared until Nature's Notebook on Monday, the last set of observations for the year.  

As we swing into 2026, Ric and Marlene will join us for dinner on the 2nd, while Kent and Ric come over on the 6th for an afternoon of gaming.  

Ta ta for now! 

Festivus Greetings to All Who Celebrate

 Had a lovely evening with the cousin and her husband.  The 3 spirits of Christmas past, present, and future visited:  beer, vermouth, Champagne.  

Winter Solstice Thoughts

The sun shines bright this morning in NM.  At 8:04 the solstice arrived.  With the neighbor's house now blocking the mid-winter sunrise, I have to wait 2 hours later for the sun to shine over their parapet, through my office window, 

reflect off the glass of a picture on the wall, and illuminate Travel Schlepp.

With the keyword "reflection" in mind, here's a lesson in point of view from Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life."  

The longest, coldest (figuratively speaking), darkest night is now behind us.  The light of the reborn sun will overcome the dark.  Light and life will prevail.  

Now if only democracy and the United States can prevail... 

 

Holiday Observations

Things I've noticed this season:

• No candied fruit in the stores for my stollen
• A surprising dearth of slivered almonds
• Flowers still blooming in the backyard
• Record high temperature the day before the solstice
• No fondue to be found in the local stores

Meanwhile, the administration is trying to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research, the flagship climate research program in Boulder, Colorado.  Just like their destruction of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the plan is "if there's no data, then there isn't a problem." 

Tomorrow morning at 8:04 a.m. it will be the winter solstice.  The days will grow longer, the light stronger.  The new year truly begins on the solstice with renewal and hope.  Here's hoping that the sun's return will be accompanied by democracy's return.  By the next winter solstice, let us pray that Congress is in capable hands and that the pendulum of TCF will be swinging back to obscurity. 

But there will be so much work to undo and rebuild what he and Project 2025 have destroyed:  science in general, education, international reputation, our economy, public health, and on and on.  

I guess the best I can do is keep plugging away for the local party in my ward and precinct, keep up the volunteer work at the BioPark, and promote a message of conservation and sustainability in my life.  

Happy Solstice, everyone! 

Kadomatsu Workshop

I've been remiss in mentioning the kadomatsu workshop last Friday at the Botanic Garden.  With the Atrium full of decorations (see below), they held it in the Education Building.  There was some confusion about the location with some people walking out to the Cider Barn before coming back to the correct location.  In the end there were about 40 participants.  

 In fact, so many visitors turned up that they ran out of bamboo, plum branches, and berries.  I took mine home unfinished and added sand cherry branches from the backyard to complete the trilogy of evergreen sprig-deciduous branch-cluster of red fruit.

I will remind everyone to get down to River of Lights while the weather is warm*.  Don't forget to check out the minimalist lighting in the Lebanese Garden and the beautiful decorations inside the Atrium.  They're both easy to miss.  Also, after looping around the Heritage Farm, be sure to go out to the pond in the Japanese Garden and then take the back path (turn west at the railroad tracks) around to the main pond.

_______________

* Warm does not equal "good."  We've got no snowpack and no precipitation in the forecast.  Forget that White Christmas thingie.  Pray that we don't have a terrible wildfire season.