Monday, December 1, 2014

December

Like much of the northeastern US, we had a snowy Thanksgiving.  I woke early and peeked out the back window to discover several large branches of the great old white pine scattered across the yard, and dozens of juncos, sparrows, finches, and squirrels hustling about, gathering up the black-oil sunflower seeds that were now easy to spot against the crisp, white snow beneath the feeders. 

All weekend I said thank you's in my mind, humming Peanuts Christmas music to myself and feeling grateful for the roof over my head and the calm center our little house provides when the cold winds--both real and metaphorical--rage outside.  Family and friends gathered.  There were dinners and leftovers and parties, plus late-night movies and early morning pumpkin pie.  

And this morning I flipped the calendar to a new page.  Ah, the chimney cleaners come tomorrow, just in time for all the fires we will light against the growing cold and dark.  Like the birds and squirrels with their seeds, I've been gathering supplies, taking stock.  The shelves are full, and we are as ready as anyone can be, I suppose, for what the winter will bring.  I've snipped fresh greens from the fallen branches to fill the window boxes and line the mantle.  Soon we'll cut down our wild beast of a tree from the local farm where we've gone each year since we moved back to Maine, and as we guide it through the kitchen door, with a great blustery rush the whole house will fill with the scent of a frozen forest.  And so winter will begin. 

13 comments:

  1. Oh I love your tribute to winter. The birds are indeed scurrying about.
    Soon fresh greens will enter our house. Today I found some branches
    with red berries and now they decorate the mantle. Happy winter
    preparations.

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    1. Happy winter preparations to you, too, Marilyn! I love finding beautiful branches to bring inside.

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  2. I'm so happy you had a nice Thanksgiving with your loved ones. Your words are beautiful as always. I can smell the fresh scent of your winter thru your description. Lots of love to you, lovely lady. xxoo

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    1. Thanks, Cathi. I hope your Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful, too, my friend. xo

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  3. A lovely welcome to December! You know how I always say I feel a certain way as soon as we enter Maine on the highway? I feel that same way about December, my favorite month <3

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    1. Oh, I so get it, Cate! October and June are tied for my favorite months, but I really love December, too. That combination of new snow, sparkling lights, and the smell of evergreens makes me just about as jolly as St. Nick himself. Speaking of which, I am very excited to see a certain little boy meeting Santa on Christmas Eve.

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  4. So sorry for the loss of branches....

    But happy for the lovely way you describe the coming of winter.

    I so want to embrace this Winter Season, this year. Find the beauty... Enjoy hibernation... And the lovely, cozy, etc. feelings... To counteract the not-so-lovely-ness of Winter.

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    1. Yes, Tessa, that's just it--that need to make our homes as cozy and warm as possible in contrast to the cold, harsh world of winter. I do love winter's beauty, but by the end of December I'm usually ready for spring. The only problem here in Maine is that we'll have January, February, and March to deal with before spring arrives! :)

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  5. Beautifully written. Thank you so much.

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    1. Thank YOU, Anne, for stopping by, and for your lovely comment.

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  6. Thank you, sweet Robin. I feel the same way when I visit your blog and read your words. xo

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  7. What a beautiful picture you painted of winter in your part of the world. I hope it's a good one for you!

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