Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas! Well we can dream can't we? Full moon last night, the first full moon on Christmas Eve since 1977. The full moon in December is called the Cold Moon. No such luck. Allyn said the temperature gauge in the car read 71 degrees yesterday afternoon. Driving with the windows down in the car. Woman in shorts and tee shirt running at dusk.

confused

Current temperature is 64 degrees. Yesterday we were babysitting Owen per usual. He's a great kid, but naps are not his thing. About the only thing that works is to walk him around outside. At nap time we walked him around Wallingford in the stroller. South of town I saw a farmer leading some cows from the barnyard out into his pastures. I may be projecting, but it looked like this was unusual, and the cows seemed a little perplexed.  Spotted a wasp clinging to the kitchen window. Looks like he just woke up, and was stretching his wings. He also looked confused. Aren't we all. Happy Holidays everybody!

flock

Driving into town yesterday morning, I saw a huge flock of Canada geese flying over Rutland, probably about 100. I don't remember seeing that many in the skies here at this time of year before. There was an article in the Herald the other day about the warm weather, and how it's affecting animals in the natural world. It talked about the geese, and how they often will only go south as far as necessary to stay clear of the snow and ice which makes sense. Why use up energy in the fall and winter traveling from a spot that meets all of your needs? Temperatures supposed to be in the 50's today, and 60's on Christmas Eve.

thrilling

We've had a couple of days of fairly seasonable temperatures. On Saturday morning I went into the kitchen, and saw snow swirling around in the back. It was honestly thrilling. Went out to do the usual grocery shopping, and there was the unmistakable feel of snow in the air. As a California boy who grew up in the Bay Area, I was surprised at how excited I got about having a little wintry weather. Unfortunately it hasn't lasted. The snow is gone, and temperatures are supposed to be in the 50's and 60's through Christmas.

Christmas week

It's Christmas week. On Friday we went to the Northshire bookstore again. It's a great place to shop this time of year. On Saturday we attended a raucous Yankee Swap Christmas party at the Duda's. Yesterday Barb came over with the annual plate of holiday sticky buns. They're gone. Then we went to the Nutcracker last night. If that doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit, nothing will.
In the natural world the wheel turns as well. Today is the winter solstice. Theoretically the days will start to get longer now. 

thaw

It is very dark this time of year. The winter solstice is on Monday, but temps in the 40's overnight. We didn't even start up the wood stove last night which is very unusual for this time of year. Wood smoke from neighboring houses shows wind from the south on most days. Last couple of winters it's been mostly from the north. The other day I split up a couple of large chunks of wood. The splitter went into the ground a couple of inches. The ground isn't even frozen. Squirrels very active which is usually the sign of a thaw, but you have to have a little cold weather in order to have a thaw, and we really haven't had any. Weather to stay unusually warm for another couple of weeks at least.

tis the season

Changes in the natural world seem to be on hold for the time being. Tis the season in the human world, however. Christmas lights brighten the mood in downtown Rutland. John, Ellen, and Owen came over to decorate the tree last night. Owen wasn't much help. Christmas music ubiquitous  in the stores. Allyn hung up the stockings yesterday.

kiss of death

This has been one of the longest stick seasons I can remember. Temperature was in the 50's yesterday with no end to higher than normal temperatures in sight. Took the opportunity yesterday to clear debris off some of the cross country trails. That should provide the kiss of death to the winter season for sure.

Christmas Tree

Home from sesshin. Even though the weather feels more like October I came home to a house full of poinsettias. Allyn and I cut down a beautiful Christmas tree along a nearby fence line yesterday and brought it back in the truck. 

rare

Rare Saturday posting. I will be away for a week.

lights

UPS trucks delivering on residential roads. Winter issue of Rutland magazine. Christmas lights appearing on front lawns. Vermonters do tacky just as well as anybody else.

season of berries

molten silver

I don't know why, but water in lakes and ponds often takes on a metallic quality this time of year, like molten silver. 

commute

So since I retired, many of the daily rhythms of my life have changed. The obvious ones are that I don't get up in the morning, and go to work, and return home in the evening. This certainly affects the observations I'm able to make in relation to this blog.
Yesterday I was in town working on a project. I got done about 4:30 in the afternoon. I looked up as I was leaving and noticed a large flock of crows heading east, at least fifty of them. I used to observe this phenomenon at this time of year when I was working. As sunrise and sunset began to coincide with my arrival and departure at work, I would see these large flocks heading out in the morning, and returning in the evening. It appeared to be their daily commute. It reminded me of the seven dwarfs, and their travels to and from the mines and their cottage in the forest.
Crows are sociable and raucous creatures. Yesterday they flew high in the sky and silently. That is how I remember it from year's past. It seems that there is a drama or scenario that is playing itself out in front of me of which I am only able to discern the tip of the iceberg. There is something very mysterious and compelling about this sort of an observation for me.

There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle, and the other is as though everything is a miracle.
Albert Einstein