recalling last week and entering the new year

A good fire roared and hissed in the grate. I read this line from a light  Christmas mystery I was reading recently before bedtime. And this just happens to be the setting for this post. As a blustering wind is blowing in this afternoon with an expected cold front arriving for the weekend.  Snow? Maybe. I hope so!

I had sauntered the ridge earlier while the sun was shining bright and my woolrich coat, ear band and mitts had to be discarded to the front porch while I continued on with my turtleneck and wool sweater sufficing well. I like that feeling of warmth when I take wintry walks.

Now I am resting by the fire and drinking some holiday blend decaf coffee. In order to detox this beginning of 2025 I am foregoing sugary treats for a spell. It is not as hard as I imagined it to be after the holiday splurge and especially my ongoing delight in an afternoon tea/coffee break. My Christmas cookies are having to be eaten now that the crowds are gone solely by my husband. I threaten to throw what is left to the chickens and my husband tries his hardest to finish them up, but he is loosing ground fast. These cookies were baked last week, no preservatives added and face it the taste and texture is lost greatly after a few days. We do not like waste, but to me feeding the chickens the leftovers is not a total waste.

I am adding a few photos here just to finish off the season. Remember I do blog to keep the memories so I want to try to be true to that intentional purpose too.

My sterling silver was taken out of the drawer for its annual shine. It was my son, Alan, who volunteered to do this job. I do love the shine of polished silver.

The table setting chosen this year was gold and white.  We had eight people joining us for Christmas dinner. The Christmas tree was placed in the dining room and that was enjoyable and festive, but that  also meant some of my African violets having to be removed and put at a window upstairs.

Through the days before Christmas and even on Christmas Day we hiked through the woods and fields with family and friends.

I prefer to decorate as much as possible with fresh greens gathered from the yard and woods.

We have several magnificent magnolia trees I am able to cut and use as well as a large hedge of huge old holly trees across the front border of our yard facing the road. But to find this wild holly tree with berries in the woods was a treasure.

                            And as always Louie was pretending to be the best present of all! This year Charlotte's old bedroom was designated the gift wrapping room. When my children grow up and marry, leaving and cleaving, their bedroom will be called their old bedroom for a time, but I  personally have no problem making the room into something else in the future if needed.