Christmas Day

We have had a Beautiful Christmas Day right here on the Farm. We had intended to have Dinner with Mother at the Nursing Home, then have our Christmas Celebration tomorrow. But a Winter Storm brought Ice, Snow, and Winds. So we called to let Mother know that we would be staying here, and we snuggled right in.

Our Morning Tradition includes fixing some favorite cups of Tea, getting comfortable near the Tree, and then 1 by 1 slowly unwrapping our Gifts. If you have followed the Blog earlier, you know that we decided we would spend no money on Gifts. We would make them from what we had right here on the Farm.

I even sat this 1 out. After the overload of the year, I just didn't have the energy to give Gifts, except for the Gift we gave to Mother. That was perfectly OK too.

So this morning, we had lovely Wrap which was from what we had created or salvaged before. I had painted the Paper Sacks several years ago. We even used Gift Cards from previous years. Using these things was like memories of Old Friends. Melanie made me this Basket of Gray Dogwood from right here on the Farm. I was positively gleeful. I had no idea.She made her Dad a wall hanging of objects from the Farm, including Branch, Feathers (Turkey and Quail), Rose Hips, Sumac Seeds, Thistle Top, Milkweed Pod. He found a Nail, a hole in the Wall and hung it right up by the Fire Place.Melanie made Trail Mixes for each of the Humans. Or rather, I should say that we found them in our Socks. Mine had Peanuts, Dried Pears, Dried Strawberries. We raised the Peanuts and Strawberries. The Dried Pears came from a brief scavenging excursion this fall of her Dad, her Uncle Gerald, and Cousin Hollis Dale. Those Mixes were great for the Morning. It meant we could skip Breakfast and stay with the Presents.After the Gifts were unwrapped, Max the Cat began his regular ritual. He went right for the Bows and the Boxes.We cleaned things up. We separated into piles the packing material, gift cards, boxes and wrap to be reused, Santa's pack (which we got from Blanche when she worked at the North Dakota Mill years ago), ribbons, the Gift Sacks. These treasures will go right back into tubs for use other years.

That little bit of stuff in the palm of Melanie's hand was our only waste. It is the only thing that will go to the Land Fill near Bevier. It was tape. Considering how expensive tape is, we can do better next year.I was inspired to put together a Soup for Lunch and Melanie and Richard helped with back up. It included: Chunks of Potatoes, Celeriac, Carrots (which were boiled until just done; 1 cup of the liquid was reserved for the Soup); Chopped Leeks, Garlic (which were sauteed in Butter until tender); Raw Milk (which was added to the above and heated until just below boiling); chopped Parsley and Chives which were added at the end.

In past times, I put out spiffy Cloth Napkins which have a Holiday Theme. I have spent far too much of my Life seeking that which was construed to be perfect. This Holiday I quit. The fact that I don't know where those Napkins are gave this approach a boost. I did not even clean the ones that we had been using. Nor did I substitute newer ones for the older more worn ones. That's not what Christmas is about. Why has it taken me so many years to figure this out? When afternoon came, we spent time being, enjoying each other, the Chickens, the warmth of the Stove, the Winter Day, and our Gifts. Here Max has just played with the little Pillows that Melanie made of Catnip. His excitement over his Gift was followed by a Bath and then a Nap. If you look carefully, you will note that Scampy is already napping in Richard's Chair. He is the Lump under the Throw.We surely enjoyed the Wood Stove this Day as Winter had closed in all around us.Santa was observed to be settled into another Nap. The Humans took rest time too.We had Baked Butternut Squash and Greens with embellishments for Supper.Throughout the last few weeks, we've heard from Family and Friends via cards, letters, pics, email, voice. To our surprise (but perhaps not), Angela Swiec called about 11:30 a.m. our time. She is now in India. She was 11 1/2 hours ahead of our time. We couldn't figure out the 1/2 hour. Maybe we are too tied up in the specifics of time. The specifics of time hardly matter.

Hearing those Voices, we are reminded that Christmas is Love. Love should be extended to wrap the Whole World around. That's our plan.