Wonder of Wonders, a White Christmas on Big Hill

What a way to spend Christmas Eve! "Stranded" on Big Hill, watching the snow fall fast and furiously, whipped by a strong wind, howling and tossing the flakes about before they finally settled on every surface, creating a living holiday card.

Tracy and I had plans to go to Arlington to visit with his family, but we only made it a few miles from the hill before sliding off the road and making the decision to turn back. We couldn't even make it back up 2012- we had to go all the way around to 2011 and hit 2012 on the backside. I was SO glad when we turned back onto the driveway.

By sunset on Christmas Eve, the sky began to clear up, shedding a lavender light on the landscape, but it remained very cold and the snow was still on the ground Christmas morning. A true blue, White Christmas! In fact, as I write this on the 29th, there are still patches of snow in the front yard and along the road, and we are looking at a chance of more snow today!

We were able to make the trip to Louisiana, with Ashley along this time. We had a wonderful time with my family, playing games, walking through the woods, sitting by the fire, sharing delicious meals and sipping some really expensive wine that Mike and Beth got from a generous oenophile

Today is my 49th birthday, and so I begin the 365-day countdown to a half century of living. Tracy and I were talking last night, and we both were flabbergasted to be the ages we are, since we both feel like teenagers. Hopefully we have learned a thing or two since our teens, though!

I took today off from work and plan to enjoy every minute of it! I'll let you know how it goes...

Ice Skating Anyone?

The Big Hill "pond" froze over this week! This was just a few days after (and a few days before!) beautiful weather reaching into the 70s. We had a few nights that dipped into the low 20s, and that is all it took. It was only a sliver of ice cover, but it gives me hope for future ice skating. And since the pond is only a couple of feet deep, even if you fall through you can just run back to the house for a cup of hot chocolate!

Tracy has the front yard decked out for Christmas. He outlined the sidewalk and the inner circle of the driveway and then put three animated deer in the middle. He also wrapped a few tree trunks. They are by far the nicest outdoor lights I have ever had.

I decorated the "earth friendly", fake tree. It is Tracy's and is nine feet tall. It looks great in the corner window. The decorating theme is NO THEME AT ALL, and in spite of that, I am pretty darned pleased by the final result. I can see it even from my bedroom, reflected in the windows.

I mailed out my holiday cards this morning. I am afraid sister Mary is going to be a bit disappointed. I talked about them when she and Ryan visited last weekend and her interpretation is that there is something special in them. Well, not really, except the sentiment in the card is something I thought of using for over 30 years. And I used Big Hill photos to reflect the theme.

I have certainly enjoyed having a fire going lately. If it dips below 40 I am all over it.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas.....