brrr!

The sun is shining brightly and the sky is a perfect shade of azure blue; birds are chattering as if to catch up on the latest gossip, and our rooster, Bandito, crows loudly to tell me I'm late in bringing warm mash for breakfast.

Yes, it sounds like a lovely winters day; doesn't it? 

Except that it's 4 degrees and the National Weather Service has issued a High Wind Warning...meaning winds of at least 40 mph with gusts of 58 mph or higher. 

A cutting wind is sweeping strongly across the open fields bringing with it a wind chill of -15. With plunging temperatures and gusty winds, oudoor chores are done quickly with heads bent down against the icy winds that easily cut through a heavy coat, thick gloves, and woolen hat. Water buckets are filled and animals get a hearty breakfast, then it's time to start cars, check the propane level, look for any fallen tree limbs, add to the stack of firewood by the mudroom door, and tie down or move anything that might blow away. 

And while this picture was taken a few years ago, my "stylish" winter apparel never changes:

Stylish? No

Warm? Yes!

Christmas decorations have been tucked away, but I had to share an ornament story...

This little tent was bought years ago as a reminder of all the Cub Scout campouts.

Now, as young kids do, they sweetly felt that the Baby Jesus ornament needed to be inside the tent to stay warm & dry...and so it was.

Look closely inside. 

And there it's remained for many, many years, and always makes me smile.

Something new...this year we celebrated for the first time with Christmas Crackers!  

And to answer a question, searching for the pickle ornament is just for fun. It's an old tradition that is said to have originated in Germany. There are three pickle ornaments hidden on the trees that the kids look for; when they find them, there's a family gift to share. Most years it's a board game, but this year it was Sundae Set, and so Christmas dessert was a variety of ice creams and toppings!

These days I'm spending time sorting and organizing. Winter months just seem to be a good time to take stock of things that need doing...all those things that somehow seem to slip a bit when warm weather calls me outside.

However; I need to remember to make time for more important things than chasing dust bunnies and organizing books. Time for non-stop movie marathons, mugs of chocolaty cocoa, snow ice cream, and s'mores in front of the fireplace. 

"Winter is not a season, it's a celebration."

— Anamika Mishra