Christmas – New England's Narrow Road

Rain Seems Right for This Christmas

winter Christmas snow — White Christmas?

The day before Thanksgiving this year (2014) we had 13 inches of heavy, wet snow (as seen in my photo). We had a white Thanksgiving, but it seems that dreary rain will be the visitor on Christmas day here in New Hampshire and I suppose most of the northeast.

We have to accept what comes, and I have no young children who will whine about not being able to go outdoors and try out the new sled. I do feel bad for others who have children who will whine. At the moment the left over snow, from that one and only big storm is hard and frozen. I guess most of it will be gone once the rain finishes with us. I hope the winter won’t be filled with rain and ice and mush.

Christmas will be practically nonexistent at my house anyway. It will be pretty much like every other day. I will work. Make some food and possibly build a fire – just for the ambiance. My son will spend the day up in his room playing guitar and my daughter will visit her boyfriend. My Christmas meal will be a simple turkey and stuffing bake (no big turkey – ugh), with cranberry sauce and gravy. I am planning to make a cheesecake, which the kids will enjoy.

Joy for the holidays is missing. The country is a mess, with those who are supposed to be leading us, at all levels, lacking in decency and moral beliefs. When people can march through the streets in the USA and chant that they want “dead cops”, there is something seriously and frighteningly wrong.

Christmas is the day we try to leave that behind and just enjoy family, and the reason behind the celebration. But I will be glad when all the talk of the importance of family is over with. Anyone who is alone at the holidays knows how I feel. There will be no big meal created by relatives all pitching in. No waiting for special people to show up at the door, or traveling to see family. No fabulous desserts made by Auntie, or cookies baked by grandma. No long table filled with loved ones sharing stories and laughter. Festive times are a thing of the past – the far away past.

In my own heart I celebrate the birth of Jesus every day. I depend on him always, and pray for his help throughout each day. Christmas makes me wonder how well Jesus really likes the fact that we do the holiday the way we do. I suspect it does not please him as much as many would like to believe.
This year, rain is the perfect accompaniment for the holiday.

As Christmas Day Begins

Merry Christmas to all my faithful readers and to those who may stumble across this blog today.
I am up early, before the sun is up, to check on my online stores and reply to some e-mail. I always enjoy the peace and quiet of early morning. But soon I will have to start the fire, make french toast and wait for the kiddos to get up.

Thank God they are not up at 4 AM any more! All of you parents who were up super early today, I can definitely relate. The days when Christmas was “over” by 5AM..! It always made for a very long day.
Now my kids are older so I’m sure they will wait until at least 7:00! Pretty sure anyway.

It is snowing, but won’t amount to much I’ve heard. Maybe just enough to give us that white Christmas. I plan to enjoy the fact that two of my four kids are with me. It’s a very good gift. I hope you have special gifts to enjoy too.

No New England White Christmas?

kids ice fishing on the lake — Ice Fishing Mid-Winter

It’s the Sunday before Christmas – December 23rd – and have splotches of snow on the ground in my area of southeastern New Hampshire.

My daughter came to visit from Manchester – to the east – and said, “you guys have a lot of snow over here”. So that tells you how little snow there is. Our ground is not even covered, but rumor has it (per the weatherman) that we might get some snow Christmas morning.

So although it appears that most of the northeast is currently brown and not white, that may change just in the nick of time.

Until last year, we always had plenty of snow for the holidays it seemed. This cold season has so far brought more snow, turning to rain, and ending up as slush, which is gross. My son and I shoveled that slushy stuff off the driveway and it was not fun. Leaving it there meant I could be stranded once it froze over. As it is, I have to put on my LLBean ice cleats (stabilicers) to go out and fill the bird feeders. My backyard is packed frozen snow which is like walking on ice. By the way those stabilicers are an excellent investment for around $20 and work great.

So I wish you a wonderful Christmas – white or not. Enjoy your blessings – we can all find many things to be thankful for.

Increasing Chances for a White Christmas in Arkansas (arkansasmatters.com)
A white Christmas Eve may be in the works (mlive.com)
Metro Vancouver may still have a white Christmas, but likely a fleeting one (canada.com)
Most of Vermont snowy, brown areas might turn white. (blogs.burlingtonfreepress.com)

Don’t You Just Love the Snow?

Every time I mention that I moved to the north FROM Florida, people give me an incredulous look. You did what?

Well, it wouldn’t help to try to explain my reasons – Florida is paradise in their eyes. So I just let them think there is something wrong with my way of thinking.

Back in the winter of 2010, when I was renting a duplex, I had a mailbox attached to a tree by the driveway. To make the place feel more homey I attached two red, velvety ribbons to each side. When the snow fell, this is what it looked like. I went out to shovel and saw how pretty it looked and went back to get my camera. I ended up taking a lot of winter photos that year of the lake and the Girl Scout Camp, but this one is one of my favorite.

My photos bring back bittersweet memories. I hated renting, but my landlady was a good friend to me. I never felt settled, even after three years there, but I loved the area with all it’s nature to enjoy.

Each time I see this new address postcard I wonder if the people who buy it are moving to the north and snow, or away from it.

I decided to add the blue text for this post, but I suppose I could make a humorous card like that too!