Winter Solstice

As you can see our driveway is so picturesque - our Solstice visitors certainly enjoyed their arrival down our beautiful snow laden driveway. Winter began today after a glorious weekend with family gathered round . Cold and crisp - with short brightly lit sun-shiny days - to top off the perfection a beautiful cloak of snow had fallen earlier in the week.

Late last evening (Sunday night) Sarah and I took a late evening stroll - the deep quiet of the Solstice Evening was broken only by the almost silent whispers of a million soft giant snowflakes falling all above us. As we stood enjoying the beauty; a huge crash came from the forest - possibly a older tree found the snow load of one too many snowflakes too heavy to hold it's current weight of snow. What we see as a beautiful winter wonderland is so hard on the forest as the weight of snow is so heavy - in my strange way I figure it is Gaia's way of pruning.

Now as the days lengthen I can start sowing seeds in the growing room - knowing the longer days will soon bring a boutiful continued harvest of fresh organic greens for salads and stir fries for the rest of the winter. To top it off our first orange of quite a few is ready to be harvested - they are so sweet and easily peeled - Tom and I will share. On a sunny day the room reaches a balmy 80 + degrees - such a pleasure with all this snow around us.

I have been listening to Enya's album "and Winter Came" . Today is so brilliant with the sun it would make anyone squint! The plant room was 75 degrees ;-)


Finally had enough energy to put up our 1st real tree in years - hopefully will have energy to also take it down.
Even put some lights outside around the door.
(sure can tell who stopped rifing to gain some extra oompf.) Each time I do stop I am having an awareness of a step towards feeling better.
Sarah enjoyed the tree's ethereal essence as much as I. It filled a hole that had been growing inside - missing "tree" for this time of year. Tom and I cut it from the woods across the road earlier in the week - even after we carried it home it was still laden with snow and ice - it took quite a few hours to warm it up for decorating.

Sarah and Michael arrived on Friday; my father joined us on Saturday and everyone left on Monday - we had a lovely visit; delicious food - great conversations and enjoyment of just being together.

We will enjoy peace and quiet till New Years when friends from Quebec will visit for a few days.

Tom is doing well - he has aches and pains in his hands/wrists and shoulder - feels it is just part of growing older - bringing in wood, cleaning chimneys and blowing snow take more energy than they did on previous years. We are learning how to share some of the chores as it is easier that way.
Myself well up and down like a yo yo - trying new and sometimes different methods for dealing with the trials of Lyme disease and it's many co-infections. Each time I take a break I feel a bit better and both Tom and I notice that things improve in tiny increments. My oomph can disappear without warning which makes planning anything a bit difficult but I am learning how to deal with this and still enjoy.

We saw all of our children and grandchildren last year except for Henry and Meridith. Henry is still in Berlin and his travels when back in North America have not been in this direction. All of the grandchildren are growing tall and are healthy & fit; each time the arrive I am amazed at how tall each has become - all are excelling in their particular areas of interest. Being computer literate surely helps us all with keeping in touch with all our lives. The ease of sharing photos makes our relationships with not just family but friends also so much richer.
Tom and I are so blessed with a plethora of really super friends.

Michael married Sarah Lukaweski the long weekend in August a very interesting ceremony here at Apsley Acers.

Where The Knight in shining armor Michael married his beloved Fairy bride Sarah. I haven't enjoyed a wedding this delightful in years. Everyone enjoyed the costumes, pagentry, outdoor banquet, but most of all the personal tender ceremony of two souls entwined with joy, love and respect for each other. We wish them much happiness.. A shared joyful occasion for us all.

Almost a year ago Timothy and his family moved from Moscow to Montreal and everyone seems to have taken well to the move.
We had a lovely visit with them when we were in Quebec during the summer and they with us here in Apsley in Early September - we are enjoying having them Back in Canada. It is wonderful to now have them closer - as we are enjoying having them closer.

Peggy, and Calvin we also saw when Tim was here in early September - made for quite a tableful for shared meals - the six grandchildren had a great time getting to know each other. As much as we enjoyed them here . . .
The one thing we learnt - was for the future - till things are smoother - it will be easier for us to see and enjoy each family individually and leave the large gatherings to a household of one the younger family members and we will visit their gathering for a short time. .
Oldest granddaughter Miteh missed this gathering BUT had previously spent a long stay with us the first part of the summer and was able to accompany us to Tim and Diana's new apartment when we passed through on our trip to Quebec which I mentioned earlier. She has become an enjoyable young teen.

After the gathering I had to figure out how to fill my studio in a matter of weeks - quite a trial but succeeded by the skin of my teeth and had yet another fabulously successful studio tour. I have so many new ideas that I hope to have quitea few unusual pieces done for next June when my studio re-opens.

My father's house in Pickering Village is sold as of the 15th of January and for the rest of the winter he will come and live with Tom and I - when the weather gets warmer he will move up to his cottage and finally decide whether he wishes to have a new house built on that land - at 88 even with him being reasonably fit and healthy - this is a huge undertaking - if he choses not to build - Tom and I have offered him a bedroom here if it would work out better - as he could still enjoy the warm weather there at the cottage yet enjoy the winter here - time will tell.

Life is good. We are truly blessed in so many ways.
The richness of our life together continues to exceed our expectations at each step of our journey together.

Sharing Holiday greetings and best wishes for the New Year to you all.
Imagine 2010 already - a number mentioned in the nebulous future in sci fi books when I was young.
Bright Blessings to all.
((hugs))
Sharon & Tom