Happy New Year...

My New Year's wish for you will be:

Gentle sunsets filled with peace and love.

Merry Christmas To All...

And to all a good night!

Finding peace..

It is mid-December and folks are dashing about to find the perfect gift, the perfect decorations for their home, or the perfect gift for the ones they love. It is hard to find the peace of Christmas in all the rush. I, too, scurry here and there with my important errands. And then there's the baking!

Tonight, after resting in my chair from the day's work, I put down my book and turn toward the tree. The top half holds meaningful ornaments and lights, but the bottom half is mostly bare. The reason? I have a Maine Coon kitten in the house. He's almost nine-months old now, but still a little stinker who stands on his hind legs and removes the ornaments from the tree. Then he bats them around the hardwood floor until he tires and returns to the scene of the crime.

This is peace for me as I look on in wonder at the soft furry soul.

And then come the gifts...

A few weeks ago a ferocious October snowstorm blew through my property like a wild thing. In its wake, trees were toppled and heavy branches fell to the ground. Hundreds of them! It was devastating to observe the damage, but after the melt I could clearly see the gifts that were left behind.

Now I have wood for several winters to come, and the animals have enormous brush piles to hide under. In spring I'll begin splitting and stacking, making new rows in my field where the wood can dry. The forest is thinner now and the warmth from the sun's rays will allow for new growth on the forest floor. It's a win win situation for me, and the animals that feel safe here.

Every difficult situation can become a growth challenge. And then come the gifts...