Christmas Morning!

I arose before dawn.  Marshal was out doing the barn chores.  I took Finney on a walk and spied the Big House across the crop fields still dark.  Then the attic window light went on.  The children are up!

I turned on my cell phone and searched for a signal.  My best Christmas present was Lydia calling from Nepal, audiovisual call at that.  And she sent me beautiful photos of herself, specially clothed for Christmas Day in Nepali dress for the outdoor gathering of Believers.

Lydia stayed on the phone with Marshal and me as we joined the family for Christmas morning until she went to sleep, 13 and 3/4 hours ahead of us.

Mostly Meg's family excepting the young man on the left.

Gabe received a Bowie knife

Daddy and Bethel

Santa Surprised Us All!

With 3 Bags Full

Baby Gilead's first Christmas and a surprise visit from Santa.  Gil's oldest brother said, "Thank you for the best Christmas surprise of my life time!"  Memorable Christmas objective accomplished.

Santa even brought "Mr Claus, Sr." a gift out of his sack!

Christmas Eve Family Traditions

Taffy Pull

Naphtali and Jemma boiled the molasses taffy and got it just right the first time.  The original recipe came from Little House books and has now been practiced year after year.

Shane regathering the hot mass after it had stuck to his fingers.

Jemma and Haddi have practiced the art of stretching and pulling until it is honey colored.

Johannes, Nathanael, and Zeb hard at work with candy making!

Mom polishing a utensil for serving at the Christmas Eve Dinner buffet.

Always a Christmas Eve dinner with traditional English favorites, roast beef, horseradish sauce, buttered petite peas, creamy rich twice baked potatoes, heirloom rice pilaf, and green leaf salad with festive mandarins and pecans.

Youngest, Baby Gil, in the High Chair

Good cheer as we reside at the table before filling our plates.

Littles growing up, dressed in their finest, and seated at their own table.

Grammy and Gil framed by the warmth of candle and fine wine.

After dinner, we retired to the Living Room with the piano.  All gathered round, Nathanael played the piano; Thad and Johannes played carols on their violins; Zeb played his quarter size violin; Becca and Jed played and sang an original prayerful song; Grandpa read the the Christmas story from Matthew having us remain attentive listening for the angel messengers; and Jesse and Megan with children harmonized,

All is Well

All is well all is well

Angels and men rejoice

For tonight darkness fell

Into the dawn of love's light

Sing Alleluia

All is well all is well

Let there be peace on earth

Christ's come go and tell

That He is in the manger

Sing Alleluia

All is well all is well

Lift up your voices and sing

Born is now Emmanuel

Born is our Lord and Savior

Sing Alleluia

Sing Alleluia

All is well

Born is now Emmanuel

Born is our Lord and Savior

Sing Alleluia

Sing Alleluia

All is well

Dessert served:

Grasshopper Creme De Menthe Pie from the freezer was cut and topped with hot Black Hawk Fudge.  The tins were opened of Russian Teacakes, Lemon Snow drops, and Frosted Sugar Cookies

.

Pajamas under the tree from Grammy and Grandpa were opened and donned with haste.

Before Bed!

Grandpa reads "Twas the Night Before Christmas"

Now, the sugar plums can dance in their heads.  The cookies are plated for Santa and the stockings hung.

"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a goodnight!"

December 23 Light Phenomena

 Just before milking time, Gabe called me out the door to look at something he had never seen, trying to explain it with words such as "geysers" or "3D."  I think he was trying to say, light beams and sci-fi.  When I first went out, we couldn't tell if the light source was coming from above or from the earth to the heavens. I was thinking falling heavenly bodies or nuclear fall out.  It was like wide swaths of fuzzy white chemtrails shooting vertical from the horizon to the highest heavens against a black sky, and some even began and ended overhead in forms of lightbeam trails.

When I did capture the light on my cell phone, it was recognizable as frozen water in the air capturing the ground light in straight up vertical patterns.

Front Door with Snow Sand

Door to the Milking Parlor

Feels more and more like the Arctic Circle with Northern Lights around here!
Or just an Antarctica Exhibit....

Feeding the Turkeys

 

Turkeys Boldly Approaching the House

Gabe scooted out the door and threw them sunflower seed, amazed at how tame they are.

Finn finds them fascinating, as do we.

December 20th

 

Turkeys finding refuge at my front door this morning.

December 20th is Grammy and Adamma's Birthdays!  Adamma had a 10th Montana birthday with family & friends in 5 degree temps, snow falling, sledding, hot cocoa, cookies, ending with taco dinner and beautifully lit bundt cake as seen on Instagram.  Here in Trout Lake, Grandpa had given the upper rooms fresh coats of paint, and Grammy had furnished and redecorated.  Mom found just the right lamps on Marketplace, but the seller wouldn't ship them.  That gave Gabe and me the opportunity to take a road trip between inclement weather in the Gorge and gift her lamps for her birthday!  Mom and I had fun putting the finishing touches on her upper attic room, with table lamps, and hanging her mother's girlhood portrait over the bed.

Grammy's Attic Finishing Touches

Sea shells by many a sea shore on display.

We rearranged the book shelf on the stairway landing to accommodate an aquarium of sea shells.  Mom had a tub of carefully wrapped and preserved sea stars, coral, conches, murex, sand dollars, angel wings, cockles, augers, scallops, and so many more that I don't know the name.  We reflected on the week in Thailand at Dolphin Bay many years ago and not being able to pull ourselves away from beach combing all day! Sea shells are such a witness of God's never ending intricate design with unsurpassable beauty everywhere.

I volunteered to host the relaxed dinner party after milking the Jersey cow, Ingrid.

I love a full house!

Hubby and Shane (Home for Christmas) with the glow of the hearth fire.

Birthday Mom is on the phone with Caleb, as we stall a bit before dinner.

Caroling on the Jonah bus was held tonight, but the day had ended with cold sleet and slippery roads on a dark night.  Everyone decided to snuggle into my home with the warmth of fire and love, enjoying dinner and one another in celebration of Mom/Grammy with lingering leisure.  We had crockpots of hot chili with condiments on the side, and pans of cornbread with butter and honey.  Perfect meal for such a night.

Happy Birthday to our beloved Mom and Grammy to 30!
Birthday Gingerbread Stack to be served with lemon curd and fresh "Ingrid" whipped cream.

Mid December Tending the Home

 I have spent more hours at home than at the clinic since we brought Finn home.  I found time to wash my woolens, a simple task I'd put off for years.

Drying Woolens

Instructions from Mom on Washing Wool

Accomplished a good "ear" in its bake.

And while I'm baking a sourdough, this photo received from Lydia filled me with utter delight!

Ballerina in the Library
The Broadmoor

Finn is such a good puppy.  He is mellow, affectionate, super soft, and everything you dream a puppy to be.

Snoozers

Dog-eared dog's ear.  Sheba snagged her ear, perhaps a cat claw, during milking time and came for diner with blood everywhere.  Gabe kept compression on the ear for over an hour until Dr. Dad returned from the water board meeting and went back to the clinic for skin glue, bandages, tape, and stretchy wrap.  That ear bled for a good week, and anytime Sheba let loose with a shake of her head, everything in the nearby radius was well sprinkled with blood.