Magical Season Is Here

It has been pretty cold here, in the 20's and 30's, and the main heater in the house doesn't get the back rooms, so my brother installed two small heaters in the bedrooms.  The workers were here last week, and it's a process, but they're almost finished.  So, one day I wanted to get out of their way, as they were working in the house, and I went outside with my coffee.  Yes, in the cold, but my neighbor was out there sitting on her bench, and it gave me a chance to talk with her.  I told her they were putting heating units in the bedrooms.  She said she has never seen the inside of this house before, and I said to her, "it's small, but charming."  She said she will have to have me over for coffee sometime.  My house isn't elaborate or from a magazine.....nor do I want it to be.  It's comfortable and cozy, and I am grateful.  Here are some pictures of Christmas around the house.  It's really the same as last year, but I tend to move things around until it looks right to me.

I hold my heritage deep inside my heart.

I recently sent my cousin, Sheila, a picture of the kids, and she wrote back and said, "the dark-haired one looks just like you!"  When Nel sent me this picture of Mia looking so grown up in her boots, I smiled and thought, this little face looks just like me when I was a child.

And this one's smile warms my heart.  There is a place in northern Cal called Apple Hill, and Jess visited there recently.  It's always a fun time going through the craft fair, visiting the duck pond, bringing home an apple pie, and just spending time in nature.  They have everything apples - apple pie, hot apple cider, caramel apples, apple donuts.

Here is one of my favorite poems about home that I wanted to share with you.

Home is the one place in all this world where hearts are sure of each other.  It is the place of confidence.  It is the place where we tear off that mask of guarded and suspicious coldness which the world forces us to wear in self-defense, and where we pour out the unreserved communications of full and confiding hearts.  It is the spot where expressions of tenderness gush out without any sensation of awkwardness and without any dread of ridicule.

~Federick W. Robertson

 You know, there is another reason why I love home so much, my friends.

It keeps the wolves out.  ; )

~Sheri