Let it Snow!

First of December and we're hit with the first winter storm. It started sleeting early in the morning and by about 11, it was really dark and then it started. For us it's a lot but I'm sure for other parts of the country it would be considered a flurry!

But of course the roads get slick and people get silly so on my drive up to Port Townsend to make evergreen wreaths with the girls, I was very diligent about driving carefully and watching out for all the yahoos out there. Half way along Beaver Valley Rd it was almost a white-out and I got to Janet's and we couldn't have asked for a more appropriate setting! It was definitely a holiday picture. Her little cottage has just a dusting of snow but the flakes coming down were huge and fluffy and stuck to us as we hurried into the house. Blanco, her Mexican dog, had never seen snow before as they are almost always gone to Baja when the white stuff comes down here. He was mesmorized and also very concerned, not sure what to do with it.

Susan and Dee arrived, loaded down with stuff to decorated the wreaths - and a bottle of champagne, too! Janet's cottage sits in a clearing surrounded by forest, so armed with clippers and gloves we braved the cold and went out to pick. First cedar and salal, then some rosemary and hemlock. Janet had already collected holly, and we had a big variety of add-ons! I had been down to Michaels the craft store in Silverdale to get the wire frames and some odds and ends. That's an interesting place to people watch - hmmm. Some of the crafts are really odd - sticking shells on bottles? Lots of plastic flowers to put in plastic faux crystal? Oh well, to each his own. I also got the fine green wire to tie the branches onto the frame, some cool paper ribbon and dried flowers (no plastic here.)

We ended up with a mound of boughs and stuff. Then we got creative! And how different they all turned out! But all gorgeous. And with the leftover stuff we made smaller swags. So pretty. And of course Janet had to feed us! Wonderful tortilla soup with all the goodies to go with it and a taste of the cookies she is making for the cookie exchange. She is such the little homemaker. By the end of the party, the floor was covered with leaves and clippings, but the house smelled of Christmas, the evergreen and rosemary smells mingling with the food.

And all the time it snowed!

Tomorrow is Seattle again - I have the temporal artery biopsy so hope to get a definitive answer soon. I have been feeling very tired the last few days, with headaches and that weird pressure sort of feeling in my head. Betsy says, maybe like blowing a gasket!!! I certainly hope not, but the description is good. My appointment is at 11 so we will have to be up and at it early.

Hope the roads are clear.