Boxing Day

If the weather was like this more often during the winter, it would make a huge difference to the way I feel about this place! Crystal clear, brilliant blue skies, not a ripple on the water (could be because it was frozen!). Yes, it was white with frost this morning, but the day warmed up to almost 50F, a perfect temperature for a nice, long walk. The ducks were out in force, and several herons were fishing on the beach. Amazing day. It would have been the perfect day to be out on a boat, bundled up with a hot buttered rum - or something equally warming.

Yesterday's weather was the same when we went over to Dan's family on Crystal Lake. I remembered the place once we were there. It is a showcase, a far cry from my very lived in house. The whole house was decorated and it could have been in a magazine spread, it was so perfect. But it is a long way from here, to go for a dinner. Three hours there, including the ferry ride, and three back so we didn't get home until very late. But it was well worth it. The family is very large, with lots of in-laws and connections and strays like me, that swelled the ranks - the youngest there was probably around 15 months and the oldest just had her 79th (I believe) birthday. Lots of wonderful food, no alcohol as they are very religious and I could have used a nice glass of champagne :)

The pix is from my cell phone - the sunset over the lake was magic!

Now here's something different. My most un-domesticated son sent me homemade marmalade for Christmas! Ryan has always shied away from the kitchen so it was wonderful to get the jar in the mail today. It took all my strength to open it, after all I could hardly wait until breakfast tomorrow to taste it and it is delicious! He and his friend Les used homegrown oranges, too! Hats off to them. Next thing I know, they will have a line of homemade goodies for sale on a web site - hmm, maybe that's my next project!

Talking about projects, the site is coming along well. Not without glitches that tax my sometimes not so logical brain, but making steady progress. And the orders are coming in, not too fast which is not surprising really, considering that it is Christmas, but enough to get into the groove of mixing and packing and shipping. Getting little routines down to make things move smoother.

So it's all good.