Yes. The weather outside is frightful

But, there was fun to be had on this first day of January, so off I went to meet up with my high school friend who also lives here. We stopped at a coffee cart~craving Mexican hot chocolate, but it wasn't on the menu. The very sweet barista concocted them for us anyway.

Fortified with cayenne and chocolate, we hiked the hill to the Cathedral.

I didn't make it there this year for any holiday concerts, but it was still decorated gorgeously. We were trying to guess how many poinsettias they purchase for the entire campus. 

The beautiful planets window.

Paper cranes of peace tree.

This time, no homeless guy was shrieking obscenities at me while I admired the sunlight coming through the Rose Window.

A very nice docent came swooping over to take our photo as our selfie attempts were rattling the Christmas tree and, no doubt, making her nervous about the longevity of the ornaments. We both find it difficult to believe that we met as roommates in 1986 at a school in the other Washington. Yes, that's thirty-two years ago.

Once the sun set, it was time to hike down the hill to see the last night of ZooLights!

As it was 3 degrees, there were no crowds. 

The reptile house was popular as it was WARM. 

And we got to see the full moon rise! 

Because you never know.

A lovely kick off to the new year.

hail the new, ye lads & lasses

Did 334 blog postings last year~hoping to make it a truly daily habit this year.

I know these are called Monkey Bread, but Monkey Buns just sound more fun. Was pleased with my first experiment. Used my mini baking dishes which turned out to be the perfect single-size serving. 

Sun setting on 2017.

turning the page

“I hope you will have a wonderful year, that you'll dream dangerously and outrageously, that you'll make something that didn't exist before you made it, that you will be loved and that you will be liked, and that you will have people to love and to like in return. And, most importantly (because I think there should be more kindness and more wisdom in the world right now), that you will, when you need to be, be wise, and that you will always be kind.”

~ Neil Gaiman

on the sixth day o' Christmas

We got snow!

What we lack in garbage dumpsters in my community, we make up for in snow removal. Some eager soul was out plowing our ONE INCH of snow. Then, the sanding and salting and leaf-blowers removing the sidewalk snow commenced. I couldn't fall if I wanted to. 

Happy red boots out on a walk.

The portion of the WO & D trail by my home is under some very large wires~don't know what they are for, but they're always humming. Most likely destroying my brain cells, but the miles of looping wire add such architectual interest to the skyline that I'll take it. 

Anyway, these bolts at the base of the towers looked interesting with shadows and snow.

Ran upon an excellent quote (is there any other kind) from Annie Dillard this morning:  "Time is the continuous loop...or time is an ascending spiral if you will, like a child's toy Slinky. Of course we have no idea which arc on the loop is our time, let alone where the loop itself i, so to speak, or down whose lofty flight of stairs the Slinky so uncannily walks....catch it if you can."

frosty poetry

"You're searching, Joe,

For things that don't exist: I mean beginnings.

Ends and beginnings~there are no such things.

There are only middles."

~Robert Frost

four frozen birds

It was -2 when I woke this morning, so if there were four calling birds~they were very quiet. Had a hoot today trying to explain the tradition of lefse to my rice-based ESL students. We had a meandering conversation about flatbreads of the world~injera, tortillas, naan, pupusas, moo-shoo, blini, crepes~now they can add the Norwegian variety.

And, best of all, I came away with a recipe from their grandmothers' kitchens~legamat. Fried dough covered in honey and sesame seeds sounds like the ideal snow day food!

I had the trail to myself for a brisk afternoon walk.

Three French Hens

A cosy morning~while I was out walking, saw a man riding a unicycle through the snow flurries. Probably a sentence I will not use again in my life!  Unfortunately, the snow flakes stopped for today. Still hoping for some snow during break.

Someone decorated a tree along the trail today. Enjoying this quiet lull of liminality.

on the second day of Christmas

Elegant table for all our Feasting.

 

Admiring her Snow Queen dancer.

 

The calm before the carnage. 

The proper size for a Christmas truffle! 

One of my stocking stuffers.

The glee of the Littles.

Monkey Buns for brekkers put us all in a happy caramel glazed stupor.

Darling little slippers for cold winter days. 

I am obsessed with this lipstick~it changes colours according to your body chemistry, so it's the perfect shade for your skin. The fact that it's filled with a rose and glitter just adds.

The happy of flipping lefse.

Yum.

One of my presents.

You know you're approaching adulthood when you're super excited to get new sheets and a new kettle (I have my grandmother's kettles and they are leaking out the bottom they've been so well-used over the decades.) 

It was a lovely holiday on every level~twinkles of lights, so much good food, laughter, reading many stories, playing games, and simply sharing family time.

And now, it's time for a long winter's nap!