On the Fourth Day of Christmas

Good morning, friends! 

I had my carry-on sitting out because a friend had asked to borrow it for an upcoming trip, but the kittens thought it made a great snuggly bed. I'm not sure she's going to get it away from them.

So here is it, the Fourth Day of Christmas. Did you receive your four calling birds yet? And in case you (like I), had forgotten what 'calling birds' are, let's review, shall we, class?:

'Four Colly Birds: The birds are really Colly Birds, not Calling Birds.  

Colly birds may be any of several coal-black birds – crows, jackdaws, rooks, or ravens. These birds of the night carry the power and mystery of the dark season of the year. The raven was the bird of battle.' That's one definition (from somewhere on the internet). Another says that the four 'calling birds' referred to the four Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Hmmm. I'm thinking the first is more likely. Colly, as in Collier, Coal, etc. etc. Well, anyway...moving along...

 

I spent all day Christmas Day and the Second Day of Christmas in bed with an intensely achy virus. As they say, 'I'd like tuh died.' Once when our younger daughter was little, she and I came down with the flu on Christmas and spent the day in bed, listening to Christmas carols on the radio. She was selfish enough to grow up, get married, and move away, so it was just the cats on the bed with me, attacking my feet through the blankets. Mr. C. was very kind and compassionate, however, which is always much appreciated by someone who feels they're at death's door - or wishes they could be and get it over with.

 How can I even look at these right now??

All better on The Third Day of Christmas, so that I was able to do laundry, do a little walking, and make another double batch of Andes Mint Truffle Cookies - recipe at that link - (but not in any mood yet to eat them). I'm letting you know right now not to bother to make a single batch. Start out with either a double or quadruple batch. They're so easy and there's enough time to make them for New Year's Eve. And you can even get a half dozen eaten before you start your New Year's resolutions!  You know, the one where you're not ever going to eat sugar again.

Little grandsons, budding artists, Christmas Eve

I wonder if this is how Ferrante and Teicher started out. 

For some reason, the past couple nights after being sick I've been on a Hercule Poirot (David Suchet) marathon. I didn't care much for some of the very earliest ones, but then they start getting pretty good, like The Yellow Iris, The Case of The Missing Will, The Chocolate Box, etc. It's been fun to see them again after all this time.

I might have to replace the lights out by the pond next spring.

Christmas Eve Eve

Neighbors with two combines in the corn field,

trying to beat an incoming snowstorm

We're expecting family to start arriving Friday and we'll spend the weekend together. It's always wonderful to have them here. That's also why I made a quadruple batch of those chocolate mint truffle cookies! 

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Day. Have you made New Year's resolutions?

Mine involve more exercise, getting out of the cold at least a few days during February, more Bible study, and cleaning out the house. I know, I know, I said the cleaning out the house thing last year, but 2017 is THE YEAR.

See you in the new year!

 Princess Elsa

 ***


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Hodgepodging the Countdown...

Sunrise, looking SSE from the front porch
with the ever-present lawn ornament


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She writes the questions;
we write the answers.
Plug them into your own blog post
and join in!

1. What's left to be done on your Christmas to-do list? 

With only 4 more sleeps 'til Christmas, my list consists of cleaning the house and making New Year's Day menu plans. Everything's organized, at least on paper. And for me, once it's on paper, I'm good. I already have the minced clams for Christmas Eve's clam chowder that we'll eat, along with popovers, after the church service.

 Snowmen in the library

2. The Hodgepodge lands on the first day of winter this year. What's your favorite thing about winter? 

My favorite thing about winter is the last day of it, which is sometime in April (when you live in northern Wisconsin). 

The barn on a cold!! winter afternoon

An armful of energy

3. In what area of your life are you immature? Feel free to elaborate or not. 

I'm not immature in any way, and why are you asking this anyway? Did someone tell you that I'm immature???

 Santa on the cookstove

4. What was the most (or one of the most) important lessons you learned in 2016? 

There's no quick way to learn patience.

Another wheelbarrow full of wood for the stove

In case some are wondering, Mr. C. pulls the wheelbarrow backwards into the house because it's just easier that way. It might seem odd to those who don't live in the frozen North and who don't burn wood. But believe me, when staying warm takes top priority, we get the wood into the house as quickly and efficiently as possible.

5. It's Fried Shrimp Day...are you a fan? What's your favorite way to eat shrimp? Will there be shrimp somewhere in your holiday feastings? 

I think that shrimp was (were) meant to be part of the food chain, to be consumed by something else that lives in the sea, not by humans.

Sunset and the old farm fuel tank

6. What sound lulls you to sleep?

The car engine (whether or not I'm driving.)

 Evening, View SE from the front porch

7. What one word best describes your 2016? 

Recovery.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

 Yea, Lord, we greet Thee,
Born this happy morning;
Jesus, to Thee be glory given;
Word of the Father,
Now in flesh appearing.

I'm including the last paragraph of a Christmas letter we received from a friend. I thought it nicely summed up what Christmas is all about. Thank you, Laurel:

'A simple birth - not the end of the story nor the beginning, but the pivotal moment in history when God's promise to send a Saviour was put into motion on earth. God loved us enough to send His Son to redeem us from the consequence of sin, so we can have peace with God, the joy of knowing we are His, and hope for the future. His perfect justice is tempered with the gift of mercy for anyone who will believe the truth and tear open the ribbons! Merry Christmas!' 

Have a blessed and very merry Christmas, friends, as we celebrate the birth of our Rescuer, Jesus. He gives us every reason for Joy.