. . . Look up! The wheel is turning.
The spectacular crowd of stars,
the tangle of dimensions
jostle for our attention.
Salute the birth of everything holy.

~ Excerpt from “At the Winter Solstice" by Dolores Stewart Riccio

A swimming day off; time in the woods with Charlie for a long ramble and time in the brook and wetlands. Sensing the approach of the new year, of January, the long month of snow and treachery of ice. But, I have a mud room now! A place for boots and mittens and scarves and hats, so when the snow comes and the shovelling and making of snow people comes, the mud room will be a sanctuary for comings and goings, in and out. Last items being finished; construction coming to an end. To an end! Ah, there is an end after all! This afternoon I had a chance for a gift exchange, coffee and tea at Tatté with my dear friend. Warm conversation on a warm afternoon. I drove the special one to an appointment today; we were a half hour early after all. Wondered what to do with that half hour to keep him happy. We drove and I sang story after story about beloved tractors and beloved mothers and after each song story he said, “More song!” And that half hour flew by for both of us.