Observations on Christmas Cards:

I love Christmas cards! 
The artwork and printed messages. 
The handwritten notes.  The
classic Christmas letters.  The
photos.  We returned from a few days in Portland to find a stack of Christmas cards: 18!  That is more personal mail than I receive
during the rest of the year.  There was the
hands-down cleverest Christmas letter I have ever received – it was done in
primer Dick-and-Jane style complete with vintage pictures.  There was a family photo of 25 persons
spanning 4 generations – all in different Norwegian sweaters!  Some inspirational stories.  Some goofy photos.  Delightful.

And, oh, that reminds me – I have about a hundred Christmas
cards to write this weekend!

Observations on The Winter Solstice;

It never got light today – just murky.  Nightfall is a Godsend!

Observations on Weather:

What exactly is a “cold front”?  Isn’t cold the lack of heat?  How something that is the lack of something
else “move in”?  Isn’t a “cold front”
just what is left over after the “warm front” runs away?

A Confession:

Okay, I am doing a little
bit of Christmas knitting.  I know I
am setting myself up for the wrath of those for whom I am not knitting – but I kind
of got inspired and it is Gwen’s
first Christmas.  So, here it is (in
process, of course – it hardly counts as Christmas knitting if one is not madly
chunking it out as the reindeer are clattering on the rooftop):

No, it is not her
first knit bra!  It will be a stuffed
dodecahedron (12-pointed star) toy done in ferocity-style (i.e. unique with
different yarns and knit stitches).  The
pattern (designed by Norah Gaughan – no surprise there!) is a free download from
the Knitting Daily e-newsletter.

And now for the Great News:

Sarah and I will be teaching at Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat!  When we heard that they would be offering
“Minis” this year (90-min. classes), we contacted the organizers and introduced
ourselves.  They invited us to submit
some class proposals and they have asked us to teach 3 of them!  We are terribly excited!  I feel like we have been called up to the
Majors!

Okay, down to Earth again.

I have to go write Christmas cards, knit a dodecahedron, and
raid the kitchen for Christmas cookies. 
Maybe hit the Christmas cookies first – good plan!