Christmas is a comin'

Yes,  ready or not,  it's almost here.  Am I ready?  Uh, not really.  That's not my fireplace (though it has finally gotten cold enough for us to have a fire each evening),  but what I'd love more than anything would be to sit down in front of it,  with a cup of my favorite hot tea,  my stack of mostly British magazines and have my knitting close by.  I don't know why I'm always surprised at how rushed everything becomes the last few days before the 25th.  The Christmas knitting is finished,  the baking and making is done.  I still have a few things to wrap and then we'll have a full week of comings and goings.  I'm ready to slow my brain down and stop waking up at 3:00 am,  wondering if I've forgotten someone.

Oddly,  Christmas day will be the only quiet day here at the home place.  If the weather is nice,  we're likely to take a hike down the creek to the waterfall where it drops into the river.  Maybe I'll make a big pot of clam chowder and some homemade bread.  Maybe we'll watch "The Christmas Story" and "A Child's Christmas in Wales".  (Mike thinks it's probably against the law to watch a movie during the daytime,  so there is some risk taking in that!)

I'm especially thankful this Christmas for my friends and family.  I'm grateful that all are healthy and close enough that we can see them more than once or twice a year.  I'm grateful for all of you who take the time to check in here and read about the farm and our life here.  Thank you and I wish all of you a blessed and happy Christmas.

(This "Red-headed Knitter" ornament is one I ordered from Anthropologie years ago.  She resides on the little tree in my studio, with all the little woolie ornaments I've collected over the years.  She kinda looks the way I feel sometimes - except my hair is much shorter!)