We’ve had our first snowfall — 2 months late! It was an eerily warm and dry fall, but we’ve officially begun winter now, which feels good. I like winter. It’s definitely cold out as I write this — 6 degrees — with a few inches of crunchy snow on the ground.
On Thursday, I rearranged my work schedule so that I could ride my bike out to the clinic to get my bee venom allergy shots in the morning before the snow storm rolled in. I usually do this 16-mile-roundtrip bike ride after work every Thursday afternoon, but this time it was around 8:30 in the morning. It was such a great ride. I always feel great after that big ride, but Thursday’s was special because traffic was light, people were home with their families, and I kept riding through clouds of wonderful scents wafting from peoples’ homes — apple cinnamon pancakes from one, bacon from another, pinyon wood smoke from yet another, and nutmeg cookies from another. I love the smells I get as I ride, particularly when the air’s moist as it was that day. In the evenings, I love the smell of woodsmoke coming out of chimneys, the pasta smell that always comes from one particular house on my route.
By the time I got to work the flakes were really coming down, and several hours later the boss urged everyone to go home early before it got too treacherous. I rode home slowly through the falling snow, enjoying it thoroughly, then cozied up with tea and a book in front of the glowing Christmas tree once I was home.
Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you! Did you have a good Christmas? I did…nice and low-key. And I’m ready to begin a new year; 2010 was a good enough year, though somewhat challenging in the areas of job and health. 2011 will be better.
We had a quiet New Year’s Eve yesterday; during the day I got caught up with lots of loose ends around the house, purged some crap from the closet, watched an interesting program about John Lennon and ate “fun food” — Hubby’s delicious homemade chicken-veggie soup, fresh pineapple, GORP, some almond roca, and mate. Awesome food combo, don’t you think?! I also ate snow ice cream while huddled next to the space heater in the living room in front of the Christmas tree. I just love the coziness of winter nights! We watched fireworks from our bedroom window, then hit the sack. Which is what I’m going to do now, too…
Tomorrow I need to repair a flat on one of our bikes and re-pot our spindly avocado plant, then more cleaning and purging. My mom gave me a really great book for Christmas called Lillian Too’s 168 Feng Shui Ways to Declutter Your Home. The other night I could not put this book down! It’s in an easy-to-read format, and is extremely motivating and inspiring!
To bed now…
Happy 2011!
New Year's Eve eat-fest
Dear Lindsey,
I love the glimpse you have given into your life. I could smell and taste what you described and feel the snow flakes. A wonderful new years day posting.
Love, Kate