All the local lakes, except, maybe, Forest Lake, are ice covered. The Sunrise River pools are ice covered, including the river itself. Winter has set in. Blue skies, sunshine, cold temperatures... we've noticed that a succession of several consecutive days with sunshine and no extended period of cloud cover have begun to brighten our outlook, no pun intended. Again this morning we noticed that the moon hadn't set as we headed off to do some errands. We haven't checked but are beginning to wonder if December is a month of daytime full moons.
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| a different year, a daytime full moon in December
Photo by J. Harrington
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Some time within the next week or so we want to get over to the St. Croix river and see how the ice making is going near Franconia. Our guess is we'll be looking at open water but we've been known to be wrong once or twice before. On the way we'll see if Christmas decorations are up and candles are in the windows. There's a small village that reminds us a little of New England and Christmas is a wonderful time to find remembrances of our homes of origin, which may be, but all too often aren't, where we currently live.
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| Franconia Christmas lights
Photo by J. Harrington
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We've not yet cut our tree. Perhaps this weekend we'll get to it. Repairs to the tree stand were in order, including letting it sit for a couple of days with water in it to see if it leaks. [We've no proof but are highly suspicious it started life as a flag stand.] This seems to have turned into a year in which we really ease into Christmas season. Most years past, the tree is up and partly to fully decorated by now. On the other hand, never before have the Better Half and Daughter Person made multiple fruit cakes, many of which have now been shipped to friends and relatives near and far. We'll see if this is the beginning of a new Christmas tradition.
White Night
by Mary Oliver
All night
I float
in the shallow ponds
while the moon wanders
burning,
bone white,
among the milky stems.
Once
I saw her hand reach
to touch the muskrat’s
small sleek head
and it was lovely, oh,
I don’t want to argue anymore
about all the things
I thought I could not
live without! Soon
the muskrat
will glide with another
into their castle
of weeds, morning
will rise from the east
tangled and brazen,
and before that
difficult
and beautiful
hurricane of light
I want to flow out
across the mother
of all waters,
I want to lose myself
on the black
and silky currents,
yawning,
gathering
the tall lilies
of sleep.
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Please be kind to each other while you can.
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