Unofficially Winter

Big Red returns

We've spent the entire weekend in the most beautiful snow. I haven't even minded the cold, really, except when I went out last evening to get a bottle of sauvinon blanc and the ingredients for a cheese fondue. But the cottage stays warm and we have enough tea and hot chocolate to last the entire season...

We began our Christmas decorating yesterday, which is why I made fondue. We like to make a little party of it every year and we were especially happy when Dr. Scott popped in to lend a hand.

Last year, we set the tree up in the dining room bay windows and liked it so much, we did it again this year. It's not really a separate room, though. This is an American Craftsman cottage, so the living and dining rooms are really just one large room divided by a set of colonnades typical of the architectural style. Because we don't serve a formal Christmas dinner, the dining room was sort of wasted space before, and having the tree in the living room really felt cramped. Anyway, it's up, but there are still boxes sitting around and other decorations to put up, which I'm determined to get to tomorrow. Every year it takes a little longer.

As you can see from the picture, our Cardinal, Big Red, has returned just in time to look perfect in the snow. (We like to believe it's the same one every year. Don't burst my bubble.) We're expecting more snow this evening-through-morning. I'm predicting a "Little Ice Age" this year because last winter, spring, and summer were unseasonably mild. Bring it on! I have my mukluks and a cupboard full of tea.