From Where I Sit…

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It was a lovely Christmas. Though…. the weather-casters call the weather, extreme cold (which it is) I still call it the most wonderful time of the year..

Where’s my gift?

Though even Beaumont the Sheepadoodle has his limits and at -31C (-24F) (with windchill -38C – 36C) he is not as keen on staying out too long as normal — but he’s also not keen on not going out either!

So we compromise

I drive him to the park rather than walk. We do one short off-leash walk (max 15 min) I try to throw the ball as much as possible but it keeps freezing to the chucker cup and won’t release! Sometimes, in my vehement throw, I release the whole chucker and it goes flying — it’s quite the sight and quite confusing to Beau!

But, if I remove the temperature from the equation, it’s very beautiful. Bare-branched trees laced with hoar frost. Sun glistening off the snow. Mist rising from the river. The halo mist of my breath around my face. The crunch of snow beneath my boots. Beau’s breath drifting behind him as he runs across a wide-open field. And the silence.

So much silence in winter’s Arctic grasp.

So much silence and stillness. No birds sing or flit amongst the naked trees. No squireels scamper across the snow-laden meadow. No other dogs and walkers.

Though earlier, as Beau and I traipsed across the open meadow, a man and woman jogged past with their dog. They were not bundled up in parkas, just running gear and balaclavas. With a cheery “Merry Christmas” and a wave of their hand, they kept going. Way too cold to stop for a visit. And later, as I drove along a snow-covered road, a man rode by on his bicycle, his body like a giant blimp as he pedaled furiously to keep moving through the cold and snow.

To live in this place, you must be prepared for the weather.

I am grateful for Beaumont’s insistence we get out for a walk at least twice a day. I might not leave the house until spring if he didn’t!

I hope you had as beautiful and joyful Christmas/holiday season as we did. Family. Friends. Laughter. Fun. Good food. Wine. and great company.

We stuck to the rules of gathering under Dovid’s mane, and still had a wonderful time! As my daughter said, it’s been a while since we’ve been able to gather at all. What a joy!

I got to decorate the table. Make name tags (tiny string Christmas tres) and use duct tape and a cardboard insert from a paper towel ring to make serviette holders to go with my salt dough angels, and set the table all pretty and sparkly so that we could gather together to share that special space of family and friendship!

My kind of holiday celebration.

I hope yours was as joyful and full of love!

Namaste.

23 thoughts on “From Where I Sit…”

  1. In spite of Covid’s strangle hold on our lives you managed well. One can work within constraints imposed and be safe. It is doable’ we have proven so.
    Christmas dinner was a quiet affair with one other couple from within our bubble of trusted ones. Let this be the last Christmas and New Year’s Eve that we celebrate with the threat of COVID’s tentacles hovering over us.
    Now your weather is another issue. When I read the news about EXTREME conditions my heart sank. Even the weather is not cooperating to allow you out and about for fresh air, exercise and peace of mind. Take care, bundle up and stay warm. This to shall pass!

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    • It shall pass as all things eventually do Iwona — and in its passing, may we all feel/know/accept we all did our best, we all tried our hardest and we all deserve compassion for those moments where we fell short of our expectations.

      I went out this morning with Beaumont and it was -24C — felt almost balmy! 🙂

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  5. What a beautiful setting. Our big shindig was cancelled so I scrambled to get a last-minute turkey and didn’t focus all that much on decorations. Next year in my new kitchen 🙂
    Glad you had a wonderful Christmas!

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