We don’t celebrate the Christmas holiday, but statutory days off happen regardless, so today is a half-day, and tomorrow and Thursday are off days. One of them we will use as our regular weekly hygeine trip, because we got a huge snowstorm on Saturday and it took them until Monday to get the road cleared out. The other day we will use to get some things done around here.

We need to restack the woodpile that came down in the wind last week. We need to bring the kindling pile in so it can start to dry out. We need to get a new zipdoor installed on the greenhouse tent and entirely tape the old zipper shut. Need to bring the washing machine inside so it doesnt get damaged by the cold.

Next weekend, my sister and her crew will be over from the mainland for the usual end-of-year family gathering. Otherwise, it is life as usual – cook, clean, schoolwork, children. Do it all again tomorrow.

I am very much in “hibernation” mode. I think I got 6 different kinds of cookies and 2 kinds of chips at the store yesterday. Eat all the things, gain weight, sleep for 4 months. I could do that. Bears have the right idea.

I am somewhat affected by SAD, so I need to find things to look forward to in the dark seasons (we had ZERO days of sun in November and not very many so far in December). I have a very large order of bulk herbs coming in soonish (likely after the new year, now) to play with, and I am amassing a large and varied garden wishlist for the coming spring already, for myself and the kiddos. I keep thinking “this garden year, I will have less to plant”…but it’s a TOTAL lie. I already have between 8 and a dozen things seeded out (from before it froze) and at least as many again to plant from seed in March or so, and then again once the frost is finished in June. That isn’t counting the usual veggie garden plantings. I will also be doing a tree order, like last year (although smaller, I hope). For one thing, the kiddos tasted persimmons last week and want me to source a persimmon tree. They also want an Asian pear, and I need at least one more pawpaw, probably 2, as 2 of my 3 seem to have died. If I can get a couple apricot, I want to, and I need at least one other type of grapevine. See? The list just gets longer….