December Observations: Winter Wonderland

12/27/2012 by Kathy Sturr 5 Comments

This is the first year a Christmas tree towers in our living area since we moved into this house. I never thought I had enough room but just as there is always room for one more plant, I finally found a spot. I enjoyed pulling out the ornaments I’ve collected over the years. Ornaments that belonged to my grandmother and great aunt. Ornaments that remind me of a woodland forest and magical creatures. I have been enjoying silent evenings in my indoor wonderland tucked in among the twinkling lights and icy glazes.

Santa has sailed his presents in a canoe but here, there are no palm trees or coconuts. Here, there are frosted pine cones.

Outdoors the spruce in the Woodland Edge section of the garden is decked out with birdseed eggs – a wonderful gift from a wonderful friend. (Thank you Jen!) A group of sparrows has tucked themselves into the thick cover of the spruce for winter. They will peek out and peck at these edible ornaments, take a sip from the heated birdbath. Occasionally a chickadee or titmouse will also drop in. It is indeed a gift to witness the magical creatures enjoying these eggs in my outdoor “woodland forest.”

Whatever remains of the birdseed eggs is now buried in a velvet blanket of snow because overnight, winter knocked. The wind howled, the snow blew, the Christmas tree fell over – indoors. What is there to do but to buck up and dig in? This more resembles the sometimes chaotic Christmas “spirit” and our north country winter. The tree is once again standing tall, minus a few ornaments that were eaten by the fall. The snowblower works! The shovel is cheaper than joining the gym. I am happy for the snow and its insulating blanket. I hate the wind. The birds, magical creatures that they are, survive. But the Cooper’s Hawk swooped in on winter’s winds today. I am usually visited by a Cooper’s Hawk and a Sharp-shinned Hawk each winter. (Cornell has a great write up on distinguishing between these two very similar hawks.)

So I count down December in these winter wonderlands, and the just shoveled paths are clear for the New Year. Last evening I watched a rabbit hopping to it – don’t eat any more of my Northern Lights Azalea! At least it’s now buried in snow. Mojo (my dudest of doodles) “chased” him out back (not quite as quick as a rabbit), but then the rabbit startled me by running a circle around the entire workshop, right past me, and returning to the same spot to hide! Mojo didn’t have a clue. I wonder if this is a sign –  will I be clueless, or running around in circles in this New Year?