Birthday Times Two

This was the scene on January 6th when Maisie and I went for our morning walk.

And this was what we had planned for that evening, for that very tree that we see almost every day on our customary loop.

Hello friends!

This Thursday, January 6, brings the Christmas season to a close with Twelfth Night and Epiphany.

Also, in a perfect coincidence, it happens to be both Kate's and Nick's birthday. And we'd love it if you'd come celebrate with us. Here's what we have in mind:

1) Feed the wild creatures. We'll set off (on foot, skis, snowshoes) by candlelight, head into the snowy woods, and decorate a tree for the birds, squirrels, etc. After all, legend has it, the animals can speak on this night of the year.

2) Eat cake. Carrot cake. Maybe a few candles. And some hot cider wassail to warm us up.

Bring your skis or snowshoes or at least your snow boots, a lantern if you have one, and something to add to the animal tree if you like (popcorn and cranberries, fruit slices, peanut-butter pine cones, that sort of thing). We'll have some things ready, too. No need to bring anything else!

Snow continued to fall all day.

The cake, too, was snowy. (A collaborative effort: Carrot cake by Nick, cream-cheese-icing and crystallized-ginger snowflakes by me.)

As it turned out, the snow kept most of our friends at home and us inside by the fire that night. But a few days later, the animals got their Twelfth Night treats. (Or perhaps Fourteenth Night, by then?) We set off with candles in jars, a pair of jingling dogs, and a backpack of goodies.

When we finished adorning the branches, it looked quite nice, although a bit ghostly in the sudden glare of a camera flash.

But the next morning, with a fresh dusting of snow and a bright blue sky for backdrop, it was lovely indeed.