Oh, What Do You Do in the Wintertime?

When all the trees are taken down, the carolers wrapped and stored, and the car loaded with donations for charity, it is time to recap our weeks of holiday. I have seen loved ones: Susie and Rachel at Victoria's wedding in Portland

Donn and Nancy traipsing through Snow Canyon

Brendan and Karen and some gingerbread men all in the warmth of home, as well as the usual players in St. George.

I quilted a dark-toned quilt for mother and father during five hours on December 22, sewed the binding in secret until time ran out, and wrapped it with its pins for Christmas morning. A plush white confection of a dress jacket for Taylor. A Snowy Day for Buddy. Among the goods at Christmas were a miniature Victorian book to write one's Christmas gifts, all of Shakespeare's sonnets, three cookbooks: Ten, Apples for Jam, and Falling Cloudberries with its dreamy cranberry sorbet cover, gift cards, a phone.

Our favorites foods were cherries glacés, lamb with mint chutney glaze, tomato bisque, and seven-layer bars.

At our house the talk for days of neighbor Louisa's birthday and her prospective gift.

I learned to play Mancala. We played 20 Questions, the board game, where I guessed Charles Darwin in one clue and could not guess Shoes after 20 clues. And, Taboo. We tastetested Heath vs. Skor. Heath won from all but myself. They complained it stuck in their teeth. I expect that from toffee. Hummphf. The talk of the houses was eggnog. Who likes it (the boys), who doesn't (the girls).

Our Sadie was put under to remove a mole on her paw. We showered her with TLC.

For the remainder, I plan to cook with barley, try to finish the large jar of Spanish olives, hang two gourds, buy bike shoes, and snap a million photos.