[pf] a good pre-Christmas day

by prichter1

22 December 2000 23:02 UTC

Simple living does have its payoffs:  usually these days before Christmas I 
am running around like a crazy person. Today I did have some last minute 
stuff to do, but I had it well planned out.

First I had to take my car to be serviced, usually an ordeal, but I have 
found some good mechanics and I walked up to a coffee shop for a light 
breakfast and then to the library. The car was ready by 10:30 -- although 
today has been extremely cold, windy, and snowy off an on, I was comfortable 
walking around town. This is a good town to walk in.

I went home and woke up my son. After some homemade hot soup, we went to 
finish my errands in Amish country -- about 15 miles away. I am giving 
baskets of goodies for Christmas gifts for my father and nephew who is now in 
his first apartment and actually likes to cook. The drive was snowy and 
beautiful.  We passed many buggies out and about. I went to the Amish bulk 
goods store to pick up what I needed. While there, I found steel-cut oatmeal 
at 99 cents for 2 pounds. I was delighted. This stuff is packaged minimally 
and will last me for a long time.  I finished my errand and on the way home I 
decided to take Ryan to one of the covered bridges in our county. In the snow 
it looked like a Grandma Moses scene. We took a road by the bridge back home 
-- I had never traveled that road before. The road was like a dirt road (I 
don't know, it was covered in snow).  It was so gorgeous going through a deep 
forest in the snow. We went up and over a big hill and then through a nursery 
back to the highway.

Once home it was dusk. This is my favorite time to take a walk. The 
temperature is 8 degrees with windchills of -30. I was not uncomfortable, but 
well-layered.  By this time the sky had cleared and the sun had set. The new 
snow had covered my previous footprints and I was able to follow the 
footprints of the deer, rabbit, and other animals. The snow muffled 
everything and the silence was deep. I ended up in the woods and was reminded 
of Robert Frost's _Stopping By the Woods on a Snowy Evening", written at the 
solstice so many years ago.  It was a magical moment as I recalled that poem. 
That seemed to sum up my day.

This was such a contrast to previous days before Christmas. It makes a 
tremendous difference. I still have miles to go before I sleep, but I am so 
much the better for having chosen activities that get me closer to nature and 
in touch with my soul.

Just wanted to share this with a community that's important to me.
Warm holiday greetings,
Priscilla