Re: [pf] a good pre-Christmas day

by Molly Williams

23 December 2000 18:44 UTC

Priscilla,

Thank you for sharing your calm and reverent pre-Christmas with us.

~ Molly


prichter1@aol.com wrote:
> 
> 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
>