December 31st, 2025

 It's New Year's Eve Day.

It's foggy. 

But it will clear this afternoon, and hopefully stay clear until after midnight, so the Fireworks On The Needle can be enjoyed by those on the scene as well as the many of us, like me, who will be watching on TV. 

Yesterday we walked again at the park.

We have been enjoying evening fires. Some day we'll get around to undecorating, but there's no hurry. Rain starts tomorrow. 

Happy New Year! (I hope)

The Year Is Winding Down

 

                         Low Winter Sun

The year is ending and it has been OK. 

Yesterday we paid off our car  loan. Now we can start saving for property taxes.

A year ago last January I had knee replacement surgery. There were issues but I can walk. Sunday I did my longest walk yet since surgery, a mile and a half. Tom was impressed and praised me. I have no plans for any more chopping up.

After our Zoom meet up today, I went outside. We don't have much view of the sky anymore, what with tall trees and giant houses. I'll keep the trees, the low winter sun peeks through them, but I could do without the houses. They block all of our western sky.

Jill sent me photos of the sunset she and Irene could see at Rockaway Beach. I'm envious.

On my walk this morning I looked for anything blooming. For a number of years I would go outside on New Years Day to see "What's Blooming". I'm a few days early this year, but the sun is shining. Here's what I found. 

Winter Jasmine and Hellebore buds ready to burst. 

A few roses and many Primroses. 

Buds on Euonymus ready to flash pink and orange/

Hydrangeas hanging on.  

Fatsia blooms fed hummingbirds, but now have gone to seed.

Mahonia blooms now take their place. 

I have no New Years resolutions this year. I just need to loose weight, but with a pantry full of chocolate and other gifted candy, that will be hard. We'll go for a walk again this afternoon, and as usual, we'll keep on keeping on.

Happy New Year to all of you dear friends. May you find Joy and Peace as you journey on another trip around the sun. 

Christmas 2025

 At 8:00 0n December 25th, we are winding down on on another Reeder Gibson Christmas, and once again we celebrated well. 

Christmas Eve was at the Reeder Homestead. Dinner was a cooperative affair. Jill brought the steak and crab and asparagus. Linda supplied salad, scalloped potatoes and cardamom rolls. Jake made the sweet potato fries. 

Irene added to the cookies we all had been baking for more than a week. 

After a leisurely dinner we ate dessert and watched some classic Christmas videos. 

Christmas morning we gathered at Jill's house. We opened stockings and then had brunch. 

The cats got stockings too.

Jake made coffee.

Irene decorated my Cardamom wreath bread.

Jill cooked eggs and sausage. 

We all ate. :-)

Then it was time to share gifts. They were abundant.

We had fun as we opened them one at a time. 

Then we played games. So did the cats. 

Some of us rested. Mr. Whiskers enjoyed the wrappings. 

Later there was more food.

Jake tried out his new tent.

And we played a Lego game. 

As some of us departed for our own homes, we all were left with full tummies and full hearts from another wonderful family Christmas.

And for sure we are feeling fortunate and blessed to have such a family and the comforts in which to celebrate.  

Christmas Time Is Here

 

We are ready! The table is set for Christmas Eve. The food is prepared or planned or figured out. Jill has scored crab for our steak and crab dinner.

There is even a candy buffet.

Christmas Eve will be here at the Reeder Homestead. Christmas Day will be at Jill's, with stockings, breakfast, gifts. and more eating. Jill is in charge. Tom, Linda, Jan, Jill, Jake, Isaac, and Irene, the usual suspects, will be in attendance.  Some day our family is bound to grow again, but for now we are it, and we are good.

While I have the time, I am wishing you all Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas, or whatever you celebrate. May joy, peace, and love be with you.

It's the Solstice!

 I've been up since 7:00 on this Winter Solstice  morning, early for me, watching the light slowly creep across the sky as I sit at my computer in our upstairs office. It's not raining or blowing at the moment, quite peaceful in the gray light of this Sunday morning, as Winter begins.

I'm taking it slow for now, as yesterday was a busy day. It was cookie baking day with the kids and the grands.

I made the doughs and had everything set out ahead of time. Then when they arrived in the afternoon, Jill took over. She does the rolling out.

Jake is in charge of the baking. 

We start by baking the ginger bread cookies, and then while those cool, it's time for the sprinkle decorated sugar cookies. The guys really get into it. 

This is precision work.

Then it's time to decorate the gingerbread. I was doing mine and almost forgot to take a photo.

The tray is empty, the cookies are done. I got Tom to finally stop doing  dishes long enough to do a few. He was "creative". 

Irene is an artist even with frosting.

And now it is Christmas week. I will spend this quiet Sunday baking the Swedish Cardamom bread and getting it into the freezer for later festivities.

There's no Seahawks football to watch today since Seattle took care of that Thursday night. What a game! Seattle is still buzzing.

Happy Solstice!