"If, as with Herod,
we fill our lives with things;
if we consider ourselves so important
that we must fill every moment
of our lives with action:
when will we have the time to make the long, slow journey
across the burning desert
as did the Magi?

Or sit and watch the stars
as did the shepherds?

Or brood over the coming of the Child as did Mary?

For each of us there is a desert to travel
A star to discover
And a being within ourselves
to bring to life."----prayer from an Iranian Christmas card

Yesterday, was a day of sweet, simple pleasures, Nature's treasure, winter weather, and time together. We started the day with a long walk in the tumult of wind and rain with the dogs (Murray has been our guest this weekend). Wet, wet, dripping wet. Walked, walked, and still we walked. We caught the early ferry to Kingston. Never have I seen the water so high to the ferry dock. We headed to Point No Point to walk the beach. There was NO beach! The water and waves were so high that they crashed and battered the boulders protecting the lighthouse. The big piles of driftwood and logs were flotsamed and jetsomed into the melee. There was no beach from the Point to the boat launch. We walked the nature path that skirts the wetlands and tried to go out onto the logs. Quite slippery. Someone had built a formidable three-"room" fort that was withstanding the waves that were beating into the living room with a Strait view. The wetlands were flooded. Two herons danced and skirted the lake with raucous "rawwwwkkkks"until they settled on oppposite edges to hunt. The water came up to within a few feet of the little blue cottage that sits on the edge of the lighthouse property. We discovered yesterday that there are actually two little cottages. The water came too near to both for my liking. I have never seen the Point like this. I have visited in all seasons. This was splendid near-Winter calling forth Her power to lay clean and lay all. I can understand that intention, energetic action.

We headed to explore the Hansville families cemetery. That was special, too. Quiet. Muddy. Old names. Many, from across time. The stories. The love. The hardships. The faith. The waiting. The bonds. From 'settler" old to the present. Was wondering about those from up the way and across the bay, the S'Kallam and the Suquamish and their "old", their stories, loves, hardships, waiting, and their bonds. We are all bound. And tossed. And cleared by Winter's Dance.

Then it was off to Yuletide at a lovely church and community in Kingston. Sold out show. I am not an essential aspect as far as dancing goes. I do a little bit at the end with my sisters. The air seems so much less dramatic and relaxed. I wonder if that is just my misperception. It just feels different. I hope it is for everyone. I heard more of the music and Colleen's singing yesterday. I also was up to my ears (still am) in middle school work. It takes a LONG time to be attentive with each one. I will continue to learn how to work smarter and to teach them to do more so that I can do less and we can still be making the progress we need to be making. So backstage at the Yuletide concerts, I can work and enjoy what is happening and I am still there if someone needs an extra hand for schlepping, for selling CDs, for child-herding or running dancers through their numbers. I also get quality time with my father and sometimes my mother. I get to see Colleen. Then it was a quick shot to the ferry and we slipped right on. And home. Our dog was a lovely little traveler. He always goes into a bit of a stupor after Murray leaves. They have such a good time together and they wear each other out. I also had the pleasure of baking cookies for the Community Dinner with the daughter-unit. We had fun and made a lot of good cookies. Made the house smell great while the fire was going in the other room and Christmas music was filling the other spaces. Happy dogs. Happy people. Happy life.

The MLT performance on Saturday went off well (for that venue and for our dancers).That was all that was needed. I like how we have standards and the quality shows. Mediocrity is not entertaining. When I watch this kind of thing (these community dance recitals) I wonder if the rest of the world engages in this sort of thing. I always get a little embarrassed inside because after two, it isn't cute anymore. It is ridiculous.

A walk in the rain. Some scathingly brilliant seeds of planning glory coming from yesterday's adventures regarding future writing projects, geocaching, and local history. We shall see. Also ideas about creative retellings from alternate points of view--this one is percolating and ready to be put in a cup and sipped. Or chugged. We shall see what the students do with this today.

Hitting the Bucket List tonight. Have always wanted to see and enjoy Wight's (sp?). Tonight is the night. And with my dear friend. A cup of tea, lots of twinkle lights, ideas, Noel on Crackmas, and then home...where I have a stash of evergreens we picked up off the side of road to make into simple, elegant, sensual swags for our Noel of Spirit here.