Waiting for the holidays

It's a new tradition for us, but it seems just right. We all order the red snappers and fix them Chilean style, surrounded by green rice, tomatoes and collards. This year we'll have twenty people the day after Christmas, so we are augmenting all this with a ham.

Now, five years since we retired, we still flop around somewhat, but we are making a wonderful new network of friends here and connect with our old friends (some are young!)

Every day I get up and greet the wonderful possibilities of the day ahead. By the time I get down to my studio the sand hill cranes have noisily flown in to begin their day of elegant striding and pecking. They would love it if I would ever open the vegetable garden gate so they could nip off the new lettuces. But of course, I won't.

I have bought a few poinsettias to line the walk to the front door now decorated with a wreath. Everything looks very festive and ready for the several holiday events about to happen here.

I am generally not into holiday decorating, but this year, thanks to Quincy, we have a Christmas tree. I may replace the tired candles on the mantle with something more festive, and I will display the wonderful Christmas stockings (even one for Lola, the dog!) knitted by our dear friend, Lucy. I have installed the holiday towels in the bathroom. I'm ready.

Just before Christmas our middle son, Ben, is coming for a few days, and our daughter Elizabeth and her son, Quincy. I rejoice in this. We do not require all the family to gather at Christmas or at any other time. We have had many Christmases when we did this, and it was lovely, with the sheer expansiveness of it all. And, when our kids were young we had the set traditions of Christmas with the stockings and gifts. That was a fun time, but then we all fanned out and the children began their own traditions in their own places.

Now, we have even curtailed the amount of gifts given, and we let all the family know that we do not need or want for anything. I have taken to sending my young relatives notification that they are the recipient of a gift to Heifer International of a goat or a water buffalo or a llama. We don't know what they want!

I walk out into the field and see the red berries so thick on the holly. It is the holiday season and I am truly satisfied.