Local Flavor: December's Bones

Well, Happy New Year everyone! I had such a busy December that I wasn't keeping up to date over here on the blog and instead just dropping photos over at Instagram. This gorgeous sunrise was from the 29th last month.

We had some really pretty snow mid-month, too!

Hard to argue with fluff down by the river, right?

Our Xmas was pretty quiet this year -- my Dad was up for a week and a half and we were hemmed-in by lackluster weather much of the time. We did make a trek up to Burlington and got some Indian food and a little shopping in, though, after the holiday. Above is Rosie making herself quite comfy under the tree.

Here's my Peppermint Bride fresh off of providing us with cardamom braid that morning.

I picked my Dad up the day before Xmas Eve and we returned-back through a ton of freezing rain and nastiness. We did stop at Home Depot on the way back, though, and I scored some small-bulb "icicle" multicolor lights to add to our display on clearance. He helped me put them up that night in the rain and I was immediately cheered.

Here's the man himself, lazing-about on the morning of Xmas Eve.

After all that rain, the temperatures dropped and iced-up our shop window right-proper.

The week before Xmas we were lucky enough to get our Danish kringle in the mail and the smile on Elsa's face (and mine) says it all, huh? I love this stuff.

There was also a White River Valley Player's production of "The Night Before the Night Before Christmas" that turned out to have an extra Night Before in it as it had to be moved earlier. Local fella John and I did sound for it and gabbed about equipment like obnoxious soundguys do. They've been doing it outside, lately, which is fun but cold.

We lost power for a few days the weekend before Xmas and at one point I was driving in the middle of the night to get some gas for the generator -- the power was off everywhere and only came on right as I approached Bethel and the gas station. And, would you believe...? ...there were other dang-fool husbands there at 2 AM as well... juicing-up their own generators.

We did have our usual solstice fire, though, in the snow!

Just the other day my friend Manny gifted us this cherry plate he turned. He's a stand-up guy -- did I mention that?

I finally got us a new coffee device before the holidays. Our old faux-spresso (just a steam-pressure, cheapo Krups maker, but we liked it) died so I replaced it with this nice Grosche moka pot. The process is almost the same and this makes dang good brew. I used to be a barista for a couple years so it's important to me to have coffee rich but also mellow and smooth. I could go on and on but I won't!

Who doesn't like seeing black depths? Give me a "coffee black sea," Greek mythology, and leave your "wine dark sea" behind!

Lemon-blueberry muffins help, too.

We played a ton of board games and card games over break and giant cups like this smoothed-out my brain during play. I barely ever order from Uline but when I do I definitely take advantage of the "free gift" when you order too many shipping boxes. I also like the mystery banana under the napkin. Humm...

Speaking of mysteries -- how about those fun mysteries of $400 or so worth of strings? ...and just in time to save my bacon right before break.