The Expansion Of Winter
A hitch that smells of cold apple blossoms has attacked the farm. It is holding up the finishing touches on our plans for Christmas decor. Depriving us of the ability to fully get in the spirit of the up coming holiday. Snow, swirls in the air. It insulates us from what little sound finds it’s way to us here from the town road. We hear very little of it anyway as we are set so far from it. The forest to goes quiet. The tree branches get blanketed in white as does the ground beneath our feet. The goats. hang out in their shed. The chickens, take up residence in the woodshed and watch the falling white drifting it’s way to the ground distastefully. Even Pikku, the dog looks at it and seems to groan. I on the other hand get excited. Winter in New England, has arrived. The world is silent and beautiful.
I too mainly stay in the house. I have some work to do today in here. I must start a chain of sliced naval oranges. Soon the house will smell like oranges. I will first thinly slice them, then lay them in the dehydrator until they have fully dried. Then I will use thread and a sewing needle to string them and decoratively position a cinnamon stick at each end. After that I will hang it in a location it will look nice with the already positioned holiday greenery.
One of my favorite features of this old farm house, is the way it lends itself to beautiful holidays and holiday decor. It does best decked out in the decor that nature provides. This little old fashioned farmhouse isn’t exactly a manner home. It would look silly to decorate it as if it were. It would appear like a child traipsing around in it’s parent’s shoes on it’s tiny feet. Ridiculous. But if you scale the decor to the style and size of the home, it becomes the most beautiful and cozy space to spend a holiday. Watching the snow fall only further adds seasonal enchantment.
It is a peaceful and hushed day here. All the animals are fed. The dog naps, the fire in the wood stove keeps us warm and cozy. In time the light will fade from the sky and the snow will disappear from view. We will sit in the dim light of the christmas tree allowing waves of beautiful soft, traditional, and folk, christmas music carry us away. I may read The Doll’s Christmas, to myself because it isn’t christmas till I have read it. An old childhood family tradition I still honor every year.
This evening, the greenhouse, will get foraged to see what food stuff I can make use of. Such a fabulous thing to have when the prices are only going up and the snow can’t be passed through as our plow man has retired and we have not hired anyone new just yet. We are snowed in about half a mile to a main town road. We can’t get off our property. Dr. Farmer Moomin, realizing snow was coming is working from home today, because if he doesn’t he won’t be able to get to the house when he returns. There is something magical about being an island in a sea of uncrossable snow. The world beyond the borders of the farm disapears, cloaked in a falling white curtain.
Early winter snows don’t generally last long on the ground where we crunch in it as we go out to feed the goats each morning. Usually, it melts and soon after the temperature drops while the ground is wet and we have ice for a time. Soon enough more snow falls. Eventually, the snow will stay put. But till it does, I will enjoy watching it fall. I will find peace in the fragrance of my christmas fragrance resting on the stove colliding with the cold apple blossom fragrance of the snow. Together they make up a scent that can only be described as homestead peace.
It has been a hectic time, having hosted thanksgiving for my family,
Having cleaned up and set up thanksgiving and doing much of the food making….
Then rushing straight into getting the tree up and the house decorated.
I am exhausted so the peace of the falling snow, and the holiday ambiance is so soothing to just,
sit in and take a moment to enjoy quietly.
Thank you for joining me and for reading.
Amanda Of Wildflower Farm