Life was expectant with spring’s first bud rushed headlong into summer barely paused when Fall rescued us from languid August days. Winter nearing we must linger till morning light to pull on warm clothes slip past sleeping cats and out for our morning walk. No heron or Squirrel – only geese pass overhead, honking snow…
December had barely finished spelling out its name, yet huge, wet snowflakes silently …
No sooner had the calendar turned its page to December then God spread His blanket across the eastern half of the continent. Pre-empting deck the halls and fa-la-la, deer stayed in their thickets and geese fell silent. Caught by surprise littlejennywren darted from her berth ‘neath the boat cover and chattered incessantly at our back…
In comes tree (bearing the faint chill of a Chesapeake December) Shake loose its branches and gather round to mark the end of another year! Catching scents of pine and cinnamon Annie slowly, tentatively settles on the green chair to oversee decorating from a distance Hot mulled cider tastes especially good on a night such…
No feral cats roam the island sit on windowsills sleep on forgotten front porches Trimmings that made houses homes days holidays seasons special. Gone. war came. duty called. Then the world changed. Snug in St. Maggie’s Dale cats hiss and scamper sneak around corners bivouac under a chair Jimmy the dog has come to stay…
Out of storage comes one love seat two boxes of books three cardboard chests marked ‘fragile’. Five candles, found, can light windows. still needed – a little space for the Christmas tree. Reunited with love seat and a patch of sun Annie and Coco snuggle peacefully. Ah, the wisdom of cats! Merry Christmas!
This tree stands – lights and ribbons encircling – like a million other trees. (remember the popcorn and cranberry strings? Paper chains and brightly decorated cookies?) look! what a cacophony of ornaments! laughing like stars – they silently chart our course across a lifetime. oh cats, where has the time gone?
‘In the city’ where music danced on the night lights we dashed store to store over snowbanks, between cars through crowds of people across the cobblestone streets trying to avoid puddles of slush – don’t slip! meet. regroup and divide. meet again outside under the Shepard clock closely guarding our Christmas secrets only the constant…
Where is the nutcracker who stands sentry by the front door? or tiny train going round and round looking for Christmas? small fairy sled that’s carried generations of rosy cheeked babes sits in an upstairs corner – waiting. the cats wait too – lazing in a slice of winter sun. Now grown children pop chocolates…
& then it was Christmas Day! sleep – silent snow blankets the earth with only an occasional whisper the world is at peace. even the cats sleep on…
Something skitters across the room – cats not far behind another bird has been plundered from the garland that winds its way up the stairs why are these cats so sure that the season’s decorations are strictly for their amusement? we have given up believing they will ever stay out of the tree perhaps our…
How shall we celebrate? with eggnog. tree. (doubt there’ll be snow) family, friends. cookies. candles. stack lots of firewood. (oh no. cutter packed) Beth – gingerbread men duty. festival of nine lessons and carols. advent calendar. packed. (will anyone notice) order turkey (vegetarian too) somehow it falls into place. I’m so glad you Always put…