Warm Thoughts Blown in by a Storm

We're having some down time today.  The morning was stormy with the wind howling and the rain thrumming against the window sounding for all the world like gravel being tossed against the glass.  Hanging above our porch we have a set of wind chimes with the big tubes that sound more like church bells than the tinkling of the wind chimes heard more often.  At night I tether them so we don't keep the neighbor closest to us awake all night, but during the day I let them loose and they are glorious.

Tonight is a full moon and the clouds are scattered.  The wind is calmed, no clamoring from the chimes for the moment. Our friends are flying to Germany in the morning so we are hoping the storm holds off until they are safely away.  We have no television so we spend the evening playing chess and listening to our radio programs on the public radio station KUSP out of Santa Cruz. 

Yesterday our friends came by and helped get our Christmas garland hung around the house's exterior. It was a job well done.  Not one pinecone or ribbon came loose. The moonlight  glints off the glitter on the pinecones, but they are mostly a daytime display.

This weekend we'll bring down some more decorations from the attic.  We'll hang wreaths in the windows and our huge glass Christmas orbs from the porch ceiling. Christmas music will start sounding through our days and we'll feel warmer even as the weather cools off outside.  And we'll try to keep some eggnog on hand for when a friend, or two, drop by to say hello.

In bocca al lupo. m & v