12/30/25  As the days lengthen, the cold strengthens.

21 degrees, cloudy, calm.  21 is the high for today, 10 this afternoon, 4 tonight.  West wind today, a stiff WSW breeze tonight.  Partly cloudy tomorrow, a brisk SW breeze, high 21, low 9.  Snow showers tomorrow night and Thursday morning.  A stiff NW breeze Thursday, high 23, low-2. Partly cloudy Friday, a west breeze, high 17, low 3.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a brisk WNW breeze, high 17, low-8.   Sunshine Sunday, a WNW breeze, high 10, low -7.  Partly cloudy Monday, a light NW breeze, high15, low 7.  Snow showers Monday night.  A north breeze next Tuesday, cloudy, high 21, low 7.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday and Thursday, NNW breezes, highs in the low twenties, lows 10 and 14. Snow showers Thursday night.  3-5 inches of snow Friday the 9th, a NW breeze, high 30, low 18.  Snow shower Friday night. A west breeze Saturday the 10th and Sunday the 11th, highs about 33, lows 18 and 14.  1-3 inches of snow showers Saturday night and Sunday morning  Partly cloudy the 12th and 13th, WNW breezes, highs 28, lows 11. 

      Yesterday was an unpleasant day weatherwise.  My weather station said 1.17 inches of rain.  Likely there was snow/ice buildup before the rain started.  The sump pump has come on a few times.  The snowpack is now an ice pack.  I'll make an ash path as I go out to care for the hens.  I have buckets of sand by the back door and front door.

    Yesterday I printed several pages of instructions from my using milk class.  How to make our own cultures, cheeses and other things we might want to refer too.  Today we are going to start the cultures.  We've been using Stonyfield plain yogurt as a culture to make yogurt.   I need to decide which class I want to take next.

    Andrew and Gayle live off grid.  The temperature has dropped to 16 but the sun is shining, charging their solar batteries.  When the sun shines their Christmas lights stay bright well into the night.  They have a backup propane generator but even in the winter their solar generator produces most of their power.

    May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/29/25  Life isn’t about getting and having, it’s about giving and being.

Some snow, 20 degrees.  A wintery mix today, some rain as the temperature climbs into the high thirties this afternoon.  It starts dropping with tomorrow's high of 21 in the very early morning hours.  A brisk ESE breeze today.  Partly cloudy tomorrow with a west wind, an afternoon high of 17.  The temperature will drop to a low of 5 overnight with a stiff WSW breeze.  Partly cloudy Wednesday with a SW breeze, a high of 22, low of 8.  Snow showers at night.  Partly cloudy and cold through Sunday.

Lots of snow showers starting Monday the 5th through Monday the 12th will slowly increase to a good snow pack. Highs will be in the twenties, lows in the teens.

    A busy weekend.  Doug's family Christmas was Saturday.  Yesterday was the celebration of Joyce Boone's life. Joyce was described as caring, always kind.  There was standing room only so many were there.  That' a lot of caring and kindness!  I once heard a teenage boy say, "that's what a Christian lady is."

   When I got home I went up to Barbie and Gilbert's.  Tiffany and Evan are here from Rhode Island with Eilania, a great grand daughter born in September.  They are coming down today but I didn't want to wait another day to meet her.

  Even though twelve days of Christmas last until Epiphany, January 6th, we will be busy.  Bekah has some orders to do.  We are going to make cheese.  I have some berries in the freezer.  We're running low on jam, I'll use them to make more.

   The birds are thankful for all the people who have feeders.  Everyone who feeds the birds says they have lots of birds at their feeders.  We set up a heated water dish for the barn cats. And the neighboring cats. They were all drinking from the birds' water dish.  No cats allowed in the kitchen garden with the birds.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/28/25  12 days of Christmas

Clear, light SW breeze, 13 degrees.  sun,a NW breeze and 30 today.   Cloudy with 1-3 inches of snow late.  A light

.   NE breeze. Rain and snow in the morning change to rain later in the day.  1-3 inches of snow.  An ESE breeze, high 40, low 20  Cloudy Tuesday with a west wind, high 23, low 5.  Partly cloudy and cold through the weekend.

     Christmas Day commemorates the moment God became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ (John 1:14). This profound event is seen as the start of a new era, ushering in salvation and the fulfillment of God's promises.

Rather than a single day, Christmas is celebrated as a season, lasting for 12 days. This reflects the joy and importance of Christ's birth, not just as an isolated event but as a foundation for Christian faith.

    Christmas Day is the beginning, not the end of the season because it celebrates the start of Christ’s life on earth. The following 12 days allow for ongoing reflection on His birth, the joy it brings, and His revelation to humanity.

Christmas is more than a day of gift-giving; it’s a prolonged celebration of God’s love made manifest. May these 12 Days of celebration deepen the spiritual appreciation for Christmas and its extended meaning in our lives. The 12th day, January 6th, is the Feast of Epiphany, which commemorates the visit of the Magi (Wise Men) to the Christ child. It symbolizes Christ's revelation to the Gentiles and the world at large.

May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/27/25 Christmas is about faith shining through the hardships, reminding us that hope, family, and faith outlast tough times

Cloudy skies this morning will become partly cloudy this afternoon, clear tonight with a north breeze.  It is 3 degrees now, today's high 15, tonight's low 8.  Mostly cloudy tomorrow, a NW breeze, high 31, low 15.  A wintery mix Monday morning will turn to rain, 1-3 inches of slush before the rain.  An east breeze, high of 28, low 23.  Partly cloudy Tuesday, a strong west breeze, morning high 26, afternoon high 15, night time low 5.  Partly cloudy Wednesday, a WSW breeze, high 20, low 4. Partly cloudy New Year's Day, a WNW breeze, high 14, low 0.  Partly cloudy Friday, a NW breeze, high 15, low -2.  Partly cloudy next Saturday, a west breeze, high 1, low 8.  Snow showers Saturday night. 1-3 inches of snow next Sunday, a WNW breeze, high 24, low 15.  Partly cloudy Monday the 5th, a NW breeze, high 23, low 7. Off and on snow showers the rest of the week,  brisk NW breezes, highs in the mid to upper twenties, lows in the teens.

    Kaden came yesterday morning and put the new alternator on Jay's car.  The car started and kept running.  So nice to have a caring brother in law that is a mechanic.  Actually he does body work, the guy you call when you have an accident or hit a deer.  But he's a pretty good mechanic too.

    Maegin woke up to frozen water.  She shares a well with Darel, it was frozen at the y under his trailer.  Now there is heat tape on that part of the line too.  There was a plus side to the frozen pipe.  When Darel checked under her trailer he found a septic leak. He was able to fix it.  The plumber is coming Monday to replumb her kitchen.  She and Darel put plastic over the skirting yesterday.  Today she is piling snow on it.  Darel said it seemed warm under the trailer yesterday even without the plastic.  

   As we celebrate the twelve days of Christmas, may we give thanks that on Christmas and every day, Christians have direct access to God, forgiveness, and the promise of salvation, regardless of troubles.

   May your day be blessed, Sally

 12/26/25 I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. Charles Dickens  

Clear, calm, 3 degrees.  Sunshine today, a brisk WNW breeze, high 15. some clouds tonight, low 3.  Morning clouds/afternoon sun tomorrow, high 18/ low 7.  Sunshine Sunday, a brisk  NW breeze, high 31, low 14.  Wintery mix to snow Monday, 3-5 inches.  A brisk east breeze, high 35, low 22.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday, a light west wind, high 25, low 9. Partly cloudy Wednesday, a stiff WSW breeze, high 19, low 5.  Partly cloudy Thursday, a west breeze, high 16, low 3.  Partly cloudy next Friday, a WNW breeze, high 14, low 2.  Sunshine next Saturday, a WNW breeze, high 16, low 7.  Sunshine next Sunday, a NW breeze, high 19, low 14.  Snow showers Sunday night.  Snow showers Monday the 5th through Wednesday the 7th with NW breezes, highs 26, 27 and 21.  Lows 17, 10 and 12.  Partly cloudy on the 8th and 9th, NW breezes, highs 25, lows 11.

     Yesterday seemed quiet after Wednesday's gathering.  Jay, Bekah, Azalea and I opened gifts after Mabel was milked.  Then I spent some time on the computer sending Christmas greetings.  One plus of the internet is hearing from family and friends far away.  Late afternoon Bekah, Maegin, Darel and families exchanged gifts.  Kevin and Eileen called from Hawaii. Gilbert was here so Kevin got to visit with him.  Keith had called Wednesday when everyone was here so he got to talk to several family members.

     I switched the pan I was using for the birds' water back to my old one.  It had disappeared but I found it last week.  I just checked, a cardinal was drinking, no ice.  It is nearly twice the size, made of copper.  I don't understand why but it doesn't ice up around the edges like the smaller one did.  Because it is copper?  The birds seem to like it better.

     May your day be blessed.  Sally

    

 12/25/25 Christmas reminds us that Christ’s birth brings a hope that goes beyond earthly conflict.

Snowing, a light east breeze, 14 degrees.  Cloudy this afternoon, a WNW wind, high of 26.  Clear tonight, a NNW wind, low 3.  Sunshine tomorrow, a stiff NNW breeze, high 15, low 1.  Partly cloudy Saturday, a north breeze, high 18, low 7.  Sunshine Sunday, a NW breeze, high 30, low 15. 1-3 inches of snow to wintery mix Monday, an ESE breeze, high of 33.  1-3 inches of snow Monday night, low 17.  Cloudy Tuesday with a west wind, high 20, low 10.  Partly cloudy New Year's EVE day,  a  WSW breeze, high 26, low 9.  Afternoon snow showers New Year's Day, a west breeze, high 21, low 9.

     A bit late today, we opened stockings and gifts here this morning.

     We had a wonderful family Christmas yesterday.  The girls made ziti for Christmas lunch.  They did a great job substituting for Andew and Gayle. They weren't the only ones missing, sickness had a few other staying home

    As we finished eating Santa came.  He was a jolly fellow,  most everyone was happy to see him..Every year there always seems to be a little one who wants that scary monster to just leave.  Santa did baffle Silas.  Silas kept saying,"But I was sure Santa was Uncle Gilbert."  Uncle Gilbert was sitting right there!  Maicy is five and loves to do housework  Santa gave everyone flashlights, he gave Maicy an extra gift.  A little broom and dustpan for her to have in her new home.  She never set that gift down the rest of the day!

    After Santa left we opened gifts.  Then different members of the family relit the Advent candles with readings and scripture.  The children took turns reading parts of the Christmas story and the Christ candle was lit.  We ended the day singing Away in the Manager.

During this Advent season and throughout the year remember that everything hangs on Matthew 22: 37-39

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

This is the first and greatest commandment.And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself.”

May your day be Blessed, Sally

 12/24/25  Praise to the One from whom all blessings flow, praise for time with loved ones, praise for the Love of Jesus.   

5-6 inches of snow overnight.  Snowing now,  stopping late morning.  A strong NNE breeze today, high 20.  Light snow showers tonight, low 9.  Snow showers tomorrow morning, a WNW breeze, high 26, low 4.  Sunshine Friday, a brisk NW breeze, high 15, low 1.  Sunshine Saturday, a light north breeze, high 17, low 1. Sunshine Sunday, a light WNW breeze, high 28, low 17.  3-5 inches of snow Monday, high 30, low 17.  A strong NNE breeze.  Mostly cloudy Tuesday with a light WNW wind, high 20, low 9.  Partly cloudy next Wednesday, a west breeze, high 23, low 11.   1-3 inches of snow New Year's Day, a west breeze, high 11, low 1.  Partly cloudy and cold the next two days.  Moderating temperatures the week of the fourth with snow showers.

    Jay and Bekah bought a car last week.  Just in time for him to make Christmas deliveries for a flower shop in town.  The car ran perfectly.  Yesterday they headed too Rockland to buy a butter churn.  Twenty miles from the churn the car quit.  Triple A bought them home.  Triple A's computer said it was the alternator.  Now they are hoping no one buys the churn before they can get it.  The churn we bought on ebay was returned with no problem.

   Today is our family Christmas.  Our plans have changed.  Andrew and Gayle always have  cooked  ziti for everyone and bring the cooked meal to us.  But Andrew had pneumonia a while ago.  Medication cured it but the side effects of the medication have made him about as sick as he was with the pneumonia.  Course being Andrew he kept working every day. We decided he and Gayle need a year off so we are cooking the ziti here.  A busy morning.  Santa checked in last night to assure us he would be stopping by.  The Advent candles will be lit with Bible readings.  After the Christ candle is lit the great grandchildren will lead us in singing  some Christas hymns.   There are boxes of presents waiting to be opened.

    May your day be blessed, Sally