The season is clearly upon us up here in Turkey Hollow. Steven has left for California to spend the holidays with his family before heading to work for Mothers2Mothers in South Africa for a year. The business and political calls are dying down as people head to their own homes and vacations. Everyone is relieved that we have an opportunity to slow down and reflect after an incredibly busy year.

Here in the Hollow, it seems as though more people have put up the holiday lights this year and houses are gleaming in the woods with lights aglow. Maybe more are staying home or the economy is so depressing that the holiday lights are a way to brighten up a sparce holiday for the families. Anyway, I love riding down the roads and looking at them glistening in the snow at night. We are expecting anywhere from 24 to 30 inches of snow up here by Christmas so there is little doubt that we will have a "White Christmas". I get confused sometimes and don't know whether to go around singing, "Here Comes Suzy Snowflake" or "White Christmas". The cats would rather I just reflect on the snow silently.

Adding to the confusion of the Holidays is all the different ones that are celebrated at this time of year. You don't quite know what to wish everyone and a generic "Happy Holidays" just doesn't seem right. Hell, you could be wishing them that on Columbus Day - it's a holiday, too. For me, I have friends with every kind of spirituality you can imagine and lack of spirituality too. Been struggling to come up with some sort of all-encompassing greeting but have failed so far. Maybe we should all just agree to celebrate our alternative spiritualities and build common ground on the start of winter.

Whatever you call it, for me Christmas is special. I love everything about it - the lights, the carols, the tree, people wishing everyone special greetings, the decorations on the streets. In my own home, I have had the tree up since Thanksgiving weekend and am now cooking cinnamon sticks and cloves on the stove to create a beautiful country smell in the house. Plan on making cinnamon buns on Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. Have little stuffed Santas and snowmen around my house and if you push their stomachs they play "Silver Bells". My XM radio is tuned to non-stop Christmas Carols to which I loudly sing along. The fireplace is roaring full time and have bird seed out for the birds as their Christmas gift.

My eyesight this year makes reading difficult and even writing my blog difficult. That all will be soon fixed. So I got in some great DVD's and plan to catch up on everything from the "History of the Presidency" to "The War of 1812". All right, I admit, it is not all going to be that intellectual but the others I will just keep to myself.......ok....."Sound of Music" is another one.

So my dear friends, whatever your spirituality, I wish you an amazing winter, an incredible 2009 filled with peace and change, and all the love that I can send your way. After all, that's one sentiment we can all believe in - loving one another.

Photograph by Steven Guy