by
Jean Hughes
December 25, 1995
It is Christmas -- a blessed day, a day of love.

A Chickadee's Christmas
           You do not need to kneel, my pretty thing.
           For every day you give your praise -- you sing!
           You do not live a Christmas fantasy.
           You sing true Christmas into every tree.
           To you, each twilight brings a holy night.
           And every star shines down a holy light.
           I know the special star of Christmas eve
           Will be heard in the melody you weave.
           For you have found the secret of the dove,
           And every day you sing your song of love.
* * *
The creeks are partly frozen over, but I can still hear them tinkling along. Merry and Chris and I wade across the big creek to get some natural clay. They play along thesparkling edges of the water and laugh as the dogs fall through thin ice at every step. I try, in vain, to wash clay from my hands. Although washing off clay in the cold creek is not possible, the feel of the icy water is wonderful.

Merry calls my attention to a bird. She is the one most responsible for encouraging me to learn to know the winged ones. When you take a five-year-old for a bird walk and she knows more birds and their songs than you do, it is a challenge.

* * *
I have just come back from lookin' the hill. I learned about this pleasant pastime from Scottish shepherds. Every day, they go out for awhile, not to see the sheep or do any work, but just to look the hill. I think we all need, in our own way, to go lookin' the hill every day. We can walk for a short time with a quiet heart and let the sun warm us, or the rain wash us and the wind blow us dry. It gives us the opportunity to feel a part of this beautiful place -- the earth.


One day last week, I picked out black walnuts all afternoon and then enjoyed the aroma of cookies baking.

Black Walnut Butter Cookies
Cream together: 1/2 cup butter and 3/4 cup sugar.
Beat in: 1 egg and 1/2 t. vanilla.
Sift together: 2 cups sifted flour, 1 t. baking powder, 
1/4 t. baking soda, 1 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. cloves and 1/2 t. salt.
Add alternately to creamed mixture with: 1/2 cup buttermilk.
Stir in: 1 cup chopped black walnuts.
Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet. 
Press flat with a drinking glass dampened and dipped in sugar.
Bake at 375o for 9 to 12 minutes.

Today, I got my wish: branches iced with snow, a crunch and squeak beneath my feet, a lacy fairyland, a sparkling snow-white world, my season that I love, my winter. I spend most of the day out-of-doors.

Just before dusk, I walk toward my house. Every niche of tree, flower and grass holds a cache of snow. I can see a yellow, candlelight sunset through the trees.

When I reach my gate, rather than walking through, I walk along in the field and into the woods to the edge of a deep ravine. I can see far down into the hollow. In the dimness of the woods' light, the snow has turned blue.

I come out of the woods to find that the sun has turned blood red. Wisps of dark clouds thread through it. It shoots out rays that turn the snow to pink. In minutes it is almost gone. Its tip sits like a beanie on the dark horizon cloud. It slips from view, and the field snow turns to blue to match that on the forest floor.

Back home, I sit on my back porch to watch the night come. The snow takes on a gleam, and I look over my shoulder to find the moon. It is shining high above the walnut tree, hanging in a wide circle of light. As the darkness deepens, the glow around the moon widens, and is rimmed with a fuzzy band of gold. I've never seen this phenomenon before. It lasts but a few minutes.

Cost
           I get from life the things for which I pay.
           To see the snow,
           And catch a golden ring around the moon,
           I spent a day.
Copyright 1995, Jean Hughes.

Jean's book of ramblings and recipes "A Country Mile of Winter" and her book of poetry "The Earth's My Home" are available for $4.95 each plus $1.30 for postage and handling. Ten of Jean's favorite recipes will be included free with each book ordered. Order from...

Country Mile Publications
616 E. Monroe St.
Delphi, Indiana 46923

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