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<\/a><\/p>\nOver the holidays, I indulged myself (and found some solace) so I thought I’d share.<\/p>\n
My favorite present–homemade caramels– came to me Saturday, December 22. I have received them for some years now, and they never disappoint. \u00a0 I have four left and I am guarding them.<\/p>\n
We got snow here Christmas and then a couple days later. \u00a0I was inspired to take some photographs. \u00a0Snow-covered trees are so pretty. \u00a0And, I tried to get artistic.<\/p>\n After the holiday we went back to a tradition we skipped for a few years, i.e., we did a jigsaw puzzle. \u00a0I ordered it from\u00a0Elster Photography<\/a><\/strong>. \u00a0It took us a couple of days. \u00a0I do puzzles on the computer but this was definitely more satisfying and more fun.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n “You don\u2019t know this. And you don\u2019t need me \/\u00a0to tell you, but I need you to know that \/\u00a0you accompany me into the world \/\u00a0like a rose opening.”<\/p>\n One of my guilty pleasures is mystery books. \u00a0The Chief Inspector Gamache books by Louise Penny<\/a><\/strong> had been recommended \u00a0to me so when my Secret Santa asked what I wanted, I suggested these books. I finished the first one,\u00a0Still Life,<\/strong><\/em> and haven’t started the second one. \u00a0These mysteries are well written and they transport me to Montreal and its surrounding areas. \u00a0Almost 30 years ago I vacationed in Montreal and in Val David in the Laurentian Mountains (at\u00a0Hotel La Sapini\u00e8re<\/a>) and Still Life<\/strong><\/em> made me recall that time.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nI also read lots over the holidays. \u00a0First, I revisited the wonderful book of poems by Wally Swist<\/strong> called Huang Po and the Dimensions of Love<\/strong><\/em>, which recently came out from Southern Illinois University Press<\/a>. <\/strong> I feel about Wally’s poetry the same way Billy Collins<\/strong> does: “Complete with walking stick, a sharp eye for birds and botany, and yearning for passions, Wally Swist makes his way through the world and takes the lucky reader with him.” \u00a0 “March Wind,” which is in Solace in So Many Words<\/strong> is in this book. \u00a0There are too many great lines from too many great poems to quote them all here, so I will cite two couplets from “Accompaniment” because they are beautiful and seem to go well with my arty photography above.<\/p>\n