We all had a great Christmas - lots of snacks, sandwiches, wine and desserts, followed by the opening of the presents all around.  I got a pink fleece nightgown and fuzzy pink slipper thongs, very cozy.  A book called "Keeping Chickens," which is very educational, with lots of pictures of chickens, but not one of my Suzy Q.  I got an optical mouse, a set of drill bits, some DVDs that I will never listen to featuring old songs from the "Midnight Special" program, a jar of raspberry salsa. 

It did indeed rain! starting yesterday as a fine mist, then continuing to patter all night.  There were thunderous slides of snow coming down off the roof, and the snow pack has gone down quite a bit.  If this now freezes again, the deer will have trouble walking or running in it, so we are going to get some deer corn and put it out for them.  What few are left, that is.  There were half as many deer harvested as usual this year, hunters saying over and over that there were no deer to speak of.  My son saw only a doe and her fawn, again and again, during the hunting season, and didn't have the heart to shoot either one of them. 

But my daughter has a whole herd of deer that come into her yard all winter long.  She brings corn out to them, and they come running, which is somewhat scary.  They have a pecking order, using their front hooves to flay at each other for the corn.  She lays the corn down in long rows to give each of them room to eat.  Still, the biggest one always picks on smaller ones, and so on down the size range.  We spent much of our time watching them out the windows on Christmas.  The bucks are losing their antlers; they drop off one by one after the rut. 

I've gotten all things put away from Christmas, all Christmas dishes washed and put away, fuzzy slippers on my feet, and I am just about ready to begin the New Year.  New Years Resolutions pop into and out of my mind.  Think I'll just take a few days off and wait for inspiration.