It will be a white Christmas! Last night and this morning the snow has steadily been falling. Proeun works as a bus driver so he has no choice but to go out and brave the conditions. Only one county from us has a no travel advisory due to blowing snow. I am often reminded of how privileged I feel to have my life work revolve around the home and keeping the home. This day is one of the days that I am more thankful then others. I only had one appointment scheduled today and was able to easily change it. So the children and I have been snug inside.

All I need is a bunch of Christmas CDs and the mood is set.

While Proeun is still in the rat race so to speak we have visions of life on a farm where snow will be a welcome treat and invitation to exciting outdoor activities rather then a signal for a stressful commute. We got a book from the library last time we were there called A Christmas Like Helen’s in which the author, Natalie Kinsey-Warnock recounts life on her family farm when her grandmother, Helen, was a girl. Kinsey-Warnack still lives on her family’s land in Vermont.

The book recounts things like sledding and skating on the pond behind her house and taking care of the animals on the farm. It talks about a black and white tomcat that Helen dressed up like a baby. We have a black and white tom named Austin that is Avril’s cat. He sleeps with her and follows her around, I don’t know if he could handle a dress but I am sure a baby carriage would be OK with him.

The book goes on to talk about making maple syrup in the spring for Christmas breakfast. About growing potatoes and carrots in the summer and picking apples in the fall for Christmas dinner. You must know the land and love the land and work the land all year for a Christmas dinner like this. You also must know how to keep Christmas in your heart all year, how to help each other and love each and know each other all year.

I desperately want land to know and love and pass on to my children and maybe my grandchild will write about the grandmother that chose a different way of life and dreamed to pass it on. Helen had no choice, I have a choice and I chose a return to her way.