YULETIDE

On Solstice, we lit all the candles in our house, including our large sun candle, and then lit a small Yule fire. It was still quite warm outside but I have to have a wood fire on Winter Solstice and think of want we want to change in the new year. I simmered apple cider with mulling spices and lemon and a little brandy as well. Sitting in the dark with just our candles and listening to Yule and Solstice music, connects you to the darkest night of the year. I felt hopeful knowing the light is returning and the days are lengthening.

We left a few days after Solstice, and right before the big Christmas storm, to be with family in Northern California. The Bay area had just finished several days of storms with more wind than rain. Signs along the road pointed to strong winds but, it was still calm.

I took a walk around the neighborhood on Christmas Eve when I spotted a pathway covered in golden ginkgo leaves that had fallen during the storms. There was a denuded ginkgo tree as a result . Prior to the storms, the area trees were filled with red and gold leaves. The rain and wind had swept them away.

As I walked, the storm clouds started intensifying. Rain would be coming in soon. I hurried along not wanted to get drenched.

Meanwhile back home in SoCal, the storm arrived like a runaway freight train on Christmas Eve morning with strong winds and downpours. I heard from friends that winds were so strong they shook the houses. The rain pounded with intensity. I was thinking about my cats and hoping they were safely inside. The rain totals were incredible. Almost four inches of rain fell in 24 hours, and a little further inland the totals reached 10 inches. This is really unusual for us. All this and it was a La Nina year that was predicted to be dry.

I thought about our patio umbrellas that I left up, hoping they had not flown into our glass doors. (They hadn’t but did break in the strong winds.) Christmas day turned the freeways and streets into rivers with downed trees and power lines. Along with that, it rained another 3-4 inches.

Meanwhile in Northern California, it was mostly dry except for a short, intense shower that caught us all unexpectedly while out for a walk.

Rainy days turn into good days for puzzles and board games, which we played in abundance between feasting meals.

Back home we accessed the damages. We were lucky. Just our broken umbrellas and a few branches and birdhouse down. I was glad we spent the fall trimming the trees back. Avocados and limes had rained down in the wind, and our cherry tomatoes, still going strong, had split in the intense rain. I may have to pull the San Marzano plants that looked really beaten down from the storm.

We are approaching New Year’s Eve when another storm is due to arrive in Southern California. I will post again on New Year’s day. Blessings and thanks to all of you who read this blog.