Christmas Day here, as you read

Writing this on Christmas Eve, and I'd forgotten about Misfits, coming on a different day because of the holiday, their email reminded me to put out the packaging.

Looking exactly like a Christmas figure of some kind, crouching on the step.

And dear Haleem arrived exactly on time.

With a very small haul this week.  Apples are my morning snack, berries are often breakfast food with toast or dessert with yogurt. Carrots are vital staples, likewise extra black beans.

Earlier I'd been watching a flock of house finches feeding on the Russian sage, which I'd forgotten to cut back. 

Just as well, since there's evidently good food there, for cold weather birds.  I won't be too quick to clean up next year now that I know this.

We had more snow, enough for a,  more or less,  white Christmas. 

And one year when Handsome Son was small we took him to this Christmas Day reenactment of Washington crossing the Delaware. This was when he crossed from Pennsylvania into NJ on Christmas Day 1776.   Washington, not Handsome Son.

They headed for Trenton where his ragged, hungry bunch of farmers-turned-fighters, some with feet in rags, no boots, on December 26, routed the heavily armed and trained Hessians resting there.

Then they finished off the British troops at the Battle of Princeton in early January. These two battles were the turning point of the revolution, which had seemed lost at that point. 

It had been the lowest darkest point of the time, when trained and armed British and Hessian mercenaries seemed to be sweeping to victory.  But that's not how it worked out. 

This is worth remembering at this dangerous point in our history. There's always room for action and hope.

And for good wishes, and good works 

Meanwhile, happy day, enjoy whatever your day is. First time in ages that Hannukah and Christmas coincide, Kwanzaa always at this time.

Boxing Day already in the Southern hemisphere.

Two flying visits from Gary, one to see I was okay before he went out, later to get garlic powder and ask if I fancied any steamed clams because he had a lot nearly ready! Yes to garlic powder, no, not right now, to clams.