Happy Friendship Day, or as the Finns say: Hauskaa Ystävänpäivää, dear readers!

Or if you prefer, Happy Valentine’s

And here is a heartwarming and exceptionally well-done video which I hope you will enjoy as much as I have: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Added Feb.28th: The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore has won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film! Congratulations to Moonbot Studios! (and I didn’t even know it was a nominee)

images captured early morning, December 22nd

Christmas with our family was wonderful though too short a time. On the morning of the Feast of Stephen our eldest daughter and partner left and that afternoon our good friends arrived. A wonderful time was had with them as always, talking non-stop, eating too much, exchanging gifts and teaching them a new game. This afternoon they left and suddenly it feels very quiet here, a pause in the middle of the holiday season, a chance to catch one’s breath and meditate on the last days of another year and a new one soon to come. The weather is unusually warm and wet — up to 12C or 54F today — so unlike three years ago when we had a major amount of snow.

I hope, dear readers, that your festive season has been a happy one.

While browsing through some photos from two years ago, I was struck by the one above which looks like a double-exposure but I think it’s a combination of views and reflections on windows. I probably rejected it as a bad photo at the time, now it intrigues. On the other hand, I like the one below for being a rare clear image of some of our tree decorations. Such opposites these two images…. in my reactions to them, I suppose.

We enjoyed a lovely visit with a friend here for lunch and some Christmas baking. Another day nearer to the solstice and midwinter, then it is Christmas. Almost ready….