Getting Ready

 Love to Mom

Letters take a long time to cross oceans and states, so I start my greetings for a specific holiday well ahead. This was one part, a mini wreath. Various coloring pages and colored hearts went hither and yon, too. 

Here is one for you.

Look, Look

 What I See in the Greenhouse 

After the heavy cold of the winter weeks, which some of my plants did not survive, these hardy little ones are coming forth. Already. 

This is always my earliest re-bloomer. I will bring it in to enjoy, when it is a bit further along. They don’t last so long inside, but they bring great cheer while they bloom Then the pot goes back out to rest until next February. 

And these have kept blooming in the greenhouse through all the hard days of winter.

And More

 Bright Blooms

The rest opened. Winter cheer and color for grey, foggy days. And more, another stem is coming. 

Happy February

 In Red

And Coming

 For February 

Winter Color

 Cyclamen 

I brought this in from the greenhouse to enjoy its colors. We do not have a hot house interior, so I think it won’t mind being inside. It was very happy out in greenhouse, but flowers are for people. 

Sunday in Urnäsch

 Dog, Dinner, and Drive in the Mountains

Better Half and I met about-to-be-Birthday-Girl for dinner in her town.  She had hiked down from her chalet in the mountains to meet us, a two-hour scramble through the snowy fields and forests. We gave the  dog some exercise along the creek, before going to the restaurant. This is a very small town, consisting of the center on mostly one street and a tiny smattering of outliers. 

Then we had dinner in the one open restaurant. Outside had snow drifts. Inside had lemons growing. 

Then we drove up the twisty mountain toads to Maria’s chalet for our worship service. It was sunny! Everywhere else was foggy. I did not get landscape pictures - I was trying to keep my footing in the slippery snow. 

Evening in the City

 St. Gallen

We went to meet our soldier for dinner, after he had a big military meeting today. The evening was pleasant in many respects, not the least the light. 

Foggy and Frosty

 And White

Blessed Epiphany

 Christ the King

Our Twelve Days of Christmas are now ended, and we enter into the season of Epiphany. The Baby in the manger manifests His deity in miracles and mighty words. The first sign to the wider world was the miraculous star and the visit of the Wisemen with prophetic gifts: Gold for a mighty king over all, Frankincense for His prophetic office speaking to mankind from God, and Myrrh for his Priestly office as both Priest and Offering, bringing prayers and petitions and intercession from Mankind to God.