A WINTER WALK

My sister, her family and I drove to nearby Hoag's lake a few days ago. We are having a cold snap, with temp's around 20 degrees, so the grass is stiff with ice and crackled under our feet. The lake, which some would call a pond, is frozen over with a thin sheet of ice.

In this picture we mostly see cattail's which were very important to the Native American people who lived here many years ago. They dug the roots to cook like a potato, the leaves were woven into mats to sleep on and the cottony seed heads were used to diaper their babies. I believe the pithy centers of the stalks were also used for food.

When I was a girl, my cousin and I stole cigarettes from our parents and came to this lake for our first smoking experience. We nearly choked to death! Back in those days many neighborhood kids came here to swim, even though it was a privately owned lake at the time, the owners were very generous. The lake is now owned by the city.

I don't know what this should be called but I'd call it a 'cricklet' It's just a small stream flowing from the lake. I thought it was cute. Ice had formed around the edges but it isn't very noticable in the picture.

My pictures didn't come out as sharp as I would have liked, but it's winter after all, and everything has a drab gray look about it this time of year.

We have been getting a bit of snow the past few weeks and here are my sweet little puppies sitting on the back of the couch watching the snow come down. I have often wondered what in the world are they thinking when they see the white flakes floating through the air. Poor little dears may think the sky is falling!

Well tomorrow I am hoping to begin some Christmas baking. I'll just be making a few different kinds of cookies and I'll freeze them until I have company and take some to our Christmas gathering. I like Russian Tea Cakes, Almond Roca Bars and Scotch Shortbread too. But I want to try a new one with oatmeal, coconut and walnuts too and of course we need a spicy cookie..... Oh well. Maybe I'll be making more than I thought!

May our Dear Lord bless and keep you all.
Keep Christ in the center of all you are and all you do,
and a very Merry CHRISTmas to everyone.
HUGS!!!

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