“I looked across at the farmer and his wife who were sitting in upright kitchen chairs watching me with quiet benevolence. The two faces had something in common— a kind of beauty. You would find faces like that only in the country; deeply wrinkled and weathered, clear-eyed, alight with cheerful serenity.
“I raised my glass. ‘A happy Christmas to you both.‘”
~ James Herriot’s Animal Stories
Fireside reading and cross-stitching
Papa Larry’s Stockbridge, Massachusetts Christmas village
A writing Sabbath
Lights round each window
Ornaments, sort-of burned cookies, and Newhart with Natalie
Seventy with sun
Elf
The house with seventeen inflatables
Christmas big band concert in a long room with warm lights and lots of older couples
Steak dinner
Cold van in the city after dark
Lightning streaking over the church
Sheltering in the basement and the kids plundering the Bible costumes cabinet while we waited it out
Making little Christmas cards and gifts
Skits, songs, and all the church kids dressed as Nativity characters, dancing around to Joy to the World
Van-full and dinner at the Bistro on tables made from old doors
Drew and Leanna’s sunroom; watching Bear sleep
Elanor in pink jammies
Those seconds just before dark, when the sky is emblazoned, and the air smells like snow, and a dog barks in the distance, and the house is warm with dinner
Table full of people and soups
A book and a scone by a window in Panera
Coat of frost
Running to the Hill
A bluejay on a tree of ivy
Christmas dinner at the long table; Mom’s brisket
A new leather satchel and camera and sweater with buttons
The Christmas Eve service, full and warm
Trading gifts with my pals after the service and each of their nerdy thoughtfulness
Texts and pictures from Gia
Sunlight falling across my books on Christmas morning
Long and quiet day with the grandparents
Asking Papa Larry to borrow a book and getting three in return
Papa Jay heaping whipped cream on his pie
Fog advisory on Sunday morning
Cold, December rain clinging to the trees
“Birthplace” by Nova Amor
bethanyjmelton.com 
cozy winter vibes are s t r o n g. i love these snapshots of life and the things you notice.
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It was so good to”see” you all last week on FT, and to experience your Christmas through this ttmmh! Happy New Year❤️
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yes! you too. 🌲
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Love this line: “Those seconds just before dark, when the sky is emblazoned, and the air smells like snow, and a dog barks in the distance, and the house is warm with dinner.”
What does tthmmh stand for?
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good question! things that make me happy.
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