Decorating means a bit more to me this time around.  My babies are big enough to notice, our plans for travel are a bit later, and of course- the solstice party.  Keeping in tradition I am adorning the house in mistletoe (which grows here!  Actually it is a fungus.  Who knew?), holly, juniper, pine, and firs galore.  Our days are spent hunting down pinecones and spraying silvery sweet gum balls.

Pulling out a manger, or an old box of ornaments as a child was nothing if not pure magic.  And now as an adult it turns out to be quite the same.  Although we do not yet have the large collection of ornaments and artifacts of memories, I managed all right I believe.  Our decorating box it tiny, but I like it that way.  Leaves more for the making.

And it smells so wonderful, if only this were a scratch and sniff post.  Someday I am sure there will be a little button to click on where I can insert the scent of a blue ice cyprus tree decked out in dried orange slices.  I am sure of it.

For now, you will have to imagine it.