Preoccupation

How can it be December already?

My holiday planning has been under way for several weeks, as we celebrate early with our Seattle-area families--this year, we'll be down there Dec. 13-14.

I do much less than in the years when I had young children--we don't put up a Christmas tree, for example--but I do enjoy sending and receiving holiday cards, gathering together gifts for our extended families and local homeless families who are helped through the Interfaith Coalition, making some seasonal treats, and going to a handful of holiday concerts and parties.

Balancing all that with everyday life means I'm already falling behind with my Blip friends and going out to find interesting images for my journal. It's been a few weeks since I blipped a Japanese maple leaf, and that one was in our back yard, so here's one from the front yard, still beautiful in its own way.

The reddish buds just visible behind it hold the promise of warmth and spring, much-needed at this cold, dark time of year--perfect winter holiday decorations.

Blip 1103