Later on Christmas Eve....

I hadn’t intended to post twice today, but what a day it turned out to be! Soft, wet, thick snow, reminiscent of a gentle, noiseless blizzard in a paperweight, arrived like magic throughout northern Leelanau today. Whole counties may have fallen under the spell, for all I know, but the scenes in and around Northport and from there to our house, without even crossing the township line, were more than enough for delight.

Fortunately, weather did not deter friends or last-minute shoppers, and Dog Ears Books was lively most of the afternoon. Among our visitors were Chris Garthe and his first cousin once removed, Geoffrey Robson, associate conductor of the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra, seen here inspecting an old French horn from Funky Mama’s that has clearly seen better musical days.



With the Leelanau Conservation District closed on Christmas Eve, Susan Cordes found time for us, and she and David enjoyed an impromptu meeting of the Leland Genealogical and Amateur Historical Society. When those two get together, the Leland stories flow like wine, as does the laughter.

M-22 wasn’t too treacherous for our return trip home. The scenery was distractingly beautiful, but fortunately that isn’t much of a problem, what with a delicious lack of road traffic in our neck of the woods. “There’s no one behind me, so let me know when you want me to stop,” David said, and I rode with window down, camera ready.





At last, home before dark, Sarah and I went over the fields, up between Claudia’s woods and Bruce’s orchard. By the time we came in, the little dog had more big balls of snow frozen into her furry pantaloons than she’s ever had before, and my jeans were wet to the knees.



So, practically a perfect day. A snowfall this beautiful can only elicit smiles and exclamations--no complicated thoughts. The effect lingers into the darkness, and I feel very contented and simple-minded. It is enough to be warm, to be fed, and to look forward to a cozy pack time tonight, a quiet holiday tomorrow.