The sun is soooo brilliant this morning that I have to move the shutter to break the intensity as I sit here to write. What a glorious day! It is in the 30's with chance of snow late tonite, turning to rain by mid day tomorrow. We'll take the moisture in any way it will come.

This week I have received so much support from Su.Sane's writings as I feel changes within myself, deep changes like the soil and the protective mulch on the surface. Both are making great strides in building new loam and flexibility to their texture. I am feeling this within myself as I settle more into what life in Maine is all about, The Land of ME. Reading Su.Sane's Morning Space, I see more clearly what I have been reaching for as I have created a more intimate space for myself like I did when I was little and used Mother's drying sheets to make my "house" in the basement on washing day. I loved those hours of play, swishing in and out of the cool sheets and towels. I think I also loved the moisture they created....made winter breathing easier!!

This week has also brought great new reading materials about the garden and Maine from two dear friends, V and S. I am absorbing the insights of other Maine gardeners who love this place as much as we do....they know the vitality that is here and are OK with the shortness of the growing veggie season, so have created new habitats for themselves and their gardens. The ideas are flourishing now about what we can do for next season :).

Jeff sent us all a big surprise Christmas box yesterday, and we gleefully opened it last night after dinner. He and Kimberly had found books for each of us, and found that each of us would love what the other got equally!! So he said he felt he got more for everybody because we as a family take in everything of each other's with equal pleasure. They sent us garden books, childrens books, speciality foods books, Goddess books, and Warrior books. Of course, Lily got her own tin of gourmet dog treats...they even have a bakery in Louisville just for your pets!! Cool idea, eh? What a fun evening it created and then we got to talk to him too!!

My intention this week was to get to the garden shop to buy "horticulture oil" to use on the indoor plants instead of the buttermilk solution, but I haven't made it yet. We have no whitefly on the rosemary, but the knats have appeared enjoying the scent of buttermilk!
So, per Paul Parent's suggestion, I'll try the horticulture oil. But all the plants are doing wonderful, and the daily mistings are making a difference. The mint is now sequestered in last year's goldfish bowl, from whence hugh mints grew last year. Hopefully I made the transfer in time, so far I see nothing but old stems, but hey, miracles do happen, and with all this sunlight :).

We had a wonderful long walk today in the clear, clear air. And now the sun is setting with pink clouds streaking the sky. On the 15th we will be able to see a dimmer Milky Way, but at least be able to see it. There have been amazing night skies these past two weeks. With this resource (blogger) I will be able to keep records of the colors around our world in winter. Today, the sea was an amazing teal blue with very small white caps making an intense stillness for the Soul. On our walk there are two trees which have chocolate brown bark that stands out so amazingly among the white birches. And the ponds are now white, like velvet, not the blue mirrors they were only months ago.

Tomorrow I will begin to make notes of ideas we have about the garden for Spring....to make sure we remember them. This is such a great tool...it keeps tract of life for me. :)