Oh, and...

For those of you in the Orthodox tradition, Happy Christmas. For the Latin countries, here's to singing La Posada and the Three Wise Men. For the rest of you good Christians, it's time to take those trees down. It's Twelfth Night, for crying out loud. On to new things. A word to the wise--you should go ahead and finish partying before Lent.

My own little tree (of the more pagan variety) has been combed of its tinsel and some of the dry bits clipped away. I hope I can keep it alive for next year.

I'm all ready for spring. It's been raining or snowing for so long here that we're quite waterlogged. I want to see flowers bloom and sneeze from the pollen. I want warm, windy sunny days. Spring is stirring in my blood; I guess I'm reacting to the lengthening of days. But it's a long way to March, I'm afraid. :)