Ding-dong, the witch is dead and the men of the house can truly relax and enjoy the rest of the holiday season (they no longer have to take an extra-ordinarily long time doing the outdoor chores).
Wrong holiday, you think? No, I’m not that mixed up and I’m certain that the very same witch has appeared in numerous instances your own homes at Christmas!
A confession of sorts. At this home, the witch tends to show at times when the missus becomes a little overwhelmed by preparation, as she runs frantically, to and fro performing tasks that only one inhabitant of the house considers truly necessary. Fluff-stuff that not another single soul (read men, here) can fathom any real need of. Stress from over-tiredness also seems to trigger wee-spells of Noel-witchy-ness! Thankfully, the cranky lady generally boards her broom and flies off afore the Christmas bird lights down.
The cattle are enjoying the relatively mild (actually, too warm) temperatures experienced thus far during the holiday season as are the producers who care for them. The entire feeding process; the equipment and those operating it, works much more easily in temperate weather, which makes it possible to experience a little extra family-time. There are, however no entire-days-off as most Cariboo cow-herds require daily feed (health and water-access checks).
We have experienced an added bonus, feature-event this past holiday-week; in the form of several (somewhat eerie) impromptu Christmas carol-sessions, courtesy of a howling hill-top wolf pack. The sound reverberates throughout our narrow valley and the concerto (calls) sound much closer than the wolf-pack issuing them may actually be but it serves as a noisy reminder that the wily predator lurks in proximity.
On that note, Happy New Year! Time once again for a fresh start as we follow a new trail trekking through the next three-hundred and sixty-five days. I wish you all a most excellent journey.
