The Reindeer Keeper

I don't remember how old I was when I got my skates for Christmas. I just remember how excited I was. Finally, I had my own pair of white figure skates. A few years later we moved out to the country where a rambling creek flowed behind our house-and those of my aunts and uncles and cousins and grandparents. While the creek provided lots of playtime all year round-Winter was my favorite season, especially when the creek froze. That's when my cousins and I spent hours outside, and most of that time was skating. Day and night-whenever we could-we'd be down there. It didn't matter what the temperature was or how hard the wind was blowing or how fast the snowflakes fell.We'd be on the creek-swirling and twirling; playing and pretending. It was fun lying on our stomachs and looking down into the frozen water. Creek grass and gnarly reeds appeared suspended in time. It was like looking into a water globe where nothing can move. Sometimes we'd pack a sandwich, f...

I recently learned that surprises can come after Christmas too when I went to the post office and found a slip in my mailbox. There was a package for me. I couldn't figure out who it'd be from since anything I'd ordered had arrived-been wrapped-put under the tree-and opened on Christmas morning. When the box was brought to the counter I learned it was from my book publisher. I was clueless as to what was inside. I wasn't expecting anything. Once home, I put the box on the table and opened it which wasn't easy because whatever was inside had been carefully packaged. After all the bubble wrap and styrofoam peanuts were put aside, I turned whatever it was over and was dumbfounded by what I read. There in front of me, beautifully framed, was a 'Certificate of Success' awarded me for 'outstanding achievement in Book Sales for 'The Reindeer Keeper' dated December 1, 2012. The Certificate included a photo of the book cover and was signed by the publ...

I've written before about my love of January. After the rush and stress of the holidays, I consider the first month of the year a gift that continues to give for thiry-one gloriously cold, windy and snowy days and nights. January's beauty touches the soul; inspires the creative; rekindles the heart. Its stillness soothes the mind, and in the process, opens one to possibilities and acceptance and appreciation of the little things. January warms the heart with amazing sunrises and sunsets spreading over fields of glittering diamonds and wondrous icicles lined up one next to the other and pastures tucked in blankets of white and rambling drifts that disappear beyond the horizon. January's harshness is not to be dreaded. It's to be embraced with homemade soups and breads, hot cereal and hot chocolate, coffee and tea, good books, fires in the fireplace, skis, skates, sleds, toboggans, old favorite blankets, long underwear, wool sweaters, warm socks and ...