'twas the night of

Later the hallowed 25th, we had a late and light (as in lite) supper. Here Sarah puts the final touches on the table. Foreground is tete de moine cheese--thanks Stephanie. Oh, it was one haute cuisine spread! Then gift exchange. The chairs were our gift to each other.

Amish school's out

After a half day of school and carolling by mule drawn hay wagon, the scholars leave and get home in time for lunch. After the children left, the teacher allowed me to snap the decorated classroom.

best lights prize

Nothing in Monterey rises to the level of a best Christmas lights prize, but I am handing out a new category--most remote lights. These are "in" the village, back Spring Road halfway to the illegal goat path crossing. The real prize goes to a house in the center of Leola with a drive-through. Here are two shots. A second house gets honorable mention, close to second place.

it's beginning to look a lot like...

...a blizzard. But what a gentle, soft relaxing one. Just as I download the photo from camera to computer, the email cancelling church comes to my inbox. Those lights are LED ones, a sign of the times.