Such a WARM December

It has been a very warm December as you can see on the speedometer recently. Christmas eve is suppose to be  74 degrees with rain.

2015 Christmas Letter         

Shower for Lauren and Erik at the Farmhouse

Advent 2015

No Show Guests

I invited 3 lovely women for coffee, tea, & breakfast today at 9:30. Actually I invited them about 3 weeks ago and we finally agreed on today,  SO I thought. One told me last night that she could not make it. I emailed the others as a reminder. But no one came.

Entertaining is always an opportunity to clean up and this was no exception. So after gathering boxwoods at Oatlands yesterday for our wreathmaking, I went into overdrive. Into the  Farmhouse attic for  the Advent wreath. Prepping for breakfast pizza with Brooklyn Bred, make soup for Bible Study, etc. 

So I am now sitting in a fairly clean house with good food and freshly brewed coffee. Just sitting and typing and it actually feels great. Need to work on CBS Revelation and Worcester Christmas stocking.

Chapman - Beverley Mill: From Founding to Fire and Beyond

Hiking in White Mountains of NH and Desert Island ME

View from Cadillac Mountain - Desert Island, Maine

Day 1 & 2 Happy Hikers in New Hampshire & Maine

Happy Hikers VA vs. Happy Hikers AK

The following pictures contrast refreshment stops after hiking in Alaska and Northern Virginia.

In 2010 Happy Hikers AK have a bite to eat at the Butte Cafe after hiking near Matanuska Peak.

Locals use the cafe as a convenience store as well as cafe.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Notice the announcement that

TOILET PAPER is finally 'in'.

Notice the hats and gloves on this June hike near Matanuska Peak, AK

This week Happy Hikers VA took a bike ride at Airlie Conference Center, near Warrenton, VA. 

We pre-ordered our lunch and were taken to this private dining room. . . . .

with this adjoining parlor.

HOPE and 2015 Mt. Marathon

Hope shaved 13 minutes off her time this year in the Mt. Marathon Race, Seward Alaska.

http://trailrunnermag.com/races/15-featured-races/1252-alaskas-mount-marathon

Man disappears on race -

http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/michael-lemaitre-and-the-mount-marathon-race

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/activityandadventure/11711391/Alaskas-Mount-Marathon-Race-The-most-extreme-July-4-event-in-America.h