Green Christmas.

This was, my green Christmas. Hanukkah too. There are eight days in Hanukkah but actually nine candles on the Menorah. One is the starter candle. Ian's dad read jumbled hebrew as the youngest person lights the first candle and then the next youngest and so on and so forth. And you don't blow them out, you let them burn all the way down. For dinner we had potato pancakes. It was good. Very warm.. It was wonderful. I love Ian's family. 

On Christmas we went to Ian's grandma's house. Mansion rather. The table was so long. The best part was Ian, his dad, brother, cousins, and the caretakers husband, all jamming out some serious tunes... I have never experienced a Christmas where everyone got together and played music.

We are living with Ian's Aunt Marie and his Uncle Pat in their house on an acre of land in the San Gabriel Valley. The Mountain is hanging above us. Ian and I take drives up in the Mountains. I think I am obsessed with them now. We have a little pale blue room with a big old bed. Everything is tucked nicely away and always tidy. Ian is playing electric guitar in the other room and its sounds beautiful. 

The acre of land that surround this old house (1931) is mostly occupied by fruit trees, (avocado, lemon, grapefruit- both kinds - oranges and tangerines) Bird houses (huge ones, for doves, rock doves, little blue cockateels, finches ( i think )), cactus, birds of paradise flowers and roses. Feral chickens nest in the huge oak tree, the goats eat all our scraps in the back yard. I haven't seen the pig in ages, but the dogs are all accounted for. The only two in the house are the special dogs, Meemer, who was dropped on her head as a pup, and Boxer, he's deaf. Meemer is a Pomeranian and Boxer is a white boxer.

There are lots of other animals all around, some I haven't seen yet. Everything is a discovery here. A few weeks back I saw a stunted forest Marie is growing. Pruning the trees so they stay tiny. Its such a peaceful place. I feel I am finding myself and what I want to do again. Feeling at rest.