A New Year, Happy, Let's Hope - Weeping Pumpkin, Whipped Tofu

Since my last post, I had three book launch events for Intimacy with the Wind, which included photography from this blog. Each gathering had its unique flavor. I have some video from one, and a few photos. Hopefully I will have a chance to edit the video soon and post some links.

My camera failed me, and I have had to replace it. I am still getting used to the replacement, and so some of my photos are not as nice as others. I also have some phone photos here, taken mostly on the ice, when I skated yesterday on Walden Pond (December 30). Those are a bit wild since, with the sun reflecting on the phone, I could not actually see what I was taking. I am still including these, as I like some of the effects.

My last Walden Pond swim for 2017 was December 6. I had hoped for a December 20 swim, but was still too busy with my book events to make it in. I did make a visit to the pond on December 19, taking photos of some of the swimmers I saw there, just out from the 38 degree water. We had a nice snow on December 25, and the pond hadn't yet frozen. But by December 29, there was black ice on the pond, and the skating December 30, even with a skim of snow flurries was still lovely.
We have had some frigid weather recently, as has much of the New England and beyond, but I always say, the best way to stay warm is to move. And Cross-country skiing and skating are two of the best ways to keep moving when it's so cold.

This month we still had some nice bike rides to our Sunday breakfast, one we took with Carlisle friends, just before Christmas. We also walked from Carlisle to Concord for breakfast when the woods weren't very rideable.

I had some lovely visits with old friends this month as well.

Here are some of my photos. Here are wishes to all of you for a peaceful and fruitful 2018.

Dare I say, Happy New Year....

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Weeping Pumpkin 

This pumpkin made it into my pumpkin pies this year. I use Cheese Squash pumpkin, which has a smoother more edible meat.....

This photo looks like whipped cream, right? Well, it's a thick whipped Tofu, that I used in a pie as a substitute for cream. Yumm.

A Snowy Sunday Walk to Breakfast

After the season's first snow, we walked from Carlisle to Concord for breakfast. Here are some photos going through Estabrook Woods, and over the Concord River.

Here are some swimmers, and talkers December 19, Walden Pond

After the Christmas Snowstorm

Ice Skating Walden Pond Dec 30

These are some of my crazy photos mostly taken with the phone camera... and the first one is taken prior to the freeze.

A day at the Decordova, Dine's Two Hearts

I love Dine's Two Hearts sculpture. Here it is in Snow on Dec 28, the last Thursday of 2017. I went into the museum too and there was an exhibit on "screens". 

 October Swimmers

This photo is back from October, when I convinced a friend to join me for a swim on a warm sunny day.

Two Deer, escaping the yards

One of my neighbors did a big clearing behind my house, and now the deer have nowhere to hide. They popped in the day after the work and then fled.

My Yard and Trails End

After my neighbors cleared their property behind my house, we checked it out.

Here is someone from the company I hired to clean my gutters, first week of December, same day as above.

Claude throwing a ball we found in my yard.

Breakfast and sunlight at the Trails End Cafe after a Ride.

My cool Xmas riding shoes.

 A visit with Friends Repairing their Prius Battery

Tools: File, File

Cool Workshop

Caroshima: One Morning, a Faint Snow Outline of Claude's Car on the Driveway

Friends Gather at my Somerville Book Launch

Friends conferring at Whole Foods

A Winter Walk

A Winter Bike Ride with Friends to Sunday Breakfast

We met friends who also enjoy a good ride in the cold to have a nice breakfast and here we are at the Trail's End Cafe on the sunday before Christmas Eve. 

Winter Walk

 A Tiny House Named Don't Feed the Geese

More Photos of Friends

Getting together with friends when they pass through town is lovely. Capturing them on camera a special prize.

Pumpkin Pie Gathering

Annually, I make a bunch of pumpkin pies and have a potluck. This year, I was worried because I have pretty much stopped eating dairy and wheat. I made my gluten free crust with almond flour, egg, and coconut oil, and used whipped tofu instead of cream. Yumm.  The next photo is of a Cheese Squash Pumpkin. Trader Joe's sells these in autumn for decorations, but these are the best pumpkins for pies. 

Snow Light Festivity

Local Music 

Here are a few photos of some local music I attended this month. Rich Eilbert hosting the Lincoln Library Open mike, featuring Greg Klyma and Under Armour sweat pants, Steve Sadler playing wiht the white owls, Don White performing at TCAN in Natick, and the 440 who perform Gypsy Jazz once a month at the Trails End Cafe in Concord.

Here are some Shots of me reading in Somerville

I had the opportunity to launch Intimacy with the Wind, my new book of poetry at three locations this fall. Here are some photos, taken off of the video of me reading in Somerville. I was wearing a dress my mother bought in Mexico. I was thinking she must have been channeling Frida Kahlo, when she bought it.