Dear Ones,

Well, This is how I was dressed for most of the winter here in Michigan. I knew that the parka and muck-luks that I got in Alaska would come in handy!

I had snow drifts on my house and roof that , at times, exceeded 5 feet, Some drifts got as high as the rain gutter....The holidays were wonderful, though, even though we were battling "ice dams" on every overhang of my house...(In case you don't' know what that is.... The snow gets so deep on the roof, that it melts right next to the roof and builds up ice just along the edge of the roof...This holds water under the shingles and causes water to oooooooze into the inner walls of the house.... EEEEEEEEEEEEK!

I guess I can say that I have really experience a "bad Michigan winter".... After all, it was the great "Blizzard of 99" We did have a wonderful holiday season, as usual. It is made even more festive by both of my children now living in Michigan only a few miles away.

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I celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah...as well as any other holiday that is appropriate! I had 4 trees! One in my music room, one in the library, one on the summer porch and one on the upper landing of my stairs. Each tree had a theme...I collect old sleighs and Santa Clause figures...so each tree had a Santa and his sleigh.....

I always give a huge Open House and invited every teacher and librarian and book store owner that could manage to make the trip. The house was full of good friends, children and laughter. Each child took home a teddy bear from my collection for the holidays.

I hope your holidays were grand too! Much , much love,

P.S. Next year during the holiday season, we will open the Gaw Center
for the Arts and have special "Christmas" readings for the local children....
All served up with hot cider and popcorn. You can imagine that I have quite
a collection of Christmas, Hanukkah and Holiday books for children and it
will be my pleasure to read them for a number of evenings to the children of this village!