The crescendo has been reached and Christmas has come and gone. Each year I am reminded of how much I love these slow days between Christmas and New Year. By the light of the Cold December Moon, our Yule log is still burning in the fire pit under a sky full of stars. I was out there again between about 9 and 10 P.M. enjoying its warmth tonight, offering it more small sticks and twigs, bathing in its smoke. This year, the weather was not favorable to start it on Solstice night so I gave myself a break and waited a few days. We’ve woken up to a light dusting of snow the last couple of days so Winter is here regardless of human ritual. The wood that chose itself is a giant Oak cross section of a large tree we had down in late summer. Oak symbolizes strength, wisdom and longevity. I thought about these powers as I stood taking it in and how they will help me in the coming year. The bright white moon shone on my face and deep into my eyes. I reached up and cupped it in my hands and let it show through each gap in my fingers. I felt its energy flow through me and thought about people gazing up at the same moon centuries ago and maybe doing the same thing. It will be the last of this year AND it is in Cancer which happens to be my sign. I was just reading about this and didn’t realize it until a few minutes ago. Snow was still lying around and the brightness of the full moon combined with the firelight allowed me to see all around. I could hear small creatures rustling near the stable very softly. Something larger, but very light was approaching and I slowly began looking in the direction of the sound. A doe and her grown fawn gently walked and stopped by the bench across the track in front of the house. The fireplace where I was standing is slightly higher up on a raised bit which leads to the big barn. I wasn’t all that close to them so I froze in place hoping that they would stay for a while. The mother could see me and stared my way waiting to see if I would move first. She softly continued walking down the track in my direction, but slightly down from me, with the fawn following carefully. They were so delicate and quiet as they walked by apart from the melted snow puddle pot hole the fawn found its feet dipping into. It was such a moment of great meaning for me to see them appear suddenly in the moonlight and not run away. I felt we understood each other and in that moment, we were the same. These quiet days when there is no pressure for us to be anywhere other than here or on walks are healing and nourishing us more and more each day. It’s like falling through layers or floors in a tall building when you’re able to let yourself relax. We’ve allowed ourselves to be on holiday for a few days with a celebration either side. It is the greatest time! We are home and aren’t allowed to do much else at the moment anyway with COVID around and we’ve accepted that. To accept one’s lot and be happy with it is sometimes called for. After New Year’s Day we can begin the year with strength and determination, mindful at the same time of the gentleness and kindness of the deer. I feel overwhelmed right now at the strong meaning in my experiences tonight in particular. The Oak Yule log, the full moon in Cancer and seeing the mother deer and fawn. My heart is open and my senses are tingling. There are a couple of days to go until the stroke of midnight on the 31st and I intend to keep falling through the layers. In the morning I will let the chickens out at sunrise and come back to bed with a cup of tea. It’s the little things that matter the most. The children have been waking no earlier than 8. I feel cozy which is just how I like it. My small boy is asleep next to me and both fires are burning downstairs. The homestead is sleeping.