The one where I am not reading

...because I am out taking photographs.

I would like to tell you that I can just sit and read and read forever, but I cannot.  I have too much energy for one, but more to the fact is that I get so much pleasure from being out in nature - taking walks, hiking, biking, skiing - and seeing what catches my eye. 

So what did I see when I was not reading today?

Two very large (I thought they were deer at first) coyotes run across the meadow while I had stopped to take this photo: 

This photo is not very good and not what I was aiming for, but had I not stopped, I would have not seen the coyotes, which sadly, I did not manage to capture.

Here are some other things that caught my eye.

  

Slice of Life: The things I love about Christmas

There are obvious things that I love about Christmas, such as:

reading the family favorites;

finding a new wrapping paper;

baking and decorating cookies - 

especially gingerbread men;

(and eating them)

 finding the perfect tree as a family...

...and decorating it;

walking through the greenhouse to find a poinsettia;

 hanging lights, both inside and outside the house;

 spending time in Crate and Barrel;

 bringing special items down from the attic;

and, listening to favorite cds.

~BUT~

What I love most about Christmas is the thing I can't capture in a photograph.  I love the thankfulness that I feel.  I am thankful for being surrounded by family and friends. I am thankful for being able to buy gifts for people.  I am thankful for the good food I am eating. I am thankful for the gifts I receive. I am thankful for the traditions that make Christmas the gift that it is. 

Whatever your family tradition is on December 25th, I send best wishes for a wonder-filled, tradition-filled, food-filled, and family-filled day. 

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Every Tuesday, Stacey hosts Slice of Life at the blog, Two Writing Teachers. If you want to participate, you can link up at the Slice of Life Story Post or you can just head on over there to check out other people's stories. For more information on what a Slice of Life post is about, go here.