Catherine Nicolai

Winnie, never having known anything but safety, came right up to the fence, Mom hurrying behind him to keep watch. And she let me reach out, and give him a scratch along his neck. On the nights we had visitors, we'd take them to the smaller barn out back, where they could bed down in the straw and have a bit of privacy.

Winnie, never having known anything but safety, came right up to the fence, Mom hurrying behind him to keep watch. And she let me reach out, and give him a scratch along his neck. On the nights we had visitors, we'd take them to the smaller barn out back, where they could bed down in the straw and have a bit of privacy.

Maybe some Christmas they would want to don their reindeer antlers and join in the fun. but not this year. I went back to my work, adding more lights and big candy canes the size of shepherd's hooks that stuck into the ground. We'd had a bit of snow the week before, but it had melted away within a day or two. And I was hoping for more before the festivities began. It certainly was getting colder.

Maybe some Christmas they would want to don their reindeer antlers and join in the fun. but not this year. I went back to my work, adding more lights and big candy canes the size of shepherd's hooks that stuck into the ground. We'd had a bit of snow the week before, but it had melted away within a day or two. And I was hoping for more before the festivities began. It certainly was getting colder.

Maybe some Christmas they would want to don their reindeer antlers and join in the fun. but not this year. I went back to my work, adding more lights and big candy canes the size of shepherd's hooks that stuck into the ground. We'd had a bit of snow the week before, but it had melted away within a day or two. And I was hoping for more before the festivities began. It certainly was getting colder.

I was keeping warm with my work, but I noticed the ducks coming back early from their excursion to nestle in at the barn. I heard a horn blowing down the long driveway. and checked that all the gates were closed, and walked down the drive to wave at a big truck I recognized. The wreaths were here, the yards and yards of garland, made from Easter white pine with its long, soft needles.

I was keeping warm with my work, but I noticed the ducks coming back early from their excursion to nestle in at the barn. I heard a horn blowing down the long driveway. and checked that all the gates were closed, and walked down the drive to wave at a big truck I recognized. The wreaths were here, the yards and yards of garland, made from Easter white pine with its long, soft needles.

I was keeping warm with my work, but I noticed the ducks coming back early from their excursion to nestle in at the barn. I heard a horn blowing down the long driveway. and checked that all the gates were closed, and walked down the drive to wave at a big truck I recognized. The wreaths were here, the yards and yards of garland, made from Easter white pine with its long, soft needles.

And I noticed, among all the greenery, a tree, bundled in twine, stuck in with the rest. I could hear one of our donkeys braying in the yard, excited by a visitor. And I called out, as they climbed from the truck, mealtide greetings. I got one of them to chuckle. The other just shook his head and said, that's it. I'm taking your present back. What present? What did you bring me?

And I noticed, among all the greenery, a tree, bundled in twine, stuck in with the rest. I could hear one of our donkeys braying in the yard, excited by a visitor. And I called out, as they climbed from the truck, mealtide greetings. I got one of them to chuckle. The other just shook his head and said, that's it. I'm taking your present back. What present? What did you bring me?

And I noticed, among all the greenery, a tree, bundled in twine, stuck in with the rest. I could hear one of our donkeys braying in the yard, excited by a visitor. And I called out, as they climbed from the truck, mealtide greetings. I got one of them to chuckle. The other just shook his head and said, that's it. I'm taking your present back. What present? What did you bring me?

And they hauled the huge Christmas tree out of the open bed and stood it up. It must have been 20 feet tall. I grinned at them. And they grinned back. Where should we put it? I laughed. Somewhere the goats won't knock it over, he said with a sigh. Mistletoe and Marmalade It was our first Christmas together.

And they hauled the huge Christmas tree out of the open bed and stood it up. It must have been 20 feet tall. I grinned at them. And they grinned back. Where should we put it? I laughed. Somewhere the goats won't knock it over, he said with a sigh. Mistletoe and Marmalade It was our first Christmas together.

And they hauled the huge Christmas tree out of the open bed and stood it up. It must have been 20 feet tall. I grinned at them. And they grinned back. Where should we put it? I laughed. Somewhere the goats won't knock it over, he said with a sigh. Mistletoe and Marmalade It was our first Christmas together.

Well, we'd had Christmases as friends, plenty of them, and a Christmas in the early days of falling in love. But this was our first Christmas as a married couple, as a blended family. There was me, my ginger cat, Marmalade, my scruffy brown dog, Crumb, and now my love and his sleepy, giant greyhound, Birdie.

Well, we'd had Christmases as friends, plenty of them, and a Christmas in the early days of falling in love. But this was our first Christmas as a married couple, as a blended family. There was me, my ginger cat, Marmalade, my scruffy brown dog, Crumb, and now my love and his sleepy, giant greyhound, Birdie.

Well, we'd had Christmases as friends, plenty of them, and a Christmas in the early days of falling in love. But this was our first Christmas as a married couple, as a blended family. There was me, my ginger cat, Marmalade, my scruffy brown dog, Crumb, and now my love and his sleepy, giant greyhound, Birdie.

In some ways, it felt like we'd been together for ages, and in others, it all felt brand new. I'd known how he took his coffee, no milk, a spoonful of sugar. and I knew his taste in music and the story behind the old green corduroy jacket he'd had since college.

In some ways, it felt like we'd been together for ages, and in others, it all felt brand new. I'd known how he took his coffee, no milk, a spoonful of sugar. and I knew his taste in music and the story behind the old green corduroy jacket he'd had since college.

In some ways, it felt like we'd been together for ages, and in others, it all felt brand new. I'd known how he took his coffee, no milk, a spoonful of sugar. and I knew his taste in music and the story behind the old green corduroy jacket he'd had since college.