It is winter time. The January days are quiet after the holiday whirl. 
 

Today I cooked vegetables. I just discovered parsnips. Thanks to a recipe from my brother's mother-in-law, I combined them with carrots and some potatoes and mashed them up. They add a tangy sweet flavor to the potatoes. I did add some butter to make them even more creamy.

As I stored them away in the refrigerator to be ready for me during the busy week, I thought of how grateful I am for the recent visit that I had with my family in Wisconsin. I saw everyone. I got to cook at my mother's and she was thankful because at 85 it is too much for her to do. But she enjoys having her tree up and putting out the mixed nuts and black olives and setting the table. I am sure that it reminds her of all those other Christmas times when more people gathered and the house was full.

As it was, my brother Jim and I celebrated Christmas with her and I enjoyed the day very much. We went to church and saw the nativity and the moments were long during the day. As darkness fell over the snow outside the window, Jim took a nap after our meal and I finished clearing up and then curled up with a book.

I remember my niece, my brother and sister-in-law and the family party at their home, opening our presents in front of the blazing fire that my brother built. We laughed together and everyone got along and had fun.

I remember the evening having dinner at my cousin's with my sister and her husband. We ate on her mother's plates and I remembered my Aunt Lee.

And my brother and I took our annual walk around his neighborhood and, once again this year, the church bells chimed a carol just at 6 p.m. while we finished our trek past the large homes all decked out with Christmas trees and the freshly fallen snow laying over the branches of the evergreen trees.