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IceSheet of Ember
Dec. 13th, 2025 07:54 pmIt snowed another two or three inches last night, and when I looked out, everything was a smooth unbroken expanse of white. The sky was a smooth unbroken expanse too--of grey, grey, grey. The sun never showed up. I felt a little better about this light-deficient world we've entered in the past few days when I realized that it was St. Lucy's Day today. This saint of light came to be celebrated when today was the shortest day, back before the calendar reform. Now it's a reminder that it won't be long. We enter the darkness to emerge on the other side. I mixed up the first half of the dough for some Lucy Cats while I was still in my pajamas. Then I let it rise while I went out and shoveled again. It was bitter cold! I wasn't ready for that. The wind chill was below zero. Lucky for me, my little elf helpers had been out again and had done half the driveway and the sidewalk for me. I only had to scrape off the top part of the driveway, around the car, and the porch and front walk. It took me half the time it would have. Feeding the elves with cake has paid off!
I added the saffron, currents, and other ingredients to the dough, kneaded it, and let it rise again. It was so chilly in the house that the dough never really warmed up and got puffy. I had to warm up the oven and put the dough in there to rise, or it never would have. The yeast was hibernating. I just barely managed to get the buns baked in time to take them out and let them cool while we went to church.
I was supposed to attend an Advent brunch this morning, but I canceled it yesterday because I'm so worried about catching something from large groups of people, and making Tron feel she can't come to see us. I'm not sure she'll be able to anyway, but I don't want to be the one who discourages her. I let the organizer know, and today I got an email from her saying she'd had to bow out too, due to not feeling well. Honestly, I'm not sure I could have made it anyway. It was supposed to start at nine, and it's way out on the west side of town, and I'd have had to shovel everything first. I don't like to admit that my window is getting smaller! "Starting at 9 am, you say? Oh, that's too early for me. Starting at 9 pm, you say? Oh, that's too late for me." Come on! I'm not even 75 YET! However, I am glad to have had a good excuse to not go.
We took our Angel Tree offering with us to church--a coat for a small child. Coats are a popular item, and with good reason, the way this winter has been going. It's always a pleasure to see the piles and piles of gifts heaped up around the altar.
I added the saffron, currents, and other ingredients to the dough, kneaded it, and let it rise again. It was so chilly in the house that the dough never really warmed up and got puffy. I had to warm up the oven and put the dough in there to rise, or it never would have. The yeast was hibernating. I just barely managed to get the buns baked in time to take them out and let them cool while we went to church.
I was supposed to attend an Advent brunch this morning, but I canceled it yesterday because I'm so worried about catching something from large groups of people, and making Tron feel she can't come to see us. I'm not sure she'll be able to anyway, but I don't want to be the one who discourages her. I let the organizer know, and today I got an email from her saying she'd had to bow out too, due to not feeling well. Honestly, I'm not sure I could have made it anyway. It was supposed to start at nine, and it's way out on the west side of town, and I'd have had to shovel everything first. I don't like to admit that my window is getting smaller! "Starting at 9 am, you say? Oh, that's too early for me. Starting at 9 pm, you say? Oh, that's too late for me." Come on! I'm not even 75 YET! However, I am glad to have had a good excuse to not go.
We took our Angel Tree offering with us to church--a coat for a small child. Coats are a popular item, and with good reason, the way this winter has been going. It's always a pleasure to see the piles and piles of gifts heaped up around the altar.
