It's Beginning to FEEL a Lot Like Christmas!

For the past several mornings, all the rooftops have been very frosty, and the thermometer outside has shown temperatures in the twenties, which is quite chilly for us. The cats have taken to "fighting" over who gets to sleep on the register. Mocha, who has perfected an impressive growl, usually wins, and sure enough, she wasn't sharing one inch today as a lengthy "Grrrrrrr!" came up from under the desk as I was reading email.
The Heater Hog

As you can see from their dress and rosy cheeks, our family in Chicago is not stopped by frosty temperatures. David left us a phone message about their exciting trip to see the Christmas Train. Looks like I need to knit Jill a hat one of these days!
Waiting for the Christmas Train

I've been busily working on Christmas projects most of which I can't share. However, I did complete these mitts for a friend, and despite their springy color, they keep hands nice and warm. Thanks to Pat, I discovered this pretty pattern and a new knit shop to explore the next time we go to Ellensburg.
Fingerless Gloves

Another sure sign of the holidays is the annual women's Christmas dessert at church. For the past several year, my friend Debbie and I have decorated a table together, and this year she created a lovely centerpiece with a variety of beautiful ornaments that she made from applesauce, cinnamon, and glue. These were hung from a tree and surrounded by old cooky books and cutters, making our table look very festive, indeed.
One of Debbie's ornaments

Mysterious boxes have a way of appearing on our doorstep at this time of year, and Friday saw the first one, an intriquing two-colored Christmas cactus from our daughter's inlaws. Now the challenge will be to get it to bloom again next year!
Thank you, Montsic and Janet!

The calendar speeds up at this time of year, I am sure of it. Each day seems to last but a moment, leading up to that holiest of nights, Christmas Eve, and shortens the time left for creating yet another gift.