Let it Snow!

It started snowing on December 1, quite appropriately, and we have had pretty much solid cold weather since then. I'm not complaining at all, being a huge fan of winter. A thaw here and there reduced our actual inch-age of snow - in fact, it gave us a 1/2 inch ice instead (see below!) - but it was about 2 degrees this morning with a windchill of -30. I felt that and had no problem spending the afternoon in our warm and cheery livingroom..

Nonetheless, I've made it to Chicago and back twice this month, thanks to a week off dedicated to organizing life at home and enjoying good company...

My old roommate Sarah and I enjoyed the first weekend together - the Kristkindl Market, with purveyers from mostly from Austria, Germany and Poland, is one of the things I've most enjoyed about Chicago's Christmas traditions, so we made a long detour through the crowds there.

The craftsmanship is beautiful - thousands of ornaments, carvings, weaving, embroidery, pottery, intricate (and expensive!!) creches... There are also stands from Peru, Nepal, Bolivia, Palestine and Mexico, a true reflection of the cross-section of cultures found in the city.

And there's always a train set up with lights, towns, and soooo many evergreens - the scent of fir and pine mixed with the cinnamon and rich pastries from the baked goods huts, spiced wine from another corner - it makes the whole State Street Square smell fabulous! We resisted these temptations in favor of a pastry & coffee shop closer to Sarah's known as Lovely's. It lived up to its name quite effortlessly ~ warmth and atmosphere to thaw our toes and noses, well-worn antiques for furniture, excellent coffee and of course pastries...

After traversing the entire shoe district (successfully) for That Pair needed for our resident's holiday party the following day, we turned in for an evening of relaxing.

West Thomas Street, Chicago

I left early the following morning order to both escape traffic jams and make it back to St. Mark's in Peoria in time for choir practice. However, the dawn light on the street was so classic and irresistably picturesque I had to stop and take it in.

View of St. Stanislaus church from Thomas & Milwaukee, Chicago

The residents' Holiday Party, Dec. 7

Melissa, Lena, Chris, myself & Jane - oh and Tim in the back!

If there's a resident excursion, we can usually be found together

Wendy & Bridget at Laurel's

The rest of the week was also spent in good company, including an afternoon at Laurel's making salt dough ornaments. Little hands, big smiles - lots of entertainment!

Laurel with her nieces Cathering and Rosemary (the youngest), both of Bridget's younger sisters.

Laurel's own little lady was, by this time, in absentia napping

Jenny & Joey.... His sister Gianna was moving too fast to capture!

Rosemary got passed around quite a bit. :)

December 12, 2008

This week turned out more complicated than I expected. To those who have been more faithful visitor to my blog than I, I do owe an apology - I'm more of marathon blogger than a regular poster. For this sudden transformation and being nearly up-to-date you can thank a car accident last Wednesday which sent me into a pole and gave me a concussion. I've been sitting still for most of the previous four days, trying to figure out how long it takes to recover from such things. You would think I might know this a 1 1/2 years into residency, but no. Thankfully, I was the only one involved, the black eye and stitches are healing well, the head might take a little longer to normalize...

So here we are, two days into an ice storm - the sun came out despite the single digit temps! For a few hours I was feeling quite well and bundled up to take in the sparkling morning.

Hmmm - Kate, I know we've been busy, but maybe we should think about taking in the planters?

It soon got too cold for comfort, so I did a little window sitting in the dining room...

(Our view out to the back)

The rest of the day has been spent in rest, always a good thing for a Sunday...

Hopefully it's back to work tomorrow and then home in a week.

Until then....

A Blessed, Merry Christmas!

December 21, 2008

Indian Summer, Take 2

We had a few gorgeously warm days at the beginning of both October and November, before the cold set in for good... They were thoroughly enjoyed! A group of us residents made the most of a Saturday off (or post-call, as the case may be) and headed out to the orchards.

We found not only apples, but Marte and her new baby daughter Lucinda
- we were the first to see her!


The harvest was generally judged success by all!

The tail end of Autumn,

as seen over Pimiteoui (Lake Peoria) from Grandview Drive

November 2, 2008

Roadtrippin' Sabbath, Leg 3

A rainy afternoon drive between New York and Michigan ended in Saline, with my good friend Maureen, long talks over excellent coffee, and a misadventure in search of the cheapest bushel of apples in the neighboring orchards... The unbelieveably good prices were in fact merited - it was hard to find an unbruised apple. But, whatever, they're going into sauce in a the next day or two - right? We worked hard to convince ourselves this was true and worth the climbing.

Eventually, I set out homeward on Rt 90 with a great mix of sun, clouds and color...

I remember it being a relatively quiet drive home (except for the excitement of a detour or two - really they should TELL you when an exit leads to a highway with no other exit for 10 miles!!). After all the week's activity, I was glad just to take in the scenery and shifting light.

I love the Tyndall Effect. :)

A striking little farm, somewhere in Michigan

- again, a haphazard on-the-drive snapshot introducing some mysterious sloping.

Here comes the sun...

And here comes home (my Other Home!).

This shot was actually taken a day or so later, which the morning light probably gives away. Regardless, it's a view I've come to look forward to seeing as the highway cuts through a hill, breaks out on the river valley and I know I'm almost home.

October 25, 2008

Roadtrippin' Sabbath, Leg 2

Early Monday morning, I went walking on Franciscan's campus... much has changed since I was last there. Old schedules don't vary significantly, though: it was oddly familiar to watch all the students rushing to 8am class and yet it was so removed. (I'm not a student, I'm a visiting doctor - when did that happen?!?)

The new and improved J.C.....

The chapel, ever the same...

A familiar treck up to the library and science building, where my friends used to joke I lived since between classes and the labs I took, assisted with or tutored a large portion of my waking hours were dedicated to that site. I slipped into Cosmas & Damian relatively unnoticed and popped my head into our biology dept head's office. Mr. Petrilla looked astonished for a moment, but before we knew it we were finishing off a half hours' conversation so the anatomy lab could change sections. That was followed by a brief visit with another former professor, Fr. Joe, who also gave me a (much needed) blessing for my trip and the rest of residency. There are distinct benefits to going to school where priests are also professors!

Heading north into the beautiful hills of Pennsylvania...

The colorful swamplands, actually a state park and wildlife preserve - one of these days I'll drop by and explore it, since I've driven past it numerous times over the past ten years!

Somewhat difficult to appreciate from a distance, this bank of foliage was so brilliant in the moment I actually pulled over to see if I could capture it...

More sun-laden beauty!

As I headed towards Erie, the Great Lakes (Erie, here) started to edge the horizon... If I had been passing through here a few weeks earlier, I could have put down the windows and breathed in the smell of fresh concord grapes. This time, it was just a good musty-crisp Fall smell...

Harvest time...

Welcome home!

And welcome home again! (From Greg)

The week was a fast one - cleaning out closets of long-forgotten childhood items, long family dinners, good times outside... There was also a pumpkin picking expedition.

Julie admiring the fancy carvings in the pumpkin shack.

A goofy trio....

So many pumpkins, so many decisions!

Or maybe just so many great places to climb!

The tradition stands strong- October hiking in Mendon Ponds Park with Dad & Gregory...

Standing, as Greg put it, in The Shining (the sun among the golden maples!)

The still waters of south Mendon Ponds...

Couldn't have asked for better company!

More autumn beauty!

View from our own back porch, with all the trees grown up ten feet! When all the leaves clear, you can see the city of Rochesters' little skyline (known to some as a sky-dot!)


Second-to-last day at home.....

Patrick, completely satisfied with the pumpkin picking results!

The entire Rideout clan...

(I believe I said that if I didn't have them all present and smiling, what if I didn't recognize them the next time around??)

I love my home state, New York

October 20-25, 2008