The Hazard Chronicles

Alright: A lot has happened since the last post, so buckle down for a long read and lots of pictures. This is going to be fun.

Or...JUST SCROLL DOWN TO LOOK AT THE GINGERBREAD HOUSES AND VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ONE BY COMMENTING HERE OR ON FACEBOOK OR MESSAGE US OR PM US OR CALL US OR EMAIL US OR COME AND VISIT US. BUT PLEASE VOTE- THE STAKES ARE HUGE AND EVERY VOTE COUNTS. LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Now that's out of the way. Let's get on with the blog.

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Black Friday. What a day. Every year people wake up early to pay their special devotions to the gods of consumerism. It's almost a ritual- looking through the ads ahead of time, planning your routes from store to store to get all the best doorbusters, eating a late breakfast with friends and family to compare who got the best deals, and then going home and sleeping off the buyers remorse before it hits too hard. The great American pastime.

Not to be outdone, I wanted to participate in this rite for myself. So, I got up 15 minutes earlier than normal (4:45) and battled traffic in the dark to get to the nearest Walmart. I walked in, elbowed my way through the crowds, and emerged successful with my purchase of a single bottle of hair gel. I had run out the day before.

Having thus satisfied my inner need to accumulate stuff, I continued on in the murky darkness toward my real objective. Traffic thinned as I got further and further away from the shopping centers, until it was just me, all alone on an ever narrowing road.

I made muddy footprints as I stepped out of my SUV, and I lifted my hood against the lightly falling rain. The terrain was uneven as I made my way up the mountain, but the darkness didn't bother me. This place is a virtual extension of my home, and the curves of the trail are as familiar to me as the contours of my bedroom. Finally, I reached my destination and searched for a sheltered area as tiny puffs formed in the air from my heavy breathing. I had made it just in time.

Suddenly, a light cracked the darkness over the hills and started to spread across the landscape, dancing from wave to wave once it arrived on the water. The air was filled with the scent of  pine mixed with a faint whiff of woodsmoke- a natural incense that spas and temples could only dream of replicating. The sound of water lapping the shoreline blended almost seamlessly with the rain, adding a percussive element to the music of the area. In the distance, faint silhouettes of mountains slowly emerged as night gave way to day. 

And then the eagle came. This is what I had hoped for, and I stood breathless as I watched the bird perform its aerial survey of the area. At times, it came so close to me that I could make out its eyes, only to have it swoop away again at the last instant and head out toward the water. I sat there and watched this performance for almost an hour, cozy in my little hollow, completely emerged in the moment. It was going to be a good day.

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Living where I do, mornings like this can happen several times a week. This time has become almost sacred to me, and acts as a regular reminder of my place in this amazing world we live in. And although it is common, it never gets old.

Beauty. What does that word even mean? I suppose perceptions vary from person to person; what is inspiring to one may have very little meaning for another. And yet, there is no denying that it exists. Places, people, art, music, rituals, and communities- things that stir the soul and tell us that there is a richness to life that makes it well worth the journey.

This year I am thankful to live in a place where beauty, whatever that may be, is so abundant. I am lucky that life's circumstances have allowed me to appreciate this to such a degree.

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For Thanksgiving we had Rachel's whole family come up and visit us. Between bouts of structured activity there were countless hours of talking and hanging out together. The pictures below represent our lame attempts of bottling these memories up, never to be forgotten or changed with time. Yeah right. Pictures can only go so far. Just as an orchestral masterpiece can never be fully experienced through the tinny speakers of a dimestore radio, a picture cannot never show the bonding, the laughter, the connections, or the intimate conversations that took place. We do our best though. It was a good weekend.

Rachel has relatives who own a small pecan farm, making for a lot of nuts in this family. Getting them out of their hard shells takes a lot of patience and hard work, but is so worth it for the reward at the end. Jackson deserves a special shout-out in this regard. Talk about diligence!

Thanksgiving dinner was awesome, in spite of my efforts to help. Seriously, it was a weird day. I almost ruined everything I touched, but Rachel was always able to save the meal. In doing so, she also allowed me to save face.

I didn't take this picture, but it was taken on the same night. Credits at bottom of photo.

We went to the annual festival of lights in Coeur d'Alene. The parade was the longest one I think they've had, and the fireworks were spectacular, as always. 

The adults got away for a nice night out. We went to a great local place and enjoyed the live music amidst good food and good company. Sometimes it is a breath of fresh air to ditch the kids and experience just a few moments of uninterrupted sanity.

And of course, the annual gingerbread house contest. We had three teams this year. Names will be announced next week so as not to influence the voting.

PLEASE VOTE!!!!!

Our first contestants present us with a lovely mountain resort. In the foreground, you can see a pond for skating, as well as a firepit for warming up. The roof sports the largest Christmas tree in the gingerbread world, and the balcony is a lovely place to enjoy resplendent views of the Hazard's kitchen.

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Next up, we have the knight's castle. Protected in the front by a moat and drawbridge, the villagers enjoy a quaint holiday getaway in the garden courtyard. As long as the flag waves, they know they are safe.

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Finally, we have the Christmas cottage. You can arrive by carriage, and while the adults enjoy a cozy glass of cider on the inside, the kids can play on the swingset, skate on the pond, or build snow angels. This one's got it all.

AGAIN, PLEASE VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE. THE EASIEST WAY TO DO THIS IS BY LEAVING A COMMENT EITHER HERE OR ON FACEBOOK. OTHER WAYS WORK TOO. THE WINNERS WILL BE REVEALED NEXT WEEK!

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After four wonderful days, most of the family had to go back home to their normal lives. Rachel's mom and sister stayed a little longer. We will miss everyone, but want them to know how much fun it was having a full house.

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Here's a few other fun things that have happened in the last week or so:

The festival of trees. Everyone had fun, and I was very impressed (jealousy?) with Santa's facial hair.

I found this in note in our bathroom. Evelyn found a boxelder bug on our windowsill (pictured upper left) and decided to adopt it. "To Frank, A loyal beeatle bug that we trulley think is fastanating. I hope you enjoy some food and a bed that should last you awhile. -Evelyn, your human friend!" (sic)

A few days before everyone came, Addy stepped on glass and had to get stitches. She did great. Giggling, she asked me to take a picture of the needle going through her toe. She said "It will freak Evelyn out!" Other than a little soreness the next day, the repair doesn't seem to have slowed her down at all.

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Have a good week!