It's a snowy Boxing Day in Aurora, Ontario. Having no respect for time and a head full of cold symptoms, I managed to pull myself out of bed around 10:30 a.m. and have been able to simply enjoy the experience of being -- such a rare occurence lately with all the hustle and bustle of the past few months. My spirits were warmed as I ate my granola and fruit breakfast and read the report in today's Globe and Mail (front page too!) of the successful efforts of a group of people in McBride, British Columbia to rescue two abandoned pack horses off of Mount Renshaw. To do so they had to dig a 1 km trench through 8 feet snow banks to reach the near dying horses -- and it took them a week! Many of the rescuers abandoned their Christmas preparations in the process. Amidst all the doom and gloom of a world seemingly going loco, it's wonderful to see that the goodness in people's hearts prevails. Kudos to these wonderfully selfless people.

I have been greatly blessed this past year and would like to say thank you to one and all who played even a small role in making that possible. I'd also like to wish you all the very best the season has to offer, and a happy and prosperous new year.

To close, every year my horse Shakespeare and I collaborate on a small volume of poetry which I then self-publish and give to friends and family at Christmas. Here is just a sample from this year's seven-poem collection:

Ice Cap

The water in mine trough plays hard to get,
Beneath the sheet of ice that floats there yet
I cannot be dissauded from my goal
Of slurping up the nectar from that beckoning bowl.

My lips upon the ice cap gently press
And soon feel water's cold and sweet caress.
The bobbing flow of ice doth gently play --
A cool pastime upon this balmy, wintry day.

And soon I've had my way, the game is done.
I've tasted Adam's Ale, the victory won.
Now off to join ol' Sam I'm wont to do
Where I will settle down, and chat, and chew.

Season's Greetings ...
Dorothy and "Bear" (a.k.a. Shakespeare)