I Heart The Mudflats

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I realize its only October and it might not sit well to think about winter holidays quite yet, I am anyway.

Every year from the beginning of November until just after the new year, I bake hundreds of batches of cookies, as well as cakes and other breakfast breads, snacks, pies, deserts and appetizers. I give boxes of cookies to friends, family and other people we work with or have frequent contact with during the year. My husband and I also often cater or at least help with several holiday parties as well as a Thanksgiving dinner in our own home.

So as I am thinking forward to what I am going to bake, how many pounds of flour, sugar, butter and nuts, how many dozen eggs, how much time I will need, who are we gifting to and what should we package them in I am thinking of my joy. It can take a lot of planning to bake this much, but I don’t mind, I don’t mind spending the money or the time and I don’t mind that the gifts often aren’t reciprocated, the whole thing is so warm and wonderful.

Holiday season baking is my favorite part of the late fall early winter. It brings me so much happiness when I bake the cookies and when I give them away, the smells and the smiles. As the days get darker and the temperatures are plummeting anything that brings some joy is a good thing.

Where does your end of the year (late fall early winter) joy come from?

(if you want to contribute a winter Joy piece for the blog click here)

From Mudpuppy ghostdancer:

The ladies at my Dad’s apartment complex are working on a puzzle, Brian just had to pose in the fake winter wonderland. I hope to make a Christmas card after they finish, Brian included of course.

From Mudflats Moderator DaMamma:

This is one of my favorite sunset photos. I’ve taken tons of them over the years, but this one is special as it was taken on my twins’ birthday at Sunset Cove, Lake Huron, Ontario.