Merry Christmas!

Brian, who plays the Innkeeper in the Christmas pageant at Riverdale Farm - an innkeeper with a very large camera slung over his biblical robes - has just sent the photos he took of the event. Here, to remind you of the Christmas spirit, is the final tableau in the barn, with the Farm's new horse Ringo on the right, and on the far left, my neighbour, Juliet, the angel:

On the other side, sheep and goats, and a large crowd singing "Silent Night" and "Away in a Manger." Adorable. If I say so my half-Jewish self.

Good news from the Toronto Public Library: the renovated reference library has a special space for writers! http://www.yongestreetmedia.ca/civicimpact/

Finally, an article in the NYT about a psychologist's exploration of how people fall in love. He asks a newly-introduced couple to ask themselves 36 profound and interesting questions, and then ... well, read the article and you'll see. I was most interested in the questions and tried answering them myself.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/11/fashion/modern-love-to-fall-in-love-with-anyone-do-this.html?emc=eta1&_r=0

But on another note - I am really worried. There are no birds in my yard and have not been for several days. The feeder is full of seed. I just went out to check and nearly cried - where are they? There's usually twittering and flittering, fluttering and perching and pecking going on, sparrows on all the branches, cardinals, an occasional blue jay. Could a sparrow hawk have scared them all away? But they live in the ivy, so that's where they sleep. Or at least, they used to.

I can only hope they've found a feeder with much better seed, maybe wifi and a heated pool, and are vacationing there. Come visit sometime, my friends. I miss you.

There's one! One sparrow, at last! All is not lost.