December is chaotic here on the south shore of Lake Ontario in New York state, but in a good way. It’s busy and a lot of fun, but by New Year’s Day we’re exhausted and ready for some quiet time. The season starts the weekend after Thanksgiving, but then the entire month is filled with parties, shopping flings, festivals, gift exchanges, impromptu gatherings, and food – lots, and lots of food – both the cooking and eating of it.
Decorating is big up here, and although we don’t do much of that, just a little festive touch or two both in-and-outside our house, many friends and neighbors go full bore, hoping to win or place in a contest sponsored by our Neighborhood Association for the best outdoor decorating. And many of them do. Frankly, it’s quite impressive, and more than a little magical.
Now it’s January. The decorations have been stored away for another year, the snowbirds who flew north for the holiday have migrated south again to spend the rest of the winter in warmer, sunnier climes. The days are a bit longer, and while that’s certainly good news, they’re a bit grayer, too, and there’s more chance of snow. While we loved the hustle and bustle of the previous month, we breathe a sigh of relief.
We greet our like-minded neighbors when we walk each morning, but other than the roar of the waves crashing on the beach or the sound of the wind, it’s quiet. A couple restaurants and almost all the shops have closed until spring, and there’s not much traffic, hardly a vehicle to be seen traversing through our streets.
Now our gatherings are small ones: intimate dinners with friends at the restaurants that remain open; a pot of soup or chili with a small group at our house on a Sunday evening; a ladies’ night out; or for my husband, the regathering of his summer golf group for lunch and playtime at a virtual, indoor facility. I happily resume my yoga classes. We venture to the city to take advantage of the cultural offerings there: a symphony; a Broadway show presented by a traveling touring company; or special exhibits at museums and galleries.
I’d been making good progress with the fourth book of my cozy series, but during December that project was mostly put on hold. This is the month when I commit to moving forward with my writing, and have been spending at least part of each day expanding the story as I continue with the first draft. Then, later in the afternoon, I read, fire burning in the fireplace, a cup of tea in hand.
Some friends and family who don’t live where we do wonder how we manage during this time of quiet and isolation, with weather that’s fickle and can change in a minute or two. For us it’s a time of centering and peacefulness, and it’s very beautiful with white caps on the water, grey skies intermittently clearing for brilliant blue and bright sun, starry nights, and a landscape dotted with wheat, rust, faded green and brown. Because many of the trees are barren of leaves, I can see the lake and bay and the tops of the two lighthouses that flank each end of our village beach from several rooms in our house.
By March, we’ll be ready for a change and begin to search for signs of spring: daffodils peaking above the thawing ground; buds starting to swell on trees and bushes; a greening of the grass. But for now, we’re enjoying the peace that follows chaos.
A member of Crime Writers’ Association of the UK ( CWA), North America chapter, Karen Shughart is the author of the Edmund DeCleryk cozy mystery series, published by Cozy Cat Press, including the award-winning Murder at Freedom Hill. All books have historical backstories that provide clues to why the crime was committed, and recipes at the end. They are available in Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, paperback, and Audible.
Ladies of Mystery 
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