Well it was a mild November and then Boom! we got our first snow as soon as December began. Out came the shovels and up went the thermostat. I immediately took out the dusty box of Swedish christmas decorations from under my bed put them up, as well as go on a baking frenzy. So the quest for coziness and childhood nostalgia begins. After a brief muffin bicycle run, most of my day was spent eating homeade apple pie, drawing, and drinking lots of tea by candlelight.I follow the Scandinavian ritual of lighting candles in the morning and late afternoon as well as in the evening. Another way to stay cozy is to listen to the radio. While I enjoy television, there are times when the radio is so much more gratifying. For me it's because you have to visualize what you hear, like when you create pictures when you read. You have to think! Contrary to what many people in Europe believe, there is intellectual and thoughtful media here in the States. Most of the time though, you have to listen to the radio to find it.