The wind is blowing, the lake is frozen, and on the far end are a couple of fishing shanties.  Ahh, winter!

A steady stream of cars have been arriving in Glen Arbor since Saturday, and today the cafe is really hopping with vacationers searching for snow, or just getting in a peaceful break from the downstate bustle. We had a nice dusting of snow yesterday, and that’s what the forecast holds into the New Year. It’s plenty cold out, and The Homestead and Crystal Mountain are making lots of snow; and there is enough snow in the woods for cross country skiing.

This morning my yard had a number of tracks, mostly deer going for the holly bushes, but there was a single line of tracks that came from behind my house, walked on the snowy deck, and into the yard when it appeared to go for the mice or voles under the snow. Based on the size and gait I’m thinking it was a bobcat, and I’m surprised because I’ve never seen any around the house, and didn’t know that they’d walk on the deck. But, if it wants to go after the rodents (including the deer!) I’m all for it.

The Weather Service has been warning us for a few days that we’re going to have a blizzard beginning tonight. Starting at 10 p.m. they advise us to batten down the hatches for 12″ of snow, high winds, low wind chills, and then a lake effect snow kicker into Thursday morning. Usually we shrug it off as hysteria, but they were quite accurate last March, so we’re a bit more wary. Just in case, I’m going to clear the existing snow off my driveway tonight (I had thought I’d wait until there was more to handle). When I look at the national radar, I just don’t see the storm that was being predicted last night. Still, cold air over Lake Michigan usually makes snow. This is great news for both the skiing and snowmobiling industries, and probably why we call Michigan the Winter Water Wonderland.

December is here, and as usual, I am excited for the season. The holiday music is playing for callers on hold, colored lights are up around my desk, and my inflatable Sponge Bob Squarepants should be gracing the office soon. Why Sponge Bob? He makes me laugh, and he’s dressed like an elf. Yes, I know this now confirms for you all that I’m more than a bit daft.

Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Are any of you as sick of hearing those terms as I am? I did find out that Black Friday is a contrived term, and I hope that soon it is bannished from use. To counteract it, please join Leelanau Coffee Roasting this coming Saturday for “Green Saturday!” Why green? Because you’ll save 10% on your internet orders (sorry, no phone, fax, or mail orders) when you type the coupon code green at chekout. Buy some more presents for your friends and family, or treat yourself. You can choose to have them shipped later, and many can be upgraded with our Gift Crate or Holiday Box.

Two new gifts that have been popular in this year’s catalog are the Four Favorites ($33.00) and the Jumbo Box Full of Potfulls ($50.00, great for an office). We also upped the ante on the Mud of the Month Club, with a special gift of 12 ounces of Bakery Blend and an 8-cup French Press. Of course, any present from Leelanau Coffee Roasting is sure to please; and that is the end of my sales pitch.

How about a contest? I drove past a perfectly calm Glen Lake on Monday, and wondered when it will freeze (sometime in January), and realized that the patio pond has not yet frozen, so let’s guess that date. I’ll check the pond every morning, and the first person to guess the date wins a Summer Sunrise (and I’ve already decided that it will feature Empire Blend). Go here to enter the contest.

Finally, I haven’t heard much feedback on the new shipping policy, so I guess it’s agreeing with you. The vast majority of you are saving a lot—up to $2 a shipment, I’ve seen—and only a few of you are paying a little more, usually just a buck. I was surprised at how many of you are using the Priority Mail, and I’m glad that we’re able to offer it to you. Please let me know if you have any comments or concerns.

Have a great December, and I’ll send you a reminder about Saturday.

We’ve had a string of delightful days this week, mostly sunny and highs in the 50s.  It freezes a little at night, and even here by Lake Michigan we’ve had some frost.  Having learned from experience, these are also the days to get the holiday lights tested and hung up.  I have been out in sleet on the eve of Thanksgiving, and it just isn’t fun, so today I’m hanging the icicle lights around the Cafe for the winter.  I’ll switch them on at Thanksgiving, so they are lit for the Pajama Party, and keep them up through the winter until President’s Weekend.  Glen Arbor looks so pretty with all the stores decorated in white lights, and everything covered with snow.

I found at home that one of the trees I used to hang lights in is simply too tall now (after ten years), so I’m trying the more avant garde approach of wrapping some tree trunks along my driveway for a dramatic look.  I might extend that to the mailbox, but the holly bushes outside my window will still be lit, because I like to see them from inside.