I. ADVENT

Early November brought above normal temperatures and not much rain.  There's been a cold snap since shortly before Thanksgiving, with little snow for Cold Spring Shops headquarters.

Some of the neighbors took advantage of the favorable weather to get a jump on the blinging out of the houses.

That's from the Saturday before Thanksgiving, with a scissor-lift still parked north of here to finish the work on that house.  Several more houses have also been illuminated, and the weekend after Thanksgiving seems by common consent to be when the lights come on.

The meditation from a few years ago about subsidized solar power encouraging more electricity use remains in order this Festive Season.