It must be the month of Christmas.
There are peppermint sticks on my desk and chocolate covered German gingerbread and pistachio studded torrone in the pantry.
A tree has yet to be acquired, but we have a few decorations strewn about.
And on nearly every corner downtown are performers dressed in Santa regalia. Christmas tunes hang in the air, played on trumpets, guitars, and bagpipes.
St. Nicholas’ Day is less than a week away, then a few days spent in sunny California before we settle in for a series of celebrations – Christmas, second wedding anniversary and New Year’s.
Tomatoes on the Vine 
Kling, Gloeckchen, klingelingeling, kling, Gloeckchen kling; es ist Advent und die Morgen hat ‘nen Pinguin….
(old German tune – slightly modified)