For the last few months, Maria has been preparing for the bonfire we annually light during the first day of winter, the Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the day, a big day in the Bedlam Farm calendar.

She collects cardboard, broken twigs, old chairs, parts of fallen trees; the pile grows and grows. We put cardboard down at the bottom of the fire, douse it with gasoline, and carefully toss a burning rag into the wooden stack.

This is a beloved ritual for us; starting tomorrow, the days will get longer, not shorter. The solstice reminds us that even though winter has just begun, Spring is next, and every day brings us closer to planting crops, planting our gardens.

The winter pasture is here; the season of color and light is on the way. The holiday brings hope to winter-bound farmers and their families. And to us. The cold gets tired pretty quickly.

Maria gave me an Alien Air Plant, a highly unusual curly air plant to add to our growing collection.

I have two in my office, Mair has a dozen tucked around the house, using old conductors, shells, and small vases to hold them. I’m hooked on them; this was a great present to mark the day, they are so unusual.

They don’t live on their roots, which don’t go into the ground. They live off the air.

The plant is on my desk right next to my computer. I could call him/her curly, I suppose. The correct name of this very different air plant is Tillandsia Streptophylla (where do they get these unpronounceable names?)