The rains continue on the west coast! We don our rain gear and put up our umbrellas and venture out into a sodden world. But we don’t complain because we know that the rain feeds the plants and the forest and gives us a lush green world by the time spring comes.

As the rain falls, I am thinking of the creatures of the forest who are preparing for the onset of winter. The bears have gobbled up the salmon and will soon head into their dens for a long winter nap.

This led me to my friend Bear, the sweet character from Bear’s Winter Party, who prepares for his winter sleep by hosting a party in his den for all his forest friends. Like Bear, I love to open my home to family and friends and cook for them. And now seems a great time to do so! Honey ginger cookies, anyone?