Christmas has come and gone. So has a frightful snowstorm, one that left mounds of snow and bright crusts of ice everywhere here in Boston.

Two of my gargoyles braved the snow and managed to keep their heads above the drifts. There's something beautiful and peaceful about gargoyles surrounded by snow. They are creatures frozen in stone, frozen in time. Crouching in a white frozen world of ice, gargoyles seem right at home.

I received two new additions to my gargoyle family. One is a small, lithe Chinese dragon that has found a place perched on a lampstand. The other is a large heavy Celtic War Dog, made of iron, now seated on the floor and guarding my living room. The Celts used dogs in times of war, outfitting them with plates of armor and boiled leather. This one looks quite formidable, but my two cats so far seem unphased and have adopted him into our clan.

I hope everyone here had a safe and merry Christmas.