New Year's Eve 2018

Greetings, my friends.  This is an (almost) eleventh hour post to close out 2018 and to vow to be a better blogger friend in the New Year!  My Christmas tree looks about the same as it does every year, but I love it so.  My favorite ornament continues to be Dorothy's Red Shoe, purchased at the Smithsonian Museum of American History a few years ago.  It's there in the middle - a little to the left.  My bear was from the now defunct Rich's Department Store, free with a purchase (or something like that) back in the 70s.  I saw one at an antique mall last Saturday for $24.  Mine still looks new every year, since it stays in a plastic bag in the Christmas closet during the year.  

My sister and brother-in-law's home on Christmas morning, before I saw anyone.  Peaceful and quiet.  This was my late mother's wee Christmas tree that she had in her assisted living apartment.  I love that my sis puts it in her foyer every year.

Kitty Pete on Christmas Day.  It was warm enough in the Florida panhandle to sit outside with no jacket.  Pete was the first one I saw on Christmas morning.  He was lying on the kitchen table, which he is forbidden to do.  I was looking at the view out back before I spotted him.  He looked at me with no guilt.  He either figured I didn't care that he was on the table, or he didn't care what I thought.  I imagine it as the latter.  :)

Spotted at the aforementioned antique mall last Saturday.  A cardboard cutout of the King of Rock and Roll.  I texted the photo to my friend Steven, who has a partner who adores Elvis.  He replied, "I love what you've done with your living room!"  

I hope your holidays were Merry and Bright.  And I hope the New Year will be good to you.  Hugs!

The magic of Christmas

This Christmas season has been so nice and busy that I didn't get my post done before heading to Florida to spend the holiday with my family.  An attempt to post from my iPad was a big fail (for some reason.)  As I was wrestling with it on Christmas eve, kitty Pete visited me on the couch and gave me an inquiring look, "Don't you want me in your lap?"  Of course I did and put the iPad aside and felt great peace in watching him relax, his head growing heavy as he fell asleep.  So finally, here are some favorite photos from the last two weeks:

My tree almost didn't get put up.  I do love doing it, but couldn't find the energy for a few days, so the boxed tree sat in that spot.  My Richie bear came from the now defunct Rich's department store in Atlanta.  I'll leave it up until New Year's Eve.

I have a good mix of ornaments and love each one.  The glass Santa there came from the estate sale of neighbor Susan, who passed away earlier in the fall.  I wanted something to remember her by and told her family I would write her name on the box that holds the ornament, so I'll always remember.

 This was my mom's Nativity scene, with its porcelain figures.  The terracotta angel is something I added.  It's sitting on top of my "Kneeling in Bethlehem" book by Ann Weems - a gift from a beloved friend several years ago.  The angel card was hand painted this year by another beloved friend this year - I plan to frame it.

There was a quick trip to my hometown of Milledgeville, Georgia on December 16, where I spotted this adorable mailbox for letters for Santa.

The main reason for the visit was to attend the national wreath laying ceremony being held at the veterans' cemetery where my late parents' are buried.  I got to lay one at my dad's grave in honor of his World War II military service.  They would all have one by the end of the day, but I like to do it myself when I can.

And then it was on to Florida last Sunday, where the stockings were hung by the chimney with care.  

My sister and brother-in-law have a zillion ornaments and a big tree, but opted to just put up my late mother's little tree that she had had at her assisted living apartment.  The grandchildren helped hang the ornaments and were quite proud of it.

Great niece Kloie left homemade cookies for Santa and a personalized drawing of Rudolf.  He was good to her, as he was to all of us. 

Thank you for spending this time with me.  I hope you all had a wonderful holiday.  I'll be visiting your blogs this weekend.  Happy New Year!

Wolf Moon, fun and all good things are wild and free

This is a rush hour photo of my suburb of Atlanta, where Burger is King and there are many cars and power lines.  I still love it, in spite of all that.  The rising moon was gorgeous and that was what this photo was meant to be all about - the January full moon, known as the Wolf Moon.  According to the Farmer's Almanac:

"Amid the cold and deep snows of midwinter, the wolf packs howled hungrily outside Indian villages. Thus, the name for January’s full moon. Sometimes it was also referred to as the Old Moon, or the Moon After Yule. Some called it the Full Snow Moon, but most tribes applied that name to the next moon."

Can you see that claw hand sticking out of my pen and pencil cup there?  (My home office desk.)  This put me a little in mind of said Wolf.  It's actually a back scratcher that was in my Christmas stocking - it's fun, but a little scary looking.  (We have a lot of fun with those stockings.)  :) 

And speaking of this past Christmas - I always buy a little gift for myself when I'm shopping for family and friends.  I just had to get this t-shirt - I love it.

May all Good Things come to you this weekend, my friends!

Last Saturday, the night before and no resolve

Last Saturday afternoon at my sister and brother-in-law's home in Jefferson County, Florida (the very northern part in the "panhandle.")  My sister was occupied with Christmas errands when I arrived, so I sat on the front steps and just listened to the quiet.  The loveliest thing - camellias bloom in December and these were in their full glory.

I don't see Moby all that often, but thankfully, he likes me.  He is a good, fierce guard dog, when needed.  He wandered around the house and his tail started wagging when he heard my voice.  His birthday is Christmas Day, so I brought him a special treat for his birthday, as well as Christmas.  That's kitty Pete in the driveway - just going over to inspect my car.

My sister calls these "Auxiliary Stockings" - the knitted ones hanging on the mantel are too fragile for all the heavier things we like to put in them.  I had fun labeling them and even more fun putting things in them.  I had a lovely time with my family and it was fun seeing the excitement of the little ones that Christmas had come.

Thinking of my blog friends on the drive home, I pulled over to take a photo of the cotton, all wrapped up in big bales.  The white spots you see on the side of the road, are pieces of cotton that drifted away - you see a lot of that in southern Georgia.  The bales will be picked up at some point and will end up in our clothing and other linens.  

And speaking of blog friends, Grannie Annie turned this photo that I posted in November into a "digital painting" - posted on facebook.  I was delighted to see it and I love it.  Thanks for doing that, Annie!  (Posted here with permission.)

Happy New Year, my friends (a little early.)  I'll be around at your blogs the next couple of days.  I hope you have a lovely weekend.  Any resolutions?  None for me.  I'll end with my three favorite resolution quotes: 

- I do think New Year's resolutions can't technically be expected to begin on New Year's Day, don't you? Since, because it's an extension of New Year's Eve, smokers are already on a smoking roll and cannot be expected to stop abruptly on the stroke of midnight with so much nicotine in the system. Also dieting on New Year's Day isn't a good idea as you can't eat rationally but really need to be free to consume whatever is necessary, moment by moment, in order to ease your hangover. I think it would be much more sensible if resolutions began generally on January the second. ~Helen Fielding, Bridget Jones's Diary

- Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. ~Oscar Wilde

- Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go. ~Brooks Atkinson

'Tis the season

Holiday scenes...

The first signs of the impending season were these "book trees" spotted in a shop window in Thomasville, Georgia on November 25.  I love the reflection of downtown in the window.

Three tired women met at our church in the evening in early December to decorate the Chrismon tree.  "Chrismon" is a combination of the words "Christ" and "monogram," and means "symbols of Christ." Chrismons are gold and white, representing majesty and purity.  I was not keen on spending my evening doing this, but ended up enjoying the company of two fellow church members as we chatted and worked on the tree, sharing memories.

And here's the whole thing - all done.  The tree might be listing a bit to the left.  Hmm...

My sister and I have a silly game, in which we text each other crazy things the other might receive for Christmas.  I could not get her to tell me anything she wanted, so I told her this poodle was going to look cute on her dresser.  :)  Not to worry - she's got two really good things from me under the tree.

I already shared my tree at home here, but this a closeup of some of favorite ornaments, including Dorothy's red shoe (purchased at the Smithsonian Museum of American History in Washington, DC), and a beloved ornament of my late parents' depicting the Atlanta Braves World Series Championship in 1995. 

This plane is the new addition to my tree - purchased at the same shop that had the ceramic poodle.  :)  I liked it and think it is a cute addition.

I hope your holidays are wonderful, my friends!  See you for a last post of 2016 next week.  This is my 1601st post - just realized.

In the mist, cheerful and colorful

Four unrelated good things this week - going from gray to colorful:

The skyline of midtown Atlanta was lovely and mystical looking, as viewed from the parking deck of Georgia Public Broadcasting on volunteer night.  We had needed rain so badly and it was welcome when it came.

More gloomy sky, but loved the cheery scarecrow wearing Santa's hat.  Madison, Georgia, last Saturday.

It took all week, but I got my little tree up.  It's sitting on a draped crate so that it will have more presence.  :)  I decorated it a little at a time and finally finished yesterday.  Richie Bear was purchased at Rich's department store, in the mid-1980s, when it was still open.  And the cardboard Santa to the right was given to me by my kindergarten teacher, way back when.  

Coworker Bobby salvaged peppers and green tomatoes from his garden last night, since the temperature was dropping into the 20s (fahrenheit).  It's cold here in the south today.  I chose two red peppers that he swears won't be hot.  :)  It was astounding to see these garden baskets on this wintry day.

I hope your weekend is full of good things!

Steam engine, snoozing and they're on a roll

More good things from Christmas Day in northern Florida...

 - My sister and I were traveling from one farm to another on a Christmas Day visit, when we passed this steam engine displayed in Madison, Florida.  I love to read historical markers, so we pulled over.  It was used for cotton and peanut processing until 1919.  Cotton and peanuts are still the major crops in that area.

 - Hank, watching over my sister and brother-in-law's house in Monticello, Florida.  He loves to visit the grandparents here, so he can roam freely or just sleep on the porch. 

- When I asked niece Abby what I could get great nephew Monroe for Christmas, she said he loves PAW Patrol.  They are cartoon characters from a show of the same name on Nick, Jr. network, who go on high stakes rescue missions and solve problems through teamwork.  I like that, so I got Monroe the action figure set for a gift.  Chase, Skye, Marshall and Zuma are represented here - Rubble and Rocky were around somewhere, probably solving problems.  We all smiled when Monroe opened his present and shouted out the PAW Patrol slogan:  "No job too big, no pup is too small!!!" 

Over the river and through the woods, napping and merry

- I have literally traveled over a river and through woods to be with my sister and her family at their farm in northern Florida.  I love it here - so peaceful.  (This image from my favorite antique shop near my home.)

- Every time I see my sister's cat, Pete, sleeping like this, I always wish I could sleep so heavily and without care like he does.  But I sleep very well here - it's so very quiet.

- If you celebrate Christmas, I wish you a merry one!  And I wish you all peace and joy.  Hugs!

Crazy punch bowl, framed rug and fuzzy vest

My sister Jo and I have long made a fun game of pointing out things in shops, prior to Christmas, that we are going to get each other for Christmas - tongue in cheek, of course.  And since we aren't together as often as we'd like, here are three photos I've texted to her with no message and her response.  :)

- She said, "What IS that???"  A crazy punch bowl, I think.

 - She replied that she could hang that in her dining room.  A framed Last Supper rug - amazing that someone thought to make that.

 - I sent this with the message, "I crack myself up!"  She replied, "You are too funny!"  Me, "That's going to look so good on you!"  One year another relative gave her a sweater with a fuzzy neck like that and she felt she had to wear it at least once.  :)

She was frantically wrapping all of the Christmas presents last Friday, in anticipation of the grandsons visiting - she needed to have all of her time to be with them.  She asked in the same text message if I remembered all those trips down to be with them on Christmas Eve and that I sat on the floor with her in a closed room and helped to finish wrapping all the presents.  That happened year after year - I thought it was fun.  She said that was a good memory and that, "You are the best sister ever!"  I replied - "No - you are!"  

Lessons and carols, ladybug bell and home

- A moment of hilarity among musicians prior to the start of my church's annual Lessons and Carols service.  It was a beautiful service and I was privileged to be one of the readers.  My committee is responsible for decorating the church sanctuary for Advent.  I think it looks enchanting.

- Friend Janice gave me this stained glass ladybug bell for Christmas (the bell hanging at the bottom is a bit obscured in the photo.)  We like ladybugs (long story.)  It's hanging out front where the fern resides during warmer months.  Not that it isn't warm now!  It hardly feels like December.  But the fern is safely ensconced on the covered back porch to protect it from frost.  On the day I took this pic with my phone - last Saturday - I shopped all day for Christmas, wearing Capri pants and flip flops

- And this pre-planted pot of pansies just begged to be taken home.  It was among a few bedraggled pots left at the plant nursery last Saturday.  It seems to like it by my front door.

Another highlight of the week, photos sent from my sister at Dulles Airport in Washington, DC, where niece Carla and great niece Mina arrived from Turkey to spend the holidays with the family in the Shenandoah Valley.  Loved the action shots of Mina running to greet her grandparents.  And also loved the faces of strangers caught in the photos as they smiled at the happy reunion. 

Golden trees, festivity and off to a good home

- I still haven't put up my Christmas tree yet (due to the effects of a lingering head cold), so I'm admiring other trees.  Loved these golden trees in the antique shop window.

- When my sister was visiting from northern Virginia, we kept our eyes out for festive holiday earrings to go with her reindeer outfit.  She was to dress as a festive reindeer in a neighborhood Christmas party choir.  (I saw photos - it was awesome and she found some earrings during the trip home.)  Now I'm seeing festive earrings everywhere - this batch was dandy!

- A printing company client brought these mums in around Thanksgiving as a thank you gift.  But when they started looking a little peaked, someone sat them by the loading dock door.  I was standing there looking at them, when coworker Bobby walked by; truly the nicest man I know.  He asked if he could have them - he hated to see them thrown out.  So they went home with him and he planted them.  I love that.

Not so crazy, all decked out and her handwriting

Happy New Year!  Some Odds and ends from the last several days...

- This is an annual stopping point on my way to the farm for Christmas - love the name of this little store "The Crazy Grocer" in tiny Morven, in south Georgia.  Those shopping carts have loads of collard greens to buy (click to enlarge.) The employees are very nice and don't seem crazy at all.  :) They always remember me.  I like that.

- Niece Amanda's bird dog, Milo - all decked out for Christmas.  She is a working dog at the plantation where Amanda works as office manager, but belongs to her.  They say she is the best quail dog they have when she is taken on hunts.  She got a break from the kennel over there and spent Christmas Eve with us.

- Taking down the tree at home always seems like a chore to me, but I was on vacation and spread it out over two days last week.  I like to have it down by New Year's Eve.  I love the post-it notes in my late mother's very neat printing.  She kept porcelain tree ornaments in these containers.  It feels like a visit every time I see them.

It was back to work for me yesterday.  Sigh.  I sure loved being off, but being back on a good routine never hurts either.  Hope your holidays were lovely.