Frosty Hemlock

Hemlock with a heavy cover of frost.

I hope that I'm not the only one for whom Christmas is coming way to fast.  I was somehow convinced that I still had two weeks.  My husband broke the bad news to me similar to the way he would approach one of the horses if they were loose....with great caution and trepidation.

I'm looking forward to getting the Charlie Brown tree in the house this week and the decorations unpacked.  The beautiful wreath that my husband got from a friend is finally hanging and we were blessed with a bit of snow.  It's going to be hard not spending Christmas Eve with my Grandpa Joe after 38 years of doing so.

Merry Christmas to all my blogging friends!

First Sunday of Advent | St. Paul Cathedral

1st Sunday of Advent at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh PA

Advent is such a special time.  I was so happy to make the trip to Pittsburgh on Saturday night with part of my family for the vigil mass for the 1st Sunday of Advent.  I'm looking forward to being able to take the next several weeks to reflect on this past year.  To prepare for Christmas from a nonsecular viewpoint.

Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

Polka Dots and Blue Skies

Schroon Lake, NY ... Fantastic Adirondack Vacation

I had a fantastic long weekend in the Adirondacks with a wonderful friend and her beautiful family.  It's so wonderful to escape to a destination like this.  Crystal clear lake, sun, blue skies, mountains and fantastic companionship....a perfect weekend.

Thanks once again to Skywatch Friday.

Pullin' My Heart Strings

My entry for Sunday Stills.

Oh Pup Pup

I was a wee bit lat coming home two nights ago. And apparently Charlotte Pup Pup worked herself up into a bit of a gastric turmoil over the situation. I was greeted by a truly foul stench when I opened the door. And there was my poor little Pup Pup shaking and panting and traumatized over the fact that she had to go potty in the house.

At least she put her pea brain to good use. And had her accident under the Christmas Tree. The closest thing to the outdoors in her estimation, I imagine.

The tree had to go anyway...I had resolved myself to taking it down sometime this week. But the fact that I needed to scrub the carpet made me order a pizza instead of making dinner and commence with the de-decorating immediately.

The bell in the picture was my Grandmothers...I have two of them.  I am not a collector of 'stuff'. I guess the only collection that I have would be my ornaments.  Each year it is so fun to unpack and hang.  I wrap each of them up in tissue paper or bubble wrap and store them in boxes with packing peanuts.  The process of wrapping and boxing makes me feel almost as good as the unwrapping.  I wonder if that is how a squirrel feels when they are going about the seemingly monotonous business of hiding there nut cache for winter?  Do you think they feel a sense of accomplishment that the nuts are safe and will be available when next they are needed?  

I know that this mundane task brings me a sense of accomplishment.  Do you have an occasional task that gives you a sense of accomplishment?

T Is For Tami

Martha's A-Z Photo "T"

It's actually pretty darn difficult to do a self portrait if your holding the camera.  The outtakes are hysterical.  This was near the end....and you can just see my attitude with the process is just starting a negative dive with the crease in between my seriously scary eyebrows. Yikes....Mariana's Trench has nothing on me. (Do not send tweezers folks I have two pairs, I just forget about those pesky brows till I take an extended look in the mirror or see a shot of myself...both of which are rare.) 

Anyway...last week was my birthday, I'm now 37 years of age.  And I just can not figure out how the last 12 years or so have literally disappeared.  It's scary really.  On the day of my birth I was going to attempt to count my gray hairs.  But I gave up.  I've acquired a few more and they have the strange habit of going from brown to gray to brown again.  Which is bizarre and some are all gray.  And I don't dye my hair so I have no idea what my body is trying to convey.

As far as a re-count of lessons learned this past year.  There were many...but the most important one for me was that you can not sit around and wait for other people to make things happen you just have to go out and do it.

Changes in

...the environment

...relationships

...business

...family

all start with just moving forward.  Sometimes no amount of talking will help you to understand something or will help fix it.  You just have to move forward and make the change(s) yourself.

I am looking forward to the next year.  Being 37 will be fun.  I'm working on a very challenging agenda for myself.  Learning, loving, growing, laughing, striving, just being myself...I'm looking forward to all of it.

Any lessons learned over the past year that you want to share?

Flamin' Wallet

I needed this little guy on the 24th by about 2 pm. To put out the fire of my hard earned cash going up in smoke. YIKES! 

I do love to give to my family...that's what makes the whole Christmas season so expensive.  The little Niece and Nephew are so cute....and when you know that there going to love something it's just so hard to walk away from.  Did you burn a whole through your wallet?

Christmas was fun...there are still a couple presents and cards under my tree that are yet to be distributed to family.  I'm always shocked that the Christmas music comes to such an abrupt halt after the 25th.  For me the Christmas season is just starting.  Oh well.  I have my tree and it will be up for a couple weeks.  And the church will stay decorated till after Epiphany (Jan 6).  So at least the Christmas spirit is alive and well somewhere!

Hope all my new friends had a wonderful Christmas!  I can not wait to catch up on every one's blogs.

Woodland Shopping

Christmas Tally:
Gifts Bought 0
Cards to Family 0
Nativity Set Dusted 1
Wreaths 0
Garland 0
Trees Chopped 1
Light Strands 3
Cheeseballs Made 0
Toes Picked 10
Toes Polished 6
Dogs Bathed 1.5
Angels Placed 1

Hours to start of Christmas festivities....48.

Gray hairs to be sprouted in that time.....hundreds.

I like natural trees.  The more Charlie Brown the better.  About 6 years ago we planted 5 Concolor firs along the woods to grow as Christmas trees.  Yesterday I loaded up the four wheeler with dogs and a saw and drove out and cut this one.  (note to self....due to extreme difficulty of holding 2 JRT's and a 10' tree and successfully manuvering around tree holes and ruts....the dogs are to stay home on next years tree cutting excursion) 

Do you have pictures of your Christmas trees posted on your blogs?  Link them below (trying Mister Linky for the first time so if it doesnt work out let me know).  If not tell us whether you like your trees.....fat or skinny....full or natural......big or little.  Lady Claudia likes 'em tall and fat, what do you like?

Wordless Thanksgiving

The 11th of the 11th of the 11th

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses, row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The larks, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved, and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders Fields.

- John McCrae

As we celebrate and remember our Veterans today.  I want to say a special thank you to my Grandfather.  Who fought for our country in WWII.  You are an inspiration to our family, your strength, your loyalty and your love.  Your country honors the sacrifices you have made.  And your family is so incredable proud of our Veteran.

I love you Grandpa, thank you.