A Not So Secret Obsession

My VCR version of A Christmas Carol.

The holiday season begins today. I consider the watching of A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott to be a holiday tradition. One that evokes the Christmas spirit—at least in me. Since other family members do not share my passion for the movie, I usually watch it alone. I'm not sure why I enjoy this version of the movie. I just do.

A cup up of freshly brewed coffee will accompany me during today's viewing.

I usually wrap gifts or put the finishing touches on the tree while watching the movie but neither will be my focus today. I will be working on my Christmas cards.

There is a website called Heritage Makers that allows you to make your own cards (The deadline is December 7th for Ground Delivery and Priority Mail, which is the cheapest way to go.). You have the option of using a template or blank card. My niece, Jennifer, and sister-in-law, Sue, are representatives for the company—and good ones at that.

I was in the post office yesterday and overheard a woman grumbling about how she hasn't been able to find Christmas cards that aren't made in China. (I know they're out there somewhere.) I felt inclined to share the above information with her.

Best Gifts of All

Wind it up and watch Santa juggle the snowball as he dances to a music box rendition of Jingle Bells. This was a gift from my husband's parents, given to me sometimes during the 1970s. A fun gift that caught the eye of my father-in-law while shopping. A gift that's earned respect because it still works after all these years.

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I have fond memories of a bedroom shared with my brother and sisters. My sisters and I slept in the same bed. We would "finger draw"on each other's backs and then try to guess what had been drawn. The drafty old farmhouse that we lived in made bedroom and bed sharing a necessity.

This melancholy looking bear was a Christmas gift from my parents during this time. I recall my mother teasingly holding the bear up for a second as she was walked through the living room. She and my dad had just returned from a shopping trip that Christmas Eve. 

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When my children were young, we did a variety of crafts together. The ornaments in the photos were made during these early years. I remember time spent with my son and daughters as they worked on these special projects. 

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Kind words. . . the best gift of all.

Sent earlier today, a sweet message from daughter Stephanie:

"I just ate my first piece of after-Thanksgiving pie. And as I'm carefully taking each perfect bite, a combination of pie and whipped cream, I realized that the reason I like your pie so much is because it brings back memories of a happy childhood. As far back as I can remember there has always been the security of home with the, sometimes simple, traditions and consistency of mom and dad. And that's why I like your pie!"

Kitty Kiddy

There's something about silhouettes. . . 

This poem was written for my youngest granddaughter, Samantha, now six. As a toddler, she was very curious. It was not unusual to find spice bottles and other items hidden behind the bed in the downstairs bedroom.
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Granddaughter number three,
just as cute as cute can be.
With golden hair and eyes of blue,
it's very hard to say "No" to you.


You've forever been the curious type,
nosing around when out of sight.
You'd crawl behind the couch or chair
just to see what might be there.


You'd open drawers and peek inside,
grab some stuff and try to hide,
because no matter what it might be,
there must be something inside to see.


Grandpa would get quite upset
because busy little fingers get
into places they shouldn't be—
like inside the door on our TV.

Full Steam Ahead

When it comes to the fashion industry, it is apparently "full steam ahead" most of the time. My daughter, Jessie (Saint Elyns), is already gearing up for the 2012 Fall/Winter season. She is making plans to attend the Women's (capsule) Show in New York City in February to show her latest designs.

The 2012 Spring/Summer show was a success and Jessie is looking forward to the upcoming season. Here is a link to an inspirational video created by Paul Tamayo showing last Fall's (capsule) event. (It was exciting to see Jessie in the background—for all of a second and a half.)

This lovely sweater is from the 2012 Spring/Summer collection. The illustrations show a bit of the process prior to its creation.

Sweetly Nourished

Need I say more? I love my granddaughters. 

My oldest granddaughter, Lydia, visited today.

Her sweet sweet hugs nourished my soul.

Lydia in her cozy new pajamas—a birthday gift from her great grandma.

Gobble, Gobble, Cluck

Through the living room window

early morning—a peeping tom.

When I become the "peeper,"

he quickly turns away.

And then he runs,

runs,

runs away.

Conclusion: Tom turkey's chicken.

A Good Day

Today was a good day in so many ways. No explanation. . . I'm simply celebrating family.

Son-in-law Eric and granddaughters Samantha and Elyse.

Seeker of Joy

It may take more than a bottle of bubbles and a wand to take me there, but I want to experience the joy I see in the faces of these little girls. A tall order indeed! But, "seek and ye shall find"— that's my philosophy. I figure joy is just around the corner.

I discovered a wonderful book this weekend: You Can Be Happy No Matter What: Five Principles for Keeping Life in Perspective. The author, Richard Carlson, Ph.D.,wrote Don't Sweat the Small Stuff and several other inspiring books.

The simplicity of the message has come at quite the appropriate time—a likely reason the book was in my line-of-sight in the first place.

A quick take on the five principles in the book: 
Thought: We produce our own thoughts. They don't just happen. We bring them to life. They are neutral until we give them content and they have the capacity to affect the quality of our existence.
Moods: They are ever-changing. Everyone experiences highs and lows. Everyone. The way we view the world, handle problems, or respond to others is drastically affected by the mood state that we are in.

Separate Realities: Every Being on this earth has different life experiences that affect them in their own unique way. Because of this, everyone lives in a separate psychological reality. If we learn to respect this truth, it can enhance our own relationships and make us more tolerant of others.
Feelings: Our feelings tell us if our thoughts are in need of adjustment. They are a barometer of sort. They tell us how we are doing, psychologically. An important thing to remember is: There is no feeling without a thought first.
Present Moment: If inner peace is what you desire, this is where you want your attention to be. Not in the past or the future. In the here and now. If we pay attention to our feelings, we are more equipped to fend off negativity and be happier in our lives.

Saga of the Corduroy Jumpsuit

Thinking of the veterans and their families today. . . 

My husband served in the Air Force during the Vietnam era. He was sent to Kunsan, South Korea five months after our son was born and he was stationed there for thirteen months. When he returned, our son had no idea who he was. It took a long time for father and son to get reacquainted.

Such is the case for many who have served or are currently serving in the military. With so many deployed today, I'm glad that technology has provided us with video conferencing.

This is a photo of our son in a jacket that his dad sent from South Korea. He was around fourteen months old when it was taken. Beneath the jacket he is wearing a corduroy jumpsuit that I made for him. His dad thought it was a bit girlie.  I do not agree. :-) 

The jacket our son is wearing in the previous photo has been stored in the attic, along with the yellow sweater from an earlier post. There is a bit of history connected to the rocking chair the jacket is hanging on. It was a gift from my husband's parents. I used it for our children and our three grandchildren.

The rocker used to put two generations of babies to sleep.

Reluctant Model

Colorful bows and shiny ribbons did little to inspire this model. There were few action shots. But that's to be expected when you're 12 going on 13 and you've been strickin' with the rheumatism. 

O Crunch

First snowfall  11/9/11

O

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CRU

CRUN

CRUNC

CRUNCH

CRUNNCH

CRUNNNCH

CRUNNNNCH

CRUNNNNNCH

CRUNNNNNNCH

CRUNNNNNNNCH

CRUNNNNNNNNCH

IIII

Jack Frost Came A Courtin'

It never hurts to prepare yourself mentally for things to come. . . winter for instance.

Is one's tongue at risk if exposed to the elements on an exceptionally

cold winter day—even if there are no flag poles in sight?
12/10

One of the advantages of snowy winters. . . we always know
where our black lab is.
02/10

Building momentum isn't always easy when sledding. A bigger hill and
fewer obstacles wouldn't hurt.
12/10

"Survival of the Fittest"
When it comes to surviving Wisconsin winters, it mostly depends on
determination—and the equipment on hand.
12/09

A reflection or fairy dust?
It's whatever you want it to be. I choose to believe it's fairy dust.
12/10

knit 1, purl 2: A Yellow Sweater

Several boxes in the attic are filled with keepsakes collected over the decades; endearing memories of years past.

This sweater was part of a set that I knitted for my first born over forty years go—a seven pound, one ounce son. As you may have guessed, we didn't know the sex of the baby at the time. Such frivolous knowledge was not as common in "those days."

Learning how to knit helped me through a challenging time in my life.

Although my husband was stationed at an Air Force base in the city, we lived a few miles out of town.  Knitting classes were being offered at a Sears store on the outskirts of San Antonio. I remember waiting until he returned home so I would have a car to drive myself to the weekly class. When your home is a twenty-seven-foot-long trailer located in a small, countryside trailer park, a beginners knitting class is a welcome break.

Once our son was born, a Port-A-Crib filled the space where our bed had been. My husband and I slept on a reclining couch in the living room. I remember the two dollar Charlie Brown Christmas tree that we bought that year and how my feet brushed against it as we slept. There was hardly a needle on it by the time the season was over.

Up Close and Personal

A closer look at "Mista Moon". . .  I am so intrigued! A giant gumball suspended in the sky. Cherry is my favorite flavor but grape isn't half bad, especially if it resembles the moon.

I have no idea how my Canon 40D picked up this detail: craters, mountains, lakes, clouds—maybe a pore or two of Mista Moon's left cheek.  Leaning against the railing on my porch to steady the shot did wonders. Nighty night, Mista Moon. 

Plum-licious Mista Moon

When I aimed my camera and took a picture of the moon this evening, I hardly expected results like this. The evening sky cast in pink turned to a rich dark plum. I didn't realize it until I loaded it into iPhoto. There can be a lot of "noise" when digital cameras are used in lowlight conditions. That must explain the unusual way the photo reproduced.

T r a n s f o r m a t i o n

B e f o r e .  .  .

a n d   a f t e r.

Elyse and Samantha trick-or-treating this year. They are either in character
or they had already eaten too much candy by the time this photo was taken. 

I think the proprietor of this house should have been forewarned:
"WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T OPEN THE DOOR!!"

Daughter Stephanie with "The Ghouls." (I really hope the red-eye is from the flash.)
I think all of them are smiling in this photo.  Makes me feel so much better. . . 

Thanks for the photos, Eric Schwartz.

Once a pudding head. . .

"Upside-Down Chocolate Pudding." A memory- filled bit from the past that surfaced at a most inconvenient time—the very moment my head connected with the pillow last evening.

And it lingered until I quietly made my way back down the stairs an hour later.

On the bottom shelf of the pantry: a small, red, reindeer-adorned gift box, held together by a large rubber band. Inside: recipes collected over the years—including this one for "Upside-Down Chocolate Pudding." A childhood discovery. I remember searching through my mother's cookbooks to find that perfect recipe. This was it—at least I thought so at the time.

You could say that I was a contradiction: a tomboy who loved to be outdoors exploring the countryside but who also liked to cook and sew— thanks to Home Ec class. In looking back, I realize that I was "Upside-Down Chocolate Pudding."