Something a little different to think about this Christmas

Maybe next year.....

I saw a girl today

She was sitting on a bench at the entrance to the shopping mall; crying. Sobbing would probably be a more accurate word... as she sat all by herself on this wintry day.


Noah noticed her first and after he pointed her out to me, I went over and laid my hand on her back. Was there anything I could do for her? Could I help her? Could I call anyone for her? "No, no, no," she said. But she nodded a bit when I asked if I could pray for her... so I did. I told her that I would continue to be praying for her. And I was thinking it would be a very fine thing if this evening we all could say a prayer for that girl who was crying her heart out on a bench outside of a shopping mall just three days before Christmas.

Sometimes a little bit is all you need

These teensy little candy canes have precisely the correct amount of Christmas cheer to dress up my morning cuppa.
Only three more days left girls... but hey who's counting?

Mister Personality

Before I made a practice of really watching the birds that frequent my yard, I mistakenly thought that all birds of a given species were basically identical... or at least so very similar that they might as well be. Distinct birds are still very difficult for me to differentiate, but every once in a while a real individual appears who makes it very easy indeed.



This fat rosy cardinal is a newcomer to our feeders this year and he has certainly made his presence known. His color is so vibrant that he is almost luminous... even from across the yard and inside the house he stand out like a ripe piece of fruit on the bare branches of the winter trees.


Life seems to have treated him very well indeed; he is fat and his feathers gleam with health. If you look very closely at the picture below, you can see another benefit that our Mr. P. enjoys- close to the edge of the house, where the branches from our fallen arbor come down you can just make out the peach-y colored face of the indefatigable Mrs. P.


The two are never far apart, when Mr. P. is at the feeders, the little missus waits contentedly for her turn in the branches of the rose bushes. Mr. P. has been known to bring her special treats such as little raisins or the odd dried cranberry on occasion.


Yes, she waits very demurely... except for when she sees me through the glass. And when I start taking pictures, oh my goodness the fuss she makes! She rises up on the slender branches coming closer and closer with each flash of my camera. She squawks and frowns until I either stop my foolishness, or she's had just about all she can take and the two of them fly away. Together.


I think she resents my intrusion upon their romantic interludes.

THE social event of the season

The youth group Christmas party; Millen's waited a long time for this and boy-O-boy was she ever excited.


She was all set to go with a plateful of treats in one hand, her contribution to the gift exchange in the other and two - count 'em, two- hairclips in her hair (one to match her tee and one to match her hoodie, dontchaknow!) She did experience a bit of nervousness just before lift-off: "I need my sister," she said with deep concern. Once assured that sister Amelia would be meeting her at the party, she was good to go.

Ah, the glories of being a teenager.
Millen tries her hand at Foosball for the first time.

Her opponent here, Kevin was the winner of the all-party tournie, yet somehow Millen managed to beat him every single time they played. Hmmm, we still haven't figured that one out. Nope, don't have a clue as to how that happened.

She shoots! She scores!

Another new recruit to the youth group and old pal of Millen's was also a first time attendee. The two of them spent most of the evening together; making Christmas cards, playing table games, snacking and- because apparently one can never get enough Foosball- perfecting their slapshot.


Millen and Amelia arrived home at a disgracefully late hour, exhausted but pumped up on caffeine, sugar and Christmas cheer. The three of us stayed up for at least another hour and a half doing the requisite post-party-debriefing. The consensus? A good time was had by all. A very good time indeed.

Sally forth

Yesterday I decided that I was well enough to venture out for the first time since I returned home from the hospital. The kids and I planned a thrilling jaunt to the drive-thru window of the bank then, if energy allowed, a wee bit o'grocery shopping. I found myself sagging quite a bit before the shopping was done (which did not surprise my mother.) Not to worry though; Noah gallantly escorted me back to the car for a rest and Amelia provided me with a peppermint mocha which fortified me quite handily for the journey home.

And speaking of home, I lay down for a nap on the couch as soon as I returned there. But still the trip out was well worth the effort; fresh clean air, bright sunshine and scenes like this beautiful one were everywhere I looked.


In fact it was all so pleasant I think I'll do it again.. tomorrow.

I have discovered the secret to happiness

Long undies!!

OK, ok... okay-yay, so they're not the secret to happiness, sheesh. They are however, the secret to staying warm and cozy during our frigid northeastern winters. I'd love to have some silk ones or perhaps merino pointelle, but even my inexpensive little department store sets do me just fine. I wear 'em every single winter day under everything from my denim work jumpers to my best woolen crepe church dress. Whether I'm outside shoveling snow or sitting demurely in a drafty Sunday School classroom I am toasty warm. And that makes me happy.

In light of the fact that today is my silver wedding anniversary

The first time I watched this part of the movie Joseph King of Dreams, I scared my kids by blubbering like a toddler through the whole song. I have behaved in a similar fashion every single time I've watched it since... but it doesn't scare the kids anymore. They know these are good tears.

Faith has made it easy, it really has.

Now, that's what I call a good time

Yesterday I was able to toddle into the kitchen and do a whole heapin' sink full of dishes. I even broke out some of my splurge-y Mrs. Meyer's dish soap for the occasion. The Iowa Pine scent was so delicious... I coulda washed dishes all day long (if I could have remained vertical that long.) Yep, it was par-tay time for this old gal.


Hmmm, maybe I'll scrap that carefully thought out gift plan and just give every gal on my Christmas list a bottle of dish soap instead...

A warm December evening

Hot spicy cider in thick jadeite mugs, soft almost-worn-out holiday table linens, an old favorite movie and a plate full of sweet homemade treats...


It's a wonderful life, oh yes it is.