Merry Christmas!

Christmas is forever, not for just one day,

for loving, sharing, giving, are not to put away

like bells and lights and tinsel, in some box upon a shelf.

The good you do for others is good you do yourself.

Norman Wesley Brooks

U.S. design engineer

1923-200

 

 

 

 

The Texas dirt was blinding as the wind ripped and roared

across the prairie yesterday.

And if you ever wondered what I look like.............well, this is pretty close after yesterday.

My husband's truck broke down a little ways down the road from our home as he was heading to work yesterday morning. He had to leave it behind and go on to work. Yesterday afternoon, the dirt storm was in full swing, when he and I had to go down to drag this truck home.

I do not like to pull vehicles, and I do not like to be pulled in a vehicle. Both are very stressful to me, especially when I am blinded by a dirt storm.

Dirt stung our faces, tumbleweeds came at us like a wild stampede, scaring Sophie, who found a safe retreat inside of the truck. Not only did my hair look like it does in the photo, but my expression was a close match.

There are feathers of different colors of white, red, and speckled black, stuck in the tumbleweed lined woods that blew off of my poor chickens. I think I have enough to make a pillow! But never fear, my hair will be smooth  and I will smile again, with no dirt in my teeth......

 This is life on a west Texas prairie.

How about you?

Are you hanging on to your hair, dress, or hat as you struggle with dirt or snow blowing?

I would love to hear!

I visited an old nursery close to the town where I "grew up"

and was just taken in with the abundance of the poinsettia plants that they had.

Every kind of color was there to choose from

and I found myself lost in a sea of color taking it all in.

I was so surprised to see how much in flowers and plants

they had to offer. The areas were unending. It was almost like walking through a park.

Are your local nurseries overflowing as well?

 

I also checked out the local museum and learned about the mammoth that had been discovered at a local lake where we used to take our young children on camping trips.

How about you?

Any dinosaurs hanging out in your favorite spot?

Sophie has been a good, but somewhat reluctant help in decorating for the holidays.

 

 

She is so tired of me doing this to her every year.

But she soon perked up when she discovered that it included a walk down to the road to decorate the gates.

How about you?

Have you gotten the tinsel, the holly, the lights and the stockings all hung?

I would love to hear!



With the cold weather settling in

I have placed all of my flowers and plants into the warmth and safety of the greenhouse.

The flower beds and gardens have all died down and gone to sleep for the season.

Now is the time that all of the chickens can be let out to roam the grounds freely during the day.

They can go as far as they like to explore and scratch.

I just love to see chickens roaming the grounds!

Yet they seem to stay close to the back yard and the chicken yard ,and always back into the roost by sundown.

I think they are very happy chickens............egg production is back up again.

For those of you who raise chickens.............

do you let them out to roam the grounds during the day?

or do you find them very destructive..........as they can be..........

and let them stay penned?

I would love to hear!



The first dusting of snow for the season

came to us in the early morning hours, mixed in with the high winds blowing across the prairie.

It looks like someone took a gigantic sifter and sifted powdered sugar over my wooded garden.

When I wake to mornings such as this, it can only mean one thing............

before the chickens get let out and fed............

before the coffee maker gets filled...........

before any important stitching get done............

I grab my camera and Sophie and I head out for a long winter's walk.

She was so busy running here and there and sniffing out every visitor, that I did not catch too many good shots of her.

Gertrude stands alert and strong.............although her sweater has snow over the shoulders,

guarding the garden.............which now needs to be completely cleared.

We did not get enough to measure................

not even a shovel full..............

but if you were a little bird.........with small matchstick legs.............

it might be pretty deep!

I am actually surprised we got snow.............and this early..............

how about you?

Are you already under a deep blanket of snow?

Perhaps you have already made a snowman or two?

I would love to heat!

 



There are green tomatoes hanging on the blooming vines out on the patio

 

the weather is sunny and the temperature is in the 70's.................

 

yet, there are jingle bells hanging on my back door.........

 

and in just another day or so........a tree will be in my window.......

wearing brightly colored ornaments..........just like an old lady that

wears too many beads and earrings at one time.

 

Holly and bells will be scattered throughout the house.................

Why??

Because it's Christmas time.

 

 

This morning I walked up to a store entrance and heard the sound of a Salvation Army band,

playing slightly out of time and out of tune...............

but it was the prettiest music I have heard..............

Why??

Because it's Christmas time!

And as I made my way through the brightly colored poinsettia plants,

I could hear the happy sound of jingle bells , dinging in constant movement from a lady who was walking behind me. She was dressed in ordinary jeans, a dull colored flannel shirt,  and I could not see where any of the bells were hanging...........but every where she went............

her bells announced.....

it's Christmas time!

Maybe at this time of year............you don't believe in a jolly, plump, man

in a red fanciful suit...........that never seems to be out dated...........

and maybe at this time of year.......you don't believe in a wondrous, holy night,

so many years ago..............

perhaps you might find yourself with plenty at this time of year................

perhaps you might find yourself with less than plenty..............

But I believe that somewhere in all of us...........there is a memory............

of a Christmas.......long ago...........where we let ourselves believe in the magic........

and in the Spirit of the season...........

and we found ourselves singing those Christmas songs that played over and over............

where peppermint tasted so much better in a shape of a cane............

and the sound of jingle bells made us smile..............

maybe there were a lot of Christmas's like that for you..............

or maybe there was only one..........

and you just cant seem to find another like it..........

 

 

If there is any thing to believe in.............believe in the memories that are to be made this Christmas.

Look for a smile from someone you don't know, who smiles at you

just because it's Christmas time.

Listen for that lady, jingling along.........I know there are more than just she out there.........

smile, when you hear her.........

just because it's Christmas time.......

No matter how much or how little.........

make the best memories you can this year............

just because it's Christmas time

How about you??
What is your favorite Christmas memory

past or present?

I would love to hear!



I've been published!

A few weeks ago, I was notified that an article I wrote was accepted for publishing by one of my favorite magazines!!

 

MaryJanes Farm!

MaryJanes Farm magazine, Self Rising issue Vol 12 number 1

The Dec/Jan issue

in the Keeping In Touch section........page 24

Even though the article is titled "Self Rising"

it is not at all about flour or bread.

I will let you discover what it's all about when you read it in the magazine!

How about you?

Do you like MaryJanes Farm magazine?..............

or what is your favorite?

I would love to hear!