Happy New Year!

May you be blessed with the New, finding at least a little more of what you hope and a lot more of the possible ~ with blessings

Christmas Joys

Reflections on this holiday:

1) Having well-behaved grandchildren around is amazing. What fun!

2) Have no expectations about gifts ~ the 6-year old is the one who is fascinated by the Pooh books I gave to the 3-year-old. Delightful to be reading those words from Milne again after all these years. And to a really appreciative audience. 

3) Always try: I put snowshoes on both little ones and they worked! They will get better and better. Grandpa had "plowed" a path on his snowshoes and we plowed a short path of our own. 

4) The three-year-old is fascinated by the nativity scene and the characters - especially the three kings. We've had numerous conversations. 

5) Adult daughters are wonderful ~ especially when she and her husband cook, often and creatively!

6) You never get tired of hearing, "I love you with all my heart." ~ blessings

Merry Christmas

A Merry and Blessed Christmas to all ~ 

Christmas Eve

It is good to remember I believe that Mary didn't realize it was "Christmas Eve". Mary knew only birth. Did the stable even register except for a place finally to lie down? Was Joseph wise enough to find the mid-wife? Or did he, bless him, have to help with the delivery himself? We have so colored and painted and rarified this night that we forget that when new life comes into the world, it is a messy business. Birthing mothers know only the present moment, every single push, every breath, every pain and finally the glorious relief of the first cry. There is no sense of history, of changing the world. That comes later after the shepherds and the kings have departed, after the angel choirs have ended their song and the night sky is normal again with no extraordinary star. Then the mother looks at this tiny new human she holds in her arms and wonders if the Promise just Might Be True. It is the wonder of every mother of all times ~ and may that wonder never cease. ~ blessings 

The Cereal Maker

Delightful holiday party last night. I turned to the man next to me in the buffet line and asked what he did for the company. He grinned and said he was there with his son (in whispered confidence: probably the designated driver) and he worked for Ralston Purina. And what do you do there, I asked. "I make cereal. I am in flaking. We prepare, bake, sweeten. It is more complicated than most people realize. For instance, all of those ingredients and vitamins listed on the box - they have to be in there." 

Amazing. How often have we said, "oh, I have just a bowl of cereal for breakfast." Just - a bowl of cereal. And behind every flake is Bob or one of his co-workers, testing, tasting making sure that we Like that bowl of cereal and that we don't get cheated because every vitamin listed is in there! Thank you, Bob! ~ with blessings

Winter storm

There is something very primitive and passionate about a winter storm. Here in the mountains, wind comes with a storm any time of year. When there is already a number of inches of snow on the ground, roofs and pine boughs, the wind creates another phenomenon. First of course it howls. The falling snow "falls" horizontally. Then the snow on roofs and trees shakes loose and thumps, plops and crashes into sides of houses, windows and onto decks. Outside is alive with power. 

Inside we snuggle warmly in our beds and listen ~ and are touched somewhere deep, deep inside in a place that recalls the ancient collective consciousness of the human race. Are the gods angry? Will the sun rise again? What must I do to be safe and appease this power that throws itself against my dwelling? 

And then into the consciousness comes another sound: the furnace. Ahhhh -- back to the 21st century. Snuggle in more closely, shiver with the power of it all, and back to sleep in gratitude ~ with blessings 

Literature come to life

"The moon on the crest of the new fallen snow

gave a luster of midday to objects below . . . "

Clement Moore, " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas"

'Twas midnight and the dogs wanted out. I opened the door on 

Moore's poetic reflection. It had been snowing off and on all day

and just for a moment, the clouds had parted and the full moon

lit the snowy woods like a fairy land.

The snow glistened. The dogs wandered. I stood transfixed in

sheer enjoyment and at peace with it all. Once in a while literature

comes to life and we learn where our favorite authors find their

inspiration. May you find yours ~ with blessings

I Still run light cues

Years ago in my professional life, I would stage manage a ballet company's production of "The Nutcracker" every December. 

This morning I was listening to a music station playing lots of traditional holiday music. Although busy doing something else I was suddenly aware that I was calling light cues in my head -- because they were playing selections from Nutcracker. It is amazing to me that I still remember such things. 

Is it any wonder that "tradition" means so much to us at this time of year? If I can still call light cues which have nothing to do with religion, spirituality, or the blessedness of the season, I can understand why many of us (me included) want certain things to be the same year after year when the holidays come around ~ blessings

Decorating

I love Everything about Christmas! I love Baby Jesus. I love Santa Claus. I love the Solstice and the Light returning to the world. I love shopping for people I love. I love carols. I love sitting in the light of my Christmas tree and just being. 

This year we have found "the perfect place" for the tree: in a small solarium just off the living room. The tree is framed by the doors and when it is dark outside, the tree glows. 

Every Christmas tree is perfect - and this one especially so: grandchildren helped find it, cut it, decorate it ~ and bless it with their wondering gaze. I am so blessed and will probably say that in this space several times over the next few weeks. ~ blessings to you as well

Old Fogey

OK ~ I am officially an old fogey, conservative and prim. *sigh* 

Looking for a tv show to "watch" - something I knew so well, I could have it on while doing something else. "When the Grinch Stole Christmas" - perfect. I even have the dvd, and this would be fine - delightful Christmas music and Boris Karloff narration while I worked. So I turned to that channel. 

I saw two commercials: one for a violent, "killing" toy and one for a woman's intimate product --- during a showing of "The Grinch". I know the marketing ploy: kids are watching and will want to buy the toy and moms sometimes watch with them and will want to by the product. *sigh* Like I said - officially an old fogey. ~ ah well ~ with blessings ~