HAPPY NEW YEARS

INDULGENCES

Well, when I was watching the Macy's Parade, I saw a float with a neat pink castle. I thought, oh my, I want that. Fat chance though.
That weekend there was a Toy's R Us catalog in the paper. Imagine my surprise to see a sort of Pink Princess castle available. It must be from some stories for girls I guess. But, I decided the price was more than I would pay. So, I put it aside.
A week later I decided to check Amazon. They had it for about half price. Sold!! Came in time for Christmas too. Sorry, what can I say, my 'child' said, 'need that'.

CHERISHED TOY

What does Christmas mean to a child? The wonder and magical joy of receiving the wished for toy from the symbol of Christmas giving. The incredible tree appears. There is the promise of special treats. But, the toy is the main thing.
I just finished watching this year's 'A Christmas Story' fix. And thought yes, to kids it's 'THE' toy. Was there a special toy or gift that you looked for? Did you ever receive it? Or are you waiting for it yet?
For me, the toys were a doll with extra clothes and then a dollhouse. I did get them eventually, and I have them yet. Although, the doll's clothes are long gone. I also wished for a real china teaset. That, I had to wait for. I bought one for myself when I was an adult. Works out that way sometimes.
My older brother desired a Lionel train and a B-B gun. He did get those too.
My younger brother just wanted everything. Didn't get all of it though. Davy is 10 years younger than me and Bud is 14 years older than Davy. Kid Bro. was always ticked off because he would never be able to catch up with us in age. So he tried to do it with toys.
After my Dad retired and he and Mom were moving to their new home, all the boy's toys were stolen. The train and Tonka toys. I had already taken my toys with me.
My Hb. can only remember a toy farm set and a toy castle fort set. Both of which are long gone as they were passed on. A worse fate for toys I cannot imagine.
I know I had an awful time keeping my things hidden from Mom and kid brother.
I hope to find a true collector to pass them to. Because toys are artifacts and depict an age and life that is past.
I hope some people out there have had a the magical experience of receiving their Christmas wish.

CHRISTMAS MORNING

SNOW DAY

All of this welcome snow, finally stirred up a memory of a snow day up home one year.
It must have been a week vacation for me to be home at that time.
Snow had been forecast, and finally here it came. Started out with small flakes, so we thought , oh won't last long or lay down much after all.
Then, as we watched, the air began to grow thick with flakes and the thicker the snow the bigger the flakes.
I said to Mom and Dad. I have to go out in this! You want to go out in that!? oh, yeah!. I generally do not go when there is any sort of storm. But, this, this was rare. Mom said, you don't have a parka. Yes I do. I know where my old parka is. Ran across it the other day. Boots, did you bring your boots with you? Yep. So, I quick layered up my clothes, put on a scarf around my neck, and scarf on my head under my hood. Put on my finger mittens. This is why I otherwise hate bad weather. All that bundling.
I went out the back door, that way I could walk mostly through the young trees, and not get so snowed on. But, I still step into the snow when I wanted to. The young trees were all ready beginning to droop from the weight of the snow. It was snowing that heavy. All was quiet with only the sound of the falling snow as it landed. Pli, pli , A very soft 'plop' sound. The flakes were huge, between 1 inch to almost an inch and a half wide. Some a good 1/8 inch thick. Very plushy looking. Swirling, dancing as they fell. The longer I was out, the thicker the snowfall. But I always knew where I was, because that's why I stayed in the trees.
I walked through the trees, up to the east side of the mill. Out from Aunt Hazel's. Because from there, was a wide open space and I could watch the snow from under a cedar tree.
It was wonderfully magical. Everything appears so ethereal and otherworldly.
Mesmerizing. All that was needed was for me to see the Snow queen in her crystal sleigh pulled by white horses.
I soon noticed that snow was piling fast, and was almost deeper than my boots. so, time to go back to the house.
Mom said, I was afraid you might get lost in the snow it's falling so thick. I told her where I had been. So, I knew my way through the trees.
Took all my snow gear off on the utility room and brought to the kitchen to dry. Made some hot chocolate and watched the snow through the big glass windows in the front room.
Snowed the rest of the day and all night. We were snowed in come morning.
The dogs did not like the deep snow. Makes ice balls in their fur. Very uncomfortable. That was last time I got to see and play in such a snow fall. I don't think there was another like it. It was blizzard. We don't have those up there.

FIRST SNOWFALL

There has been snow around us on the foothills. and hail in downtown. But, other areas have had dustings of snow. Snow in the bay area. Amazing. It has been very cold and my Hb. and I are NOT handling it well. He bought me one of thse 'Snuggle' blankets you may have seen on TV. But he got mine from eBay. I find it comfortable.
We have rain, quite a bit, which we really need. Or there will be rationing again next year. As cold as it has been. It is not what people in the midwest and north east are going through.

PUMPKINS

I have been doing some drawing. By hand, not computer. I do a pencil, and add color with color pencils. I like the rather unfinished look right now. It has a simple appeal to me. I have two others and will do one more of this type of subject. Then I will change content.

HAPPENSTANCE

Have you ever had an opportunity to actually feel the earth turn? To sit on the ground and be conscious of the movement? it is a phenomenal experience. Let me tell you. But, it was one I was never able to duplicate, even by going back and sitting in the same spot. Now, that was disappointing.
One day, during a late summer, I was restless. I told Mom I was going to go watch the sun set. She asked me where I was going to watch. I said, out the backdoor, Down the dog trail to the old log road, to Grandpa's rail fence, climb that. Then walk through the field, half mile up to a clear view of Mt. Shasta.
She said ok.
Well, it took me awhile, I had almost ran out of time when I arrived to where I wanted to be.
The sunset was just beginning to be all full of color. I sat on the dry grass, there was some creosote weed, compositae and stray alfalfa in the turkey grass and the dusty smell of late summer.
I sat there and watched, and as I watched the Sun descend I sort of tipped my head back a little, and-----------
I could actually feel the Earth turn. I could truly feel the ride we all get everyday and never notice. It was not an illusion, because to check, I closed my eyes for a few seconds. That was most deeply devout spiritual feeling I have ever experienced. To just for real know I was one with the Earth and Universe. It was overwhelming, I nearly fainted. But, Instead I got up and started back to the house. before I did. Jeez, Mom and Dad would have believed me to have been gotten by a Lion or Coyotes or something. I didn't want them to have to come looking for me. I made it back just at twilight.
Mom asked, how was the sunset?
I said, incredible, I will tell you later. And went to my bedroom.
I was in my twenties and home from school for the summer.
The next day, I told Mom about it.
She asked me some questions to check my perceptions. and she then knew it had been a very exceptional experience.
I sort of forgot about it. Then oh, maybe a few years later. I went back to the same place at about the same time of year. Never ever happened again. A gift to be given to me only once. However, it is etched in my soul.
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Mt. Shasta does have it's own mythology. It is a volcano.
It seems too fantastical for me.

NATIVITY

I wasn't raised in a religion. My Mom and Dad had had negative experiences in that regard. However, they both left the choice up to my brother and I to acquaint ourselves if we wanted to. Our first exposure was Summer vacation Bible School.

At Christmas we therefore never had a creche'. I sort of always wanted one. And thought, maybe when I have my own place.

I still hadn't a creche' until after i married. Well, my Hb. he wanted one too. We wanted a big one like the Europeans have. Big, with lots of people and animals. The first year, it was simple. A couple of years later, Hb. made a cave out of papier mache'. Looked soo, neat. It finally disintegrated. And we used one of the mossy ones from Woolworth's.

We had to begain small though. Because of finances. First we just bought the center of the scene. The Holy Family, the Kings and a few animals. They came from Woolworth's. It meant a lot to us. As the years went by, the Creche' grew and grew. We found nice figures from Italy. Added farm animals. We had our scene for years and years. When we moved here, we sold it. As we have no one to give it to. By then there were over 70 pieces, I think. I had lost track.

This a picture from the first year.

CLOSE UP

Here is a close up of part of my under the tree Christmas scene. I love Rudolph, he is my favorite Christmas character. I always wanted one. I was so delighted when Lennox came out with a figure. Now, every year, he lives under our trees along with several friends.
As an adult, I having been indulging my child. She is not self indulgent though. Not really. She just loves sweet lovely things. And can at last play. She didn't get to play in that other time.
Fantasy was laughed at and derided, denigrated. She lived a terribly dismal life. I am just trying to make up for it a little.

CHRISTMAS TREE SCAPE

This is a picture of my tree scape for this year. With the flash, the tree lights don't show well. But, without the flash, all of the decorations aren't visible. this is all I will do for now. I have been too ill do more. I have more reindeer, and my angels, plus my little christmas tree collection. but, I no energy. I put the things under the tree away in February, we leave the trees out all year.

FOG

Fog, seems so very mystical and unreal. Changes the whole landscape. Are there otherworldly beings slipping around and through the fog.

GINGERBREAD HOUSE