Sunday was St Nicholas Day.  What did you do to celebrate?  

 

Patty and I spent the day decorating the neighborhood.  Well, not all of it.  We started with the haybale turkey, and turned it into a snowman, using our best graffiti skills.  We still need to secure the hat with rebar.  Then we set up the folk art snowmen that we made several years ago.  They look so good on the hill near the entrance.  Only thing missing is the snow.  Maybe later this week.

 

Then we found the wreaths and put them on the gate.  Wow!!!  They look good too with their fresh, new bows.  Next to do are the wreaths at the entrance, and folk art on the signposts.  It is really more than a one day job, but we're having fun.  Watch for future developments. 

 

What a gorgeous day it was to be outside.  Kinda cold to start, but it was really pleasant in the sun.  I wanted to continue on Monday, but it was really too cold.  Maybe today, when it warms up a bit.  It's only 24 degrees now, but the sun is going to be out.  

 

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS YA'LL!!!

 

Today, December 7th, 2020 is the 79th anniversary of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, "a date which will live in infamy."

 

In 1994, President Bill Clinton established December 7th as Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.  It is not a federal holiday, but a day of remembrance.

 

In our family, we honor those who died, and those who survived.  Those who survived suffered in a very real way, never forgetting that day.  I imagine every person alive on that day remembers where they were when they heard THAT news.  Daddy was 22 years old, and Momma was almost 18. They never talked about it, but it influenced their lives in innumerable ways. 

 

I read in Wikipedia that:   On Pearl Harbor Day, the American flag should be flown at half-staff until sunset to honor those who died as a result of the attack on U.S. military forces in Hawaii.  

 

I also read: The tradition of flying the flag at half-mast began in the 17th century.   Most English-speaking countries use the term half-mast in all instances. In the United States, this refers officially only to flags flown on ships, with half-staff used on land.  

 

If you're interested in flag etiquette, go to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-mast?wprov=sfti1   and read about half-mast and half-staff, and how to raise and lower your flag to and from those positions.

 

I thought you'd like to know that.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out these cute snowmen in Roxanne's rock garden.  They're not much bigger than the rock wall, but they make me smile every time we go by.  Thought you'd like to see them for a giggle.  

 

Best part is they can stay out til March.  They don't have to be put away with the Christmas decorations.  I love decorating with snowmen; and these are so CUTE!!!

 

THANKS ROXANNE!!!

 

I took this picture at 2:30 in the afternoon yesterday.  Wow!!!  That is some fog and rain.  We stayed inside and cooked all day.

 

Our friends were going to go home to Miami yesterday, but wisely decided to wait until the weather is a little nicer.  I guess they'll leave today.  That would be a VERY long day in the car with three little boys.  It's a 12 hour drive at best.  This would have made it miserable for everybody.  So glad they decided to stay another day.

 

Other friends left on Thursday and drove home to Tampa, FL.  They had nice weather all the way.  Good thing they didn't plan to go on Friday.  

 

Sure will miss our fair weather friends.  We love the winters here, but not everybody does.  We'll just have to send them pics of the snow.

 

HAPPY DECEMBER!!!

 

Yesterday we walked the loop about noon, and when we got down to the creek, this is what we saw in the holding pond.  ICE still.  

 

Interesting patterns, and cool picture.  It didn't feel that cold; (we both were wearing shorts) but there was still ice hanging around.  Looking forward to our next snow.  Maybe we'll get more.

 

HAPPY DECEMBER YA'LL!!!

 

Oh yeah.  I forgot to show you the finished gingerbread men.  We shared a bunch with our friends, and ended up with about 16 for us:  PLENTY!!!

 

Besides, it's fun to share.  And we can make some more!!!!  It is SO fun.

 

HAPPY BAKING!!!

 

 

This is what we do for fun on winter days:  make gingerbread men cookies.  Jon rolls out the dough and cuts it with a cookie cutter, and I get to decorate them with m&ms and Ghirardelli chocolate chips.  We have a glass of wine and make it a party.

 

Let me know what you do this time of year, and we can share it here.  There are so many stories out there.

 

HAPPY DECEMBER!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Everybody knows these:  Violas or Pansies.  

 

They love cool weather, and we've even seen them survive snowfall.  So, now is the time to plant pansies.  They are available in all the garden centers, and will last until the weather gets warm (like in June.)  Best to plant them in pots on the deck, cause the deer can't resist eating them if they can reach them.  They pull the plants right out of the ground.  

 

Daddy called them "baby faces,"  and Jon calls them "deer food."  Whatever you call them, pansies add cheerfulness to winter grayness.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

This is Nandina domestica.  It is also called Heavenly bamboo.  These bushes are in Patty's garden, and are really pretty right now.  They are full of red berries and the leaves are varying shades of green and bronze and bright red.  

 

Nandina is an evergreen shrub, although it does show fall color, and drop some of its leaves.  In early summer, it has clusters of white flowers that turn into these clusters of red berries in the fall through winter.  The berries are toxic to birds, so they usually last on the bushes, since nobody eats them.  

 

I have also read that they grow well here, and are somewhat deer resistant.  Good news there. 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Remember a while ago I told you about Camellias?  Well, Nancy has some Sasanqua Camellias in her garden.  

 

These are the ones with smaller leaves, and gorgeous flowers blooming in the fall and early spring.  This one is Camellia sasanqua var. Yuletide.  So pretty. The bush isn't very big, but it is loaded with blossoms, and buds.  It should bloom for quite a while.

 

It just looks like Christmas, doesn't it?  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!