Today is Momma's birthday.  It's a special day in our family.  It's the day we officially put up Christmas.

 

Here are our decorations:  the mantel, with Father Christmas, evergreens and silk poinsettias.  There are a few other areas with evergreens and silk poinsettias, and of course the wreath full of, you guessed it:  evergreens and silk poinsettias.

 

We have a playful new cat, so NO Christmas tree this year.  Ranger wasn't impressed with having a real Christmas tree inside.  But Gizmo is much younger, and my guess is that the tree would be horizontal before Christmas ever arrives.  I love him, but he is quite rambunctious.  

 

So we will just skip the tree this year.  Maybe we'll make cheese biscuits instead.  That was Momma's other fun thing to do on her birthday.  The recipe is under cheese in the recipe section of Neighbors sharing.  You can even see a picture of Momma making cheese biscuits at Betsy's house.  

 

HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!!

 

Hanukkah starts tonight at sundown.  I was not raised in a Jewish home, but we celebrate Hanukkah every year, in our own way.  Actually Hanukkah is a celebration of historical events that occurred from the years 167 BC - 164 BC.  The story is very complex, highly political, and tragic.

 

But Hanukkah often coincides with Christmas, and is also called The Festival of Lights.  It tells the story of the miracle of the one-day supply of oil miraculously lasting eight days.  That part may be legend, but it's the idea and ritual we choose to celebrate. 

 

This is our menorah.  It holds 9 candles:  one candle for each night of Hanukkah and the shamash.  The shamash candle is used to light all the other candles.  We light one candle on the first night, two candles on the second night, and so on until the eighth night, when all the candles are lit.  My picture shows the first night of Hanukkah last year.  You can see the shamash candle stands apart, and the first night candle is lit on the right.  

 

The picture also shows a couple other things.  You can see that it is sunset, and you can see reflections of our Christmas lights.  My favorite part is this story behind the menorah:  The menorah is placed near a window or door, to remind us that when we go out into the world we should let our own inner light shine.  

 

So that is my Hanukkah story from my Christian perspective.  Let's celebrate the lights in the world.

 

 

HAPPY HANUKKAH!!!

 

 

 

 

 

We took Gizmo to see Dr Hester, DVM at Alpine Animal Hospital in Murphy.  His left eye is red and weepy, and Dr Hester said it's an eye infection.  Both the vet and his assistant commented on how well-behaved he was.  He sat there on the table without complaint, and let them put the meds in his eyes.  So now we get to administer 3 different meds into his eyes, 3 times a day!!!!  AAK!!!  

 

He also told us that Gizmo has gained 2.6 lbs since we adopted him three weeks ago.  Wow.  I guess he's making up for lost time.  He's been eating like there's no tomorrow.  Since Thanksgiving he has eaten a ton of turkey, and every day he gets half and half.  And he sleeps in the big green chair with Jon.  Does that sound like the perfect life?  Or what?

 

Lisa said she wonders if Gizmo knows he hit the kitty cat jackpot of homes.  He probably does by now:  weighing in at 8.8 lbs.

 

HAPPY KITTY!!!

 

 

 

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!!!