My favorite Christmas video of the day. # 3 Make a difference today.
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This week was rather hard for me to believe that this is the Christmas season. Prejudices, bigotries and violence were very much the big stories in the news. There were far too few stories about people doing good by or to each other.
Kindness costs so little and does so much. It should not be thought of as some kind of self-sacrifice where what we give to others comes at our own expense. To know that you made one person smiled today or breathed easier because you were there. Kindness has a "ripple effect" it can be part of a lifestyle that will flourish and nurture your soul and those of others as well. Christmas and New Years are now just days away. Start off by playing your part in the practice of humanity, the one thing America desperately needs right now is humanity; If we can't take care of each other then we are all doomed. Peace on Earth Goodwill to Men My favorite Christmas video of the day. # 4 Make a difference today and Pay it forward. My favorite Christmas video of the day. # 5 Make a difference today and Pay it forward. My favorite Christmas video of the day, # 6 Make a difference today. Pay it Forward and extend a helping hand. My favorite Christmas video of the day. # 7 Make a difference today. Pay it Forward and extend a helping hand. Most of us have the snow falling again right now for the second time this week. The high temperature today was about 10 degrees. Time to get ready for Christmas with the "seasons" musical video of the day. # 8 With the cold stretch and snow storm that we experienced this week, my backyard koi pond has entered its winter stage. This morning when I looked out the window I saw a neighbor’s cat. It’s the one that raises hell with the birds that visit every day. The fish and frogs are now just biding their time as they wait for spring. I have had my pond for 15 years and the fish can live in a frozen pond just fine. Their system slows down, and they just hang out and do nothing all winter. I put these pictures up to show the transition from late summer till now. It always starts like an invading army. Advancing slowly over the region. We are unable to escape from its takeover. Surrender and retreat inside, from its cold and hostile confines. When the harsh experience that has been inflected upon us has finished, we are allowed the chance to go outside and live with the sentence that has now been placed on all of us. "Winter " We have had a few snow falls throughout New England over the past week. The majority of New England, now has snow on the ground. It’s mid-December and the leaves that were blanketing the ground are now gone for the year. Hidden by the new color of the season, fall is history and winter is here to stay. I am ready for the winter this year. That is what the little voice in my mind keeps telling me. Even though last year was such a long cold winter that was then followed up by such a crappy, cold rainy spring. I was thinking a bit on how long this winter could last and came up with a simple math lesson. From today until March 17th ( St Patrick’s Day) We should have about 90 days of cold winter and snow! And with the season just starting off, that is a lot of days in white. There are many advantages of winter that I do look forward to. When there is a new snowfall on the ground, I love to take a walk through the woods. The outdoors has now taken on a totally different look. There is a fresh new canvas of color that has that refreshing look to it. Everything now seems more vivid and in focus. I also look forward to a trip out to the frozen lake with friends and enjoy a day of ice fishing. Yes I do enjoy that form of torture. If there is no wind blowing and the fish are biting, it is always a great time. The fire is burning and the kielbasa, hot dogs, burgers, chili pot and storytelling will do a good job of keeping everyone content. There are countless ways to enjoy the new season that has now become part of the landscape. From skiing, snow shoeing, ice skating or snowmobiling; the options are plentiful. If your a person that just don't like the cold, what about a trip to the museum? I have a few personal goals this winter that include going to three art museums that I have never been to before. Another thing I always enjoy about the winter months is the beautiful skies in the evenings. Winter can have more cloudy days than at any other time of the year. The advantage of cloudy days is at sunset, you can see more fantastic colored sunsets now than at any other time of the year. The richness of the sky with its gold and orange backlighting can be mesmerizing. When the sun finally sets, you still feel the warmth inside after watching a sunset like this. Same thing can be said for sunrises, a little bit of cloud cover with a brilliant red sun rise behind them highlighting the silver linings and it can be inspiring. But, if there is too much cloud cover, you get nothing. "Live each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influences of each" Henry David Thoreau This is a picture that I took last week. It looks much better in a larger format. I watched this sunset for about 10 minutes and it was pure joy, definitely worth the trip. I love to go to this area on the east side of the Ct river for walks, wildlife and sunsets. I am thankful every day that I am able to enjoy a scene like this. Life can and should be good.
I got home today and the Christmas tree was already put up. Helene had gone up to the attic and pulled down the box and put the pieces together for this year’s presentation. We have had a fake tree now for the last 5 years. I used to enjoy going out with the family when the kids were young and cutting the Christmas tree down. A little hot chocolate and then the decorating, with the ornaments that we have bought and received over the years. It was always a special event. As the kids grew older, they were no longer around for the cutting day, so I started buying a tree that was already cut. That lasted a few years and it worked out well.
Then came the year which was the last time I purchased a live tree. That was 6 years ago. I had stopped and purchased a tree that was wrapped tightly in a nylon mesh. I remember that day like it was yesterday. I thought this was the best thing that I could have ever done. It would be so easy to transport and even better when I was able to get it in the house and set it up in the base with relative ease. It would be tight and secure in the base and I would then be able to cut the nylon mesh and the tree branches would fall down gently into place. This year, the job would be a piece of cake. Well I followed every detail that I had meticulously planned out ahead of time and everything worked flawlessly. Except for one little detail, when I cut the nylon mesh and the branches sprung out into place, it released a few mice that had settled in the tree for their long winters nap. There were three of them to be exact and when they hit the floor and scattered, so started the screaming from Helene. We have a cat named Sylvester and he had one in his paws faster than Helene was able to jump on the couch. It took a broom to whack another one that was still running around in the living room. Like a solid hit to first base, it was over. The last one was a bit more of a challenge. Sylvester had initially lost sight of him and it ran into the bedroom, we picked up the cat and brought him into the kitchen where he actually started to work like a bird dog. He found it a short time later in the bedroom and the last mouse was found and removed from the house. It was a few weeks after Christmas that season when all the holiday items are on sale that I came home one day to find a brand new “Faux” Tree that we have had ever since. Sylvester still looks at the tree every year when it first gets put up waiting for his early presents. Tonight was no different except for the memory and laughs. |
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