Remembering Christmases Past

How the time flies!  The wonderful Christmas season is here already.  For me, it is, at this time in my journey through this life, a good time to reflect on how blessed I have been to have had many wonderful Christmases with my family.
On this, a dark and dreary day in usually sunny and bright Florida, I sit with Miss Lizzie purring in my lap.  The Christmas tree lights are twinkling and a lovely CD sent to me by my sweet friend Debbie, is playing softly.  Tea in my favorite cup is hot and sweet and I am transported back to other Christmas seasons in my mind's very own 'Time Machine' .

Early memories are of the excitement of going out into the woods with my Daddy to get our Christmas tree.  He would explain the difference in the spruce and the balsam tree and how he favored the Balsam for it's fragrance.  We had to tramp around awhile looking for just the right one for us... in height, fullness etc.  Then he would get out his hatchet and cut it for us and we'd tie a rope onto it and drag it out to the car and tie it on to the roof. I well remember the old homemade tree stand too and how he'd fit the base of the tree into it.  We had multi colored lights sometimes but usually all blue ones. Our decorations were not fancy and always the same.. blue and white and silver.  The balls of various sizes and some stars of silver and blue that really caught the light and sparkled.  Always on the top was a shinny silver star. Lots of tinsel too, hung just right... no clumps!  But like rain, frozen in long thin icicles. And last some candy canes and we were finished.  It always seemed such a magical sight, all a-twinkle as soon as it grew dark and we shut off the other lights. I loved to lie on the sofa and 'watch' the tree and I was allowed to just fall asleep there enjoying it.

I don't have memories of receiving a tree full of presents.  But I do remember the ones I did get.  Once when I was about six I got a fine desk with a big drawer and a chair that fit me to go with it. In the  drawer I found pencils and colored ones, crayons and colored paper and all these fun things
My cousin and her husband would always remember me at Christmas.  Shirley loved to sew and knit and once I found a lovely, red coat neath the tree.  Another time, mittens like no one else at school had ever seen.  The backs of the hands had a face of a little girl knit into them and she had braids just like mine that swished back and forth when I waved my hands around.  Sometimes she knit me a pretty sweater with a picture pattern knit right into it.  Or the time I got an Orphan Annie watch.  Wow! That was the best!

Our tree today.  I have reverted to the old blue and white and silver I so loved as a child !

Years later, Christmas with our own children was always a special time.  Our tree was always hung with lots of homemade decorations and of course, the string of popcorn and cranberries that fed the birds after Christmas had passed.  We remember the special times at Church with our family.  We all loved the candle lighting and the carols. When the kids were teens, we loved to invite others to come and gather with us for a candle dipping party.  I once wrote of this in a poem.

Candle Dipping

It's late December now,

We're busy with preparations,

Our homes to decorate 

As Christmas we anticipate.

We've gathered boughs of evergreen,

Made garlands and wreaths, you know,

And now it is time for candle dipping

And wassail sipping.

So we gather.. friends and neighbors

And family dear.

The wax is melting in the big black

On back of the old wood stove.

As sweetly, carols play, a room away.

Our wicks are all tethered,

We're ready to go!

So round the chopping block we move

Till it's our turn to dip our wicks

Into the molten wax;

In and out, up and down, then skip along.

Round and round we go

As each completes the task.

Soon the candles take shape, begin to grow.

Smooth and round and even

They taper ever so gracefully!

What a sight to see!

All hanging there in rows of three

'Tween the tall, old chair backs

We're using as drying racks.

We won't forget these jolly times!

Our gathering together

By the fireside,

In from the frosty weather

At candle dipping time.

                                              Dottie Richardson  

This is how our candles looked soon after starting. Sorry I
don't have any pictures of our dipping parties.

Then came the Christmases with the grown children and the grandkids!  I have this picture of Grampa Denny and son Matt entertaining a whole string of them after Christmas dinner!

And now it is great grandchildren time!  Times are different... family is more scattered and we are here in Florida for the Christmas season these years.  BUT we do try to get all our family together in the summer time and cuddle the little ones then.  So get you a cup of tea, light the tree and turn on the CD and take a trip of your own back down memory lane and visit Christmases past!  

Wishing you all a very blessed Christmas season.  

Our Seasonal Tree
All decked out for Autumn

I am hoping you all had a wonderful thanksgiving and were able to spend some time with friends and family.  We had a lovely day here in Sunshine Village...the weather was nice and there was a nice big group of our snowbird friends attending the wonderful turkey and ham dinner at Sunrise Hall.  The table groaned with the bounty!  Lots of good cooks here and every household brought something to share.  We all were so grateful for not being hungry and some worked in church kitchens to help provide a nice meal for those not as fortunate as we are.

Up the highway a bit from us, in Leesburg, there is a homeless shelter that many volunteers are working on.  Work on the shelter has been done in stages. The south wing opened in 2010 and the north wing, which they are working on now, is expected to be finished soon.  It is a shelter for families and is called the Samaritan Inn. They have been blessed with gifts of money and volunteers from churches, civic groups, corporations and businesses.  Residents have to work on a case plan for their lives and are not charged a fee for their stay at the shelter.  They can save their money to get together their deposits for housing etc. The director said, "The whole idea is to give people a boost and a safe haven where they are cared for as they move on with their lives in a positive manner.  This is not a rest stop; this is a work station.  We just can't open the door and take reservations like a motel because everybody has to agree to work a case plan.  We want to help these folks move from dependence to independence and productivity.  Our goal is to have them ready to leave us with a job and a place to live." Since opening in June 2010, the Samaritan Inn has had 34 adults and 57 children.  Of those 60% have left with a job and a home. The shortest length of time someone stayed was 2 weeks and the longest resident has stayed for 18 months.  Each individual's needs are different. On the wish list for the Inn is funding for a ministry assistant and a Christian counselor.   What a wonderful concept !  Getting folks from dependence to independence.... a real 'leg up'  and onto the right path again.  Wish we could see more of this type of help.

Now is the time to be getting out the Christmas decorations.  Folks around here really go all out with the lights! We don't put up too many but every year we do get our BIG star out and hoist it up to the roof peak.  It is visible as soon as one comes into Sunshine Village.  We have had it for several years here.  We are closer to the entrance than we used to be and it still shows up high in the air.  Today I helped with some decorations for Sunshine Hall.  Dennis and some of the guys have built a stable and a manger for the nearly life-size holy family.  Someone found some hay, probably from the farm up the street, and now all the lights are arranged and tonight we will see how it looks.

We are planning our annual Cake Auction and a Quilt raffle to help finance "Christmas For Our Kids". Our way of helping to make a nice Christmas party for some local kids not so fortunate as most.  Every year it is a labor of love and we sure enjoy watching them at their party.

I am hoping our sign language class will soon start up again.  I have been practicing a bit and had a nice conversation or two with my friends Cy and Frank already.  The pool is open most days and is a great gathering place when the days are warm enough.  We have really cool mornings but usually it gets up into the 70's by noontime.  The pool is covered every night with the heater left on so the water stays really nice at about 83-85 degrees.

Her Highness ... Miss Lizzie

I think she likes it here!

Now Lizzie is making me think a nap might be in order.  Or at least an hour to curl up with a book.  Even the sun has gone in for a nap at 2 PM  and my work is all done.  Hubby still at work so I may just succumb to my yawning.  

A quote worth thinking about!

"We would worry less if we praised more.

Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent

            and dissatisfaction."              Henry A. Ironside

Being Thankful

Here it is almost Thanksgiving Day again.  Although shouldn't every day be a day of Thanksgiving?  We truly have so many things to be thankful for.  I once decided to make a list, an alphabetical list of all the things I was thankful for.  I ran across it the other day when looking through a folder of mine.  This was a great idea and I guess I need to do it again soon. Somewhere near the top of a thanksgiving list should be gratitude for our health.  And of course for our families and loved ones.

It has been cool here for a week with a couple days really dreary, just like November days in VT.  Then out comes the sun today and makes us all feel better.  Yesterday afternoon we met our VT friends in Leesburg and went up to The Villages to a car show.  The guys really liked that.  Also had a few shops with sidewalk sales for us girls to look at.  After an afternoon of wandering through the streets we had a nice supper at one of the restaurants there and headed back home.  It was a fun time.

Picked some oranges from our tree here.  Big and juicy Red Navels.  

Our annual fall Park wide yard sale went well on Saturday.  Several residents set up shop and sold things.  This year we didn't have enough to sell to set up.  We took a bag of things to the local youth center's Thrift Shop just before leaving for home last spring.  It was fun to wander around and see what was being offered.  I bought a couple books and a cookie jar shaped like a big red apple.  

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving.  We are having dinner here at Sunshine Hall.  Looking forward to lots of tasty turkey and all the fixings and hopefully a piece of pumpkin pie.  

"We would worry less if we praised more.  Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction."    {Henry Ironside}

A Time To Work...A Time To Play

I hope you all haven't given up on my blog!!  I am finally setting down to write some thoughts here.  It has been a busy time getting settled, getting over a bad chest cold and finally coming out of hibernation to collect hugs and up close greetings from our other snowbird friends.  We have participated in some of the Sunshine Village activities.... a wonderful pot luck, as usual enjoying the creations of all the great cooks around here.  A couple of Sunday night Ice Cream Socials were fun too.  And not to mention the cleaning of the Florida room..... especially ALL it's windows.  We have seven large screened areas here each has four window panels that are easily removed for cleaning that is 7 X 4 .........28 window sections to take out and wash inside and out as well as the inside and outside of the screens.  Not too grievous a job but time consuming.  I use an old fashioned window washing formula ... vinegar and hot water and soft, lint free rags to do the job.  The windows are not glass but a strong vinyl.  How they shine when freshly cleaned and buffed with the soft dry cloth!!  I am sitting here now listening to my fountain tinkle and glancing out these squeaky clean windows ! NOTHING like clean windows !  Now I have the rest of the house windows to tackle but that is another job for another day.

Back to the writing again after a ride around the Village in the golf cart.  Saw some WV friends come in and had to go say "Hi".  Then those dirty windows were fairly shouting at me so, while I had my helper home (day off) we tackled three more.  Then I finished writing the Sunshine Village Newsletter for Nov.  Kinda late but better late than never. Now it's time to start planning for the Dec. one !

Our sweet white kitty, Miss Lizzie, is enjoying her home away from home.  She has settled in so well here, enjoying the porch and finding her new favorite spots to hang out.  She still gets a bit nervous when she sees us with anything that resembles a suitcase.  Den brought my sewing machine in it's case out to the kitchen the other day and she thought we were getting ready to pack up and be off again.  She gave us a concerned look, kind of threatening like, and turned tail and went to hide someplace.  She surely isn't a seasoned traveler yet. 

                                                                         

My 'Hairy ones' taking a break.

Yesterday was our 'go to town' day and by town, I mean off to Leesburg which is about 20 miles away.  Some things you can't get in Bushnell, the small town just 8 miles from us.  We ran errands all morning as we had a few projects to get supplies for.  Planting a few more perennials was one of our projects so Lowe's seems to be the best place to get nice plants.  On the northern most side of the car port we have a nice white lattice work/trellis that now has a lovely yellow Esperanza plant growing up its sturdy support.  The hibiscus was blooming the other morning after a gentle rain but the Camellia in the front seems to have bit the dust.  We bought some lovely purple plants that they promised would withstand some frost and planted them there.  Our grass, out back and planted before we left last spring, has come up and grown quite well.  A few oranges hang on the orange tree and the little lemon tree we planted last year seems to be holding it's own. Also planted a couple small heather plants.

A close-up of a Hibiscus just after a gentle rain the other day.  This is just outside my porch window.

The Esperanza 

It seems SO nice not to be hearing and seeing all the election ads and slander !  We honestly don't know what to believe.  Only time will tell I guess, how the people's choice will help or hinder our country.  This much we know ..... GOD himself is in control and knows how it will all play out.  My prayer is that we who are called by His name will humble ourselves and turn from our wicked ways and that He will then hear us and heal our troubled land.

Tomorrow our dear friends from Ohio are arriving!   Looking forward to seeing them again.  We have a great time playing Bid Euchre, a great card game with them a couple evenings a week.  These evenings are long with darkness falling so early.Also we will be planning for our Ladies day out trips which are always fun.

Quote for this time:   "Kindness don't have no boundaries."  Kathryn Stockett who wrote, "The Help"

The Great Pumpkin Carving Contest

It's that time of year once again!  I am
remembering the wonderful times our
family used to have when the kids were
all small and the old ones were still here
with us.
Every October, toward the end of the
month, in the big old kitchen at the old brick house of my grandmother, we'd gather, on a cool, crispy evening with much excitement to carve pumpkins.
 Each participant came bringing their very own pumpkin to carve.  All different shapes and sizes.  We brought along our favorite carving tools if we had them.  Those too young to wield a knife or other sharp object were assisted by an adult who would do the actual carving, carrying out the specific wishes of the youngster. Besides the big old table that was always there was another long table.  All were covered with plastic tablecloths or newspapers and basins to hold the seeds and innards.  Scoops and big spoons at the ready we soon got right down to business. All this took some time as each carver hoped to come up with the most unusual Jack O'Lantern.  And we sure did come up with some great ones over the years!

My children and cousin Mick's children were young when this tradition was first started.  Actually it was my cousins, Shirley and Vera and her son Mick who engineered those first carving parties.  Always Aunt Ethel and Uncle Herbie were there. Presiding over the grand event as was the eldest among us, Grammie Phillips.  Then over the years as these children grew up and married, their children became the youngsters.

After all the creations were finished and lined up for proper lighting and viewing, all the basins were emptied (some seeds went home with me to roast in the oven) and the tables cleared and reset with yummy goodies to enjoy.  Among these goodies in later years was a birthday cake or two as there were three of us with October birthdays to be celebrated.

Sometimes we would send someone to the neighbor's house to get us a judge, one who would be non biased and not know who had carved what to come over and give their opinion on the spookiest, most artistic, funniest etc. of all our handiwork.  No prizes, just a little innocent pride if our Jack O'Lantern was chosen.  At this point a hush would fall over the old kitchen as all lighted and grinning or grimacing, the carved masterpieces glowed proudly as all other lights were shut off.  It was always such a thrilling sight to us as adults and way more thrilling to the young ones I'm sure.

Some of our earlier creations all lined up and lighted

This was one of our carving nights in the late 1980's

This group is made up of my daughter and my grandson and Mick's children and

grandchildren.

Big and small we love them all !

It was a wonderful time in all our lives.  Times change, people pass on and some move away. The old homestead is no longer in our family.  But we will always treasure the memories we have of these old October nights when we all gathered with anticipation and great excitement for the Annual Great Pumpkin Carving Contest.

I still feel the need to carve a pumpkin just before Hallowe'en.  I'll just get me one at the market on Monday and see what I come up with this time!   Traditions die hard !  Happy October and won't you think about carving a pumpkin too?

New England Clam Chowder in NC !

We got off and away on our annual migration, on a cool, lovely fall morning.  Hubby and I and Miss Lizzie Kitty (first trip for her).  She is new to this traveling stuff, at least for more than 7 miles at a time. She did quite well for the first day out.  She didn't think much of all the overpasses on the interstate!  Riding either up front or on the console between our seats, she would duck each time we went under one.

Her Highness on her pillow on the console

The strange motel room wasn't something she took well to, finally settling in on the big bed with us, we all got a good night's sleep in New Market, VA. Next morning, she seemed almost relieved to be back in the confines of the car...a late morning start as we were only going 250 miles today.  We got involved in a really good TV show that morning, remember "The Parent Trap" ?  This was a remake and the little girls (girl) was just delightful and played the parts so well. Need more wholesome shows like this one.

We arrived in the afternoon at the cousins  (The P & J  B&B), a great, friendly and hospitable AND pet friendly place to spend the day and the night.  The chef here sure knows how to whip up a delicious pot of New England Corn Chowder !  Complete with sandwich choices of sandwich and a healthy salad.  Even a great pumpkin dessert with whipped cream!  YUM!  Good food, good company and a nice visit, and a great night's rest in a big comfy bed. We definitely give this a 5 Star rating !

Posing with our hosts, Phil and Janice

Phil's project...a beautiful 'Trike' named Suzzie.

Leaving early in the morning on Tuesday, 6:30 AM, as we have a long day today to reach Sunshine Village well before dark to unload just the necessities, leaving the rest until the morning when we are rested and up to unpacking.  Today was a LONG one!  The dregs of my chest cold made me an unhappy traveler!  I wanted to take a nice long nap in a bed!!  We finally arrived at 5:15 PM and unloaded the cooler which had a partially thawed container of homemade soup which we had for supper.  More cold meds and I was off to bed.  Miss Kitty seems to realize that this isn't a motel room or someone else's place but her home away from home.  No hiding under the bed here!

Wed. was a slow day and today, Thurs. is a much better day!  The weather here is WARM !  Yesterday was really HOT but this morning we had a bit of rain and some clouds and it is quite nice out now.  I am hibernating as I don't want to chance sharing my cold with anyone. Den has been busy outside cleaning and weeding and getting his stuff settled.  He won't start his work here until Monday.  He couldn't stay away though, and spent some time looking over some of the jobs going on around here.  I'm always so thankful that all things work around the place as we turn on one thing after another.

Now there is more rain falling.... it is welcome... keeps it so nice and green here.  These showers refresh but don't usually settle in for a whole day.  I'll have to watch for a rainbow if the sun peeks through after this one.  Time for my nap !  Did a good morning's work and will curl up in the big chair and nod off as I catch up on some reading.   Thanking you all for your prayers for us and our journey. Blessings to you all !

A wonderful thought to ponder....."Our God loves each one of us as if there were only one of us."

A Bruised Knee & Stomach Flu

It seems the Lord is wanting me to be still these days!!  Physically STILL!  In my flurry to get all things at home 'just right' before migrating south, I managed to kneel too long while cleaning beneath my sink.  Now some of my friends said to me, "Why would you want to do that... clean under your sink?"  I  guess I am just a neat freak but I only do a bang up job about once a year.  I really wasn't planning to stay on my knees that long... just got carried away sorting all the cleaning things, some of which I never use etc. and guess it was just too much for my knobby old knee.  I usually get something soft to kneel on if I plan to be on my knees for more than a few seconds.  So for the next week, I hobbled around barely able to walk.  I finally gave in and went to see my doctor who pronounced my knee "Contused".  It began to recover, slowly, so slowly that I thought I would miss the Fresh Grounded Faith Conference in Barre that my sweet daughter, Angel had bought us tickets for as an early birthday treat for me.  I knew I couldn't walk well enough to get from the parking lot to the auditorium etc.  My friend, Alice suggested I think about using her wheelchair.  Well, that's not being very independent!  BUT  I really wanted to go so off we went!  Three other ladies from church went with us and they were super great friends as they loaded and unloaded that chair into the trunk and pushed me all over the place!  The folks at the conference were SO helpful, and had us park in the handicapped lot, had a team of volunteers right there to help those needing it in any way and ushering us right in the side door and right to the front row!  Thanks to all of you, Celia, Judy, Crystal and Angel.

It was a wonderful time of fellowship with the auditorium filled with 1500 women.  The music was great and the speakers excellent and even our box lunches were great. Imagine putting up 1500 box lunches!

Jennifer Rothschild was the main speaker and a very powerful one.  Stormie OMartine was also a thought provoking speaker.  Jennifer, who lost her sight when she was only 15 from a deterioration of her retina, had a lot to say about being a 'gritty' girl and trusting our Lord for everything and how we can accomplish all He has for us in life by choosing to rely NOT on feelings but on TRUTH from God's word.  She has written some great books on how God can give us His Grace to allow us to do His purpose in our lives.  Self Talk, Soul Talk and Lessons Learned In The Dark are two of her books worth reading.

As we were getting ready to leave for the conference on Oct. 6th, I sat with my coffee and read from Our Daily Bread, one of my daily devotionals.  How appropriate this day's reading was to ME !
"Be still and know that I am God" Ps. 46:10.  The Hebrew word for still means to "cease striving".  It went on to say that it's the concept of putting your hands down and letting God intervene in your situation WITHOUT your interference.  Interesting word picture!  In other words, stop struggling and wait on God to do His work!  I am glad He worked it all out so I could still go with the ladies!

I had another chance to practice being still this week!  A bout with a stomach flu laid me low for 4 days!  This was not a fun 'rest' but I had time to think about what is really important and necessary and not just things I REALLY MUST do before we leave. I am now recovered and trying to "keep my hands down" and do the important things.

I managed to finish up a painting I have had waiting for a bit.  Could do that while my knee was mending.  I did a bit of work today and made some Apple Pan Dowdy and am on my way to sit on the front porch and breath in this wonderful fall air and enjoy the 'friendly' sunshine.  It is cool enough to be able to really appreciate the warm sun on my face and the cool air in my nostrils.

I call this "Morning Has Broken"

oil on canvas 24 x 24

God is so good and has given me so many blessings.  My daughter has made the move back to Vermont now instead of  next July as was the former plan.  She was offered a wonderful job here only 6 miles away and made the decision to take it even if it meant moving now.  It was so wonderful to have her in and out this week as she made all the work preparations for the job next week.  She will once again be among fantastic Vermont people who care for her and who all work so well together as they provide quality health care to their patients.  

SO  Lord willing, we will head south on the 21st.  It should be an interesting journey as we are taking our Miss Kitty with us for the first time.  She is NOT a car-lover!  But I know she will love it when we get there.  I may not write again for a week or two but I do hope you all keep checking!  I also appreciate your comments either by email or as a comment here.

WHEN WE PUT OUR PROBLEMS IN GOD'S HANDS, HE PUTS HIS PEACE IN OUR HEARTS."