Today
is the formal ‘good-bye’ to Iraq as our soldiers depart.
Peace
on earth, good will to all men. May the peace be lasting.
Cathy
“Memories…like the corners of my mind”…..Oh no…not so dramatic! The mission of this blog is to be a collective of friends, fifty years strong & still climbing. Having met in first grade & still sharing all that life has to hold, let us continue to share our laughter, light & insight as this is what carries us through life. Let’s see…“Friends are like bras: close to your heart and there for support.” There, that’s more like it!
Thursday, December 15, 2011
The Magic That Is Christmas
I LOVE this time of the year! LOVE it!
There is excitement building as early as the fall in anticipation of
just this one day. Some stores have the decorations displayed at the same time
as Halloween. As you shop in summertime while on vacation, you occasionally
find a store dedicated solely to Christmas decorations and the like. This is
where you’ll find me….in the Christmas aisles….planning! I always made it a
habit to buy an ornament every place I went on vacation. It’s a great thing to
do, especially since the refrigerator magnets from my vacations had taken over
the kitchen!
I have a friend who once told me that her favorite holiday decorations
were the ‘kitschy’ ones about her neighborhood…a bit of tinsel, an occasional
pinwheel, lights strewn about haphazardly, wreaths and decorations a little
off-kilter….they were her favorites. I was driving her home from a company
Christmas party at the time and we chose to take a couple turns through her
neighborhood for a viewing of the ‘kitsch’. “These are the decorations that express their
true nature; they’re from the heart. Anyone can copy perfection from a magazine
in perfect rows of white lights. These capture my heart as I get to know the
neighbors through their art.” she said. Thank you Lynne. I agree. Every effort
counts.
Any single candle in a window, any wreath on a door, bulbs tied to the limbs
of an unsuspecting tree and the Glass Wax stencils on windows, all warm the
cockles of my heart! I love every car that has antlers on the windows
(shotgun!), every grill on a car with a wreath strapped to it, lights adorning
anything, and my all-time favorite is a single tree decorated with lights in
somebody’s yard.
Just take a gander at some of these beauties. You’ve got to admire
their enthusiasm for the season! They’re truly over the top!
And why do I love these things? Because for that moment you pass a
stranger’s house, new neighborhood, store window or business decorated with
lights, it reminds us we are one. It displays our commonality. Each gingerbread
cookie is a joy to behold. Each strand of tinsel is a celebration. Each ribbon
and bow a wrapped up treasure of the season. Each sparkle of glitter a star
studded celestial festival of heavenly lights on Earth. Each moment experienced
in the season a miracle of unity….’ Magic in the air.’
What better way to end a year but in celebration of ‘Peace on Earth’ as
we plot, plan and prepare for the upcoming year.
So bring out the gifts, wrappings, ornaments, lights, and all the
shimmery stuff. Don’t forget the banquet of foods, wassail, strung popcorn,
homemade cookies and ribbon candy. Light the candles, sing the carols, mull the
cider and add marshmallows to the cocoa for today we feast life in any and all
capacity, large and small. Call the family and friends, neighbors and strangers
alike and sing and dance like Old Fezziwig.
God, I LOVE this time of the year!
Cathy
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Peace Wreath
If your decorations are not complete and you’d like something a little
different, then these websites may be just what you’ve been looking for. I have
found instructions for a peace wreath on one site, one to buy from the other. Not
only are they applicable at this time of the year, but can be beautiful as a
door decoration the whole year through. It could be especially appropriate for
servicemen and their homes.
Peace on earth, goodwill to all men.
Cathy
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Toys for the Holidays
If you’re looking for a charitable organization for gift and toy
donations for Christmas, then please review the links below. There are local
groups and those in the greater Boston area.
Local:
Boston area:
Boston area:
Cathy
Monday, December 12, 2011
The Cookie Catch
I have found this adorable free e-card for all to play. Charitable donations
are made the more you play. An elf catches cookies and the more you catch the
greater the donation by the sponsor. Play yourself or send to a friend. You may
find this Cookie Catch at either American Greetings or Facebook.
Have fun. I did!
Cathy
Caring for the Holidays
As we care for our family and friends this year during the holiday
season, we should consider adding new members along the way. You extend your
hand in caring each time you drop a coin in the red kettles outside a store…as
you donate a dollar to a local food pantry at your neighborhood supermarket…as
you donate the food basket to the soup kitchens…as you drop your change in the
coin baskets at your convenience stores for various charities. These acts are
all an extension of yourself.
If you are considering supporting local charities, I’m including the
link to a previous essay.
Should you wish to include servicemen and their families this year,
there are many organizations to contribute to for this upcoming Christmas. If financial donations are not in your budget,
a letter to a serviceman showing your support will be graciously accepted.
*
*
And for those of you considering a pet as a gift for the holidays, do
not overlook the many area shelters with pets for adoption. I have adopted
three in my life and have had the greatest of years with them. Local pet
adoption centers are listed below.
Cathy
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Haiku: Harmonia Garden
My winter garden
A fairy sanctuary
To warm winter’s chill
*
Add color, add light
Enclosing nature within
To lift yule’s spirit
*
Inner sanctum mine
Fairy abode of flowers
Twinkling in their eyes
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The Oak Moon
I couldn't miss the opportunity to get a picture of this month’s full
moon. It’s called by a number of names, but I choose to title this photo the
“Oak Moon” as I have photographed it against the night sky through the oak
trees. It’s also called the Yule Moon for appearing just before Christmas.
Either way, it was just gorgeous to see and photograph.
Cathy
In response to “Who Are You Calling A Fruitcake”
In
response to “Who Are You Calling A Fruitcake”
Dear
Santa,
I
don't want much for Christmas, I just want the person reading this to be happy.
Friends
are the fruit cake of life- some nutty, some soaked in alcohol, some sweet but
mix them together and they're my friends.
Love
ya.
Sue
PS…Send this to all your fruit cakes.
UP
I'm sure you will enjoy this. I never knew
one word in the English language that could be a noun, verb, adj, adv, prep.
“UP”
Read until the end ... you'll laugh.
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is ‘UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election (if there is a tie, it is a toss UP) and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.
At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is blocked UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
“UP”
Read until the end ... you'll laugh.
This two-letter word in English has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that word is ‘UP.' It is listed in the dictionary as an [adv], [prep], [adj], [n] or [v].
It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election (if there is a tie, it is a toss UP) and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and fix UP the old car.
At other times, this little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special.
And this UP is confusing: A drain must be opened UP because it is blocked UP.
We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!
To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4 of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions.
If you are UP to it, you might try
building UP a list of the
many ways UP is used. It will
take UP a lot of your time, but if you
don't give UP, you may wind UP with (UP to) a hundred or
more.
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for a while, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . . my time is UP!
Oh . . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
U
P!
Did that one crack you UP?
Don't screw UP.. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book . . . or not . . . it's UP to you.
Now I'll shut UP
When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it soaks UP the earth. When it does not rain for a while, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP, for now . . . my time is UP!
Oh . . . one more thing: What is the first thing you do in the morning and the last thing you do at night?
U
P!
Did that one crack you UP?
Don't screw UP.. Send this on to everyone you look UP in your address book . . . or not . . . it's UP to you.
Now I'll shut UP
Sent in by Linda
Friday, December 9, 2011
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Our Very Own Santa Claus
Growing up
we remember Edgar’s Dept. store on Main St. in Brockton, MA. How many of us
have visited there in our youth, especially during the Christmas season to
visit Santa Claus and give him our ‘wish list’. I have discovered that Edgar’s was
the first department store in the country
to have Santa Claus available for the children at Christmastime. The miracle of
Santa began in Brockton in 1890. How cool is that?
James Edgar,
an immigrant from Edinburgh, Scotland, is a Charter Member in the Santa Claus
Hall of Fame in Santa Claus, Indiana.
Today, in
honor of James Edgar’s tradition, Brockton celebrates their annual Red Hat
Challenge, which was hosted this past Nov. 20th. This event asks
members of Brockton to celebrate by wearing red Santa hats. This year had a
record breaking turnout of 2500 participants. Again, how cool is that?!
Hats off to
James Edgar…and Santa Claus too!
Cathy
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Pearl Harbor
There are not many veterans around today to tell the tale of Pearl Harbor.
Today is the 70th anniversary of its attack. My father was a Pearl Harbor
survivor. We heard the tales growing up; sometimes over and over again. When “All
in the Family” became a hit, I remember watching Archie & Mike (aka
Meathead) with their opposing political opinions flying across the dinner table,
as Archie Bunker reminisced about ‘W W 2, the big one!’ Sometimes it felt like
home! It amazed me that someone had the exact same discussions in their house.
Maybe even more since it was now on TV in front of the whole world.
It is fitting that we honor Pearl Harbor veterans today as all veterans
from all wars as well as their families, friends and countryman back home who
support the military. For they, as we, have fought many a great fight for the
truths we hold dear as a country. It is my personal belief that we have fought
the fight for the ultimate goal of peace and to uphold our values of all
personal freedoms.
For this I thank all who have gone before and those continuing to
serve, for I know first-hand of their personal sacrifices through my father’s
stories as well as my son’s today.
May peace reign throughout the world….soon. For 'tis the season..."Peace on Earth, goodwill to all men."
Cathy
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)