Monday, December 27, 2010

Christmas

I love Christmas! I love decorating the house, including (this year) three trees in the house and two outside. (I must admit, Bob does NOT like lugging 25+ boxes out of the attic for me to empty and send back up, only to have to bring them back down 3 weeks later to repack, and then return to the attic. But he's a good sport) I love the smells of pine and cinnamon. I love to wrap presents. I love to have people over. I love to cook a big meal and watch people enjoy it. I love to watch my children and their spouses and children play and visit and have fun together. I love singing in the Messiah, which we have done almost every year since we moved here, plus several times in years before that in other places. I love directing the choir and learning Christmas music. I love telling the Christmas story to Primary children. I love helping Cub Scouts and Girl Scouts make presents to take home. I love the snow! So glad I live in Utah where Christmas can be white.

This year was especially enjoyable. We celebrated the weekend before, so the kids could have real Christmas with their own families or in-laws. Most of the kids came down Saturday night. We ate then played games until late - everyone participated. Sunday James and Cami came in time to join the rest of us at church. Our choir sang two numbers, and the Primary sang. Karen and Jeffrey came that afternoon, and we opened presents while dinner finished, then ate. It was such a blessing to be together. We sorely missed Anne, Mike and their three growing kids. I can't wait for February when I get to go see them and spoil them rotten!

There were three little ones here - Hudson, 2, Lilly, 18 mo, and Adaliah, 10 months. AND next year we are adding Mary and Aaron's baby boy in March, Ned and Kim's baby in June, and James and Cami's baby in July. I am so excited! Of course that means I need to knit 3 more Christmas stockings next year!!

I missed not having children old enough to act out the nativity story. I think we can pull it off next year, maybe - at least a short version. We had to end having our grown children do it - although they were willing- the year David put on a long, white yarn beard and a sombrero and declared he was Paco the Sheepherder.

I love my family. I love the Savior, whose birth we celebrate at this time. I love my life and who I am and what I have become and who I am becoming. I love my wonderful Bob, who is my very breath and being. I love what I have to share with others, and that I have the means and time to so. My life has been so blessed.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Out My Window


There are so many things I should be doing right now. I have a house full of Christmas that isn't put up yet. I have a couple of Christmas project unfinished, and one of Mom's actually. But I have a cold and skipped Sacrament meeting yesterday to come home and go back to bed. I feel better, but still ucky. So...
Out my window in the winter....

I was really cross when my neighbors planted two globe willow trees exactly over the fence from my grape vines. I knew they would eventually grow huge and shade them until after noon. I was right. But in the winter they are perfect for watching the birds hang out in the morning, waiting for Bob to put the bird seed out. There are aspens in the yard, and telephone wires. The doves - 20-30 of them some days - wait and watch. Once Bob is inside, they descend. All at once. The flat feeder with sunflower seeds , which comfortably will allow 6-8 birds to eat at once, has 12-15 in three layers! They land on top of each other and work their way down until the ones on the bottom have had enough (meaning enough pushing and wiggling - not enough food) and fly off a ways. Then, back they come and land on top of their friends, like otherwise refined women at a bargain sale.

Then, before long, a flock of pinion jays zoom into the yard and take over. Their noise and brash behavior is more like young men rushing for seats at a rugby match. They dive in and out, pushing the others off the feeders. They hang off the smaller feeders, trying to get what they can of the small seed. They pretty much inhale everything. Occasionally they will get there before the doves. When that happens, the doves must be content with what the small birds drop onto the deck, although they still stop at the platform feeder hoping to find something left behind.

The smaller birds - juncos, house wrens, Cassin's finch, etc- hide in the wild rose bush, where there are still some leaves and rose hips. They patiently wait. When the ruckus is over, they politely take their turns with the seed and thistle.

I think if Bob filled the feeders 3 times a day, they would eat it all every day.

Although it is cold outside, the sky today is blue and white. The sun has dried up the melting snow. The leaves under the fruit trees are wet, matted and molding. The remains of flowering plants, that really should be cut down before the next snow (but probably won't be), look like skeletons. The grass is still green, holding on to the moisture from the last snow. I love the winter.

"This is the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

Inside there is bean and ham soup bubbling in the crock pot. The gas fireplace in the kitchen is warm and inviting. If my Christmas was up, it would be perfect. Okay. I guess I better get to it. Thanks for sharing my ramblings.