It just occurred to me how perfect is the timing between Thanksgiving and Christmas. At Thanksgiving, you reflect on what (and who!) you are thankful for. At Christmas, you express your thanks and love with gifts, whether the gifts be physical, in word, or in thought.
I have a lot to be thankful for this year. I know we all do, as hardship has hit many of us. When I start to feel self-sympathetic, I think of my mom, who has been enduring challenges that are far greater than mine, but has done so with a grace that astounds me.
I'm wrestling with the holidays. Normally I have a party before Christmas for all of our friends and adopters to say "Thanks!", but time is growing short, and a lot of parties have already been scheduled during the next four weekends. So I'm thinking I'll have a Coffee and Kittens on 12/13 (Saturday) and have a big blowout the weekend after New Years, called "Whiskers in Winter," on Sunday, January 4. I'm hoping people won't be partied out by then, but given that Mark won't be here, and his absence will be notable, I think a change is in order.
And hey, if it's small, it's small.
I did go out on Black Friday, primarily to feed the Fast Food Ferals and pick up cat litter. I need to cut down some branches off the overgrown evergreens, so was thinking of making Christmas swags this year to sell off my front fence, and stopped into the Dollar Tree to check out ribbon. There I found these stockings--which seem made for the gold room--and nabbed six for family and friends. Does anyone ever buy what they intend when they go into a dollar store? At any rate, they are my first Christmas decorations this year.
I'm going to keep it mild, I think.
I will get a live tree this year, but have decided to adorn it entirely in handmade items (popcorn and cranberry strings, glittered pine cones, painted blown eggs, etc.).
Simplicity is in order, this year. I'm going to make what I can, and bring it things from nature. I want to be thankful for the farm, and perhaps resurrect some of my old skills, rather than open up more boxes and ghosts in the attic.
The first order of business is breaking out the thank-you and Christmas cards. I have been poor on thanking side of things this year!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.
2 comments:
Susan,
For my tree, I use the small white lights, the red berry clusters from my Washington Hawthorn trees, then blow in handfuls of milkweed fluff--very pretty. You'll be vacuuming fluff till June!
Enjoy!
Alice
I just wanted to tell you that I have been reading Wildrun for a few months now & enjoy it very much. Realizing a while later that you also had a personal blog, I caught up on that more recently and read every post (starting with this one) in one night. I am so glad I found both blogs & look forward to your stories, your life, your work. I think you are a very interesting, inspiring, funny, caring, selfless, creative, hard working and brave person.
Sincerely,
C~
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