Happiest Holidays

Though most of my tree collection is old, this little Japanese tree with the tiny paper cranes is a favorite.  

I just wanted to say how much I enjoy our daily or weekly visits.  Though we've never met, I have gained so much from our friendships.  I hope each and every one of you have the best holidays ever and I look forward to the new year and sharing our lives with each other.

Old Man Winter

Winter is not for sissies.  We had a mini blizzard yesterday; just a dusting of snow, but I thought the wind would blow my roof off.  The snow was blowing sideways.  It is so cold outside this morning, I am not going to go out to take a picture of snow on this little Christmas decoration.

It got down to 3 degrees last night; it hasn't been that cold since 1983. The lake out back is frozen over.  When I raised the blinds this morning, the ducks came in for a landing and slid around like ice skaters.

 I stayed holed up in the house and there were many car wrecks on the highways.  I worry when it gets this cold - about the water lines freezing and bursting, the animals - everything.  Those brave souls that live up north must be made of stronger stuff than I am.

I made my first batch of peanut brittle yesterday for Christmas and guess what happened?  It pulled a tooth crown right off.  Now, I have to see if I can find a dentist to cement it back on as I'm not going back to the farm until after the holidays.  If I can't find a dentist in the city to do it, I guess I'll superglue it back on.  An expensive piece of candy. Aye yay yay! And, I'm not through shopping, wrapping and baking for Christmas.

HO HO HO!

For The Little Ones

It used to take a week or more to decorate at the farm when the kids were growing up.  The trees, the spiral staircase, outside - I even cut various sizes of lace paper doilies into snowflakes and glued them on the front and back windows.  That was the most beautiful part. I have two closets full of Christmas decorations, many antique, that my kids don't want as it is not their style or they don't have room for.  Wish I had had the forethought to go through them and sell them in my booth.  Here are the little dolly ice skates I bought recently.

But, I am become Scrooge.  I didn't decorate after they grew up as they didn't come to the farm and I didn't want to haul out all of the stuff and put it back up.  Too much trouble.  We had to go to the city so Santa would come and visit and I just did a minimal job at our other city house for the grandkids.

Last year I found these birch trees from Restoration Hardware.  Already lit and easy, with brown paper packages tied up with string.

I have house collections, trees too, and a Snowman collection I couldn't find room for, so maybe another year.  I did put out a few on this table and you'll notice the baby skis and child's skis along with the ice skates I recently found.

So, I had this old wood tree-shaped store display I brought up to the city to sell in my booth.  I thought I probably wouldn't find anything else like it and used it to display my Christmas village.  Didn't have to spread the village out and it went perfectly there.  All the little people and things were quickly removed by my baby granddaughter, Penny Lane.  She had a ball with it.

So maybe, I have not become such a Scrooge.  If not for the grand babies, I still wouldn't decorate, but just for them, I am.  Now, I've got to start baking and candy making and shopping for presents too.

Autumn Has Arrived

Autumn has come about a month late.  Maybe a little more.  Climate change deniers have an agenda; whether man-made or natural, it is here.  It was in the fifties with a strong wind and misting rain.  Good weather for a drive.  I wish the photos were better and the color was more intense than my phone camera could take.

I have so many beautiful pics I don't want to bore you, so I am showing just a few.

This tree was stunning, just play like I cropped out the car roof.

We decided to drive by the Philbrook Museum, but low and behold, I could not get very good shots.  This house was owned by the Phillips family, of Phillips Oil fame, and I'm told they only lived there about a year or so, then donated it to the city of Tulsa, which turned it into a museum.  This house is two stories and goes on for blocks.  I cannot imagine living in such a big house.  It has stained glass windows and is really very pretty.  It is on several acres, about twenty, and the grounds were gorgeous.  Giant oaks and formal gardens.  

There were many entrances, but we didn't get out to go inside.  We'll save that for another day.

The fencing and gates around the property were pretty.

The best part though, was shopping at an outdoor mall with my daughter and granddaughter Isobel.

There are animated little displays around the mall, even a cute Santa cottage with dutch doors and Mr. And Mrs. Claus.  We didn't go on Black Friday, but on Sunday and what luck - barely any shoppers there.  I'd better get busy as I've only just started shopping for Christmas.

HappyHolidays

I have many gifts left to buy and even more to wrap.  I have done no Christmas baking as of yet.  That being said, this year I have decided that some things will just not get done.  The holidays will  not be perfectly decorated nor all of the traditional favorites cooked and the rest that comes with the season.  I am good with it though.  Just hope the family will be as right with it as I am: that to be able to gather together once again really is the best part of the season.  Nevertheless, to my oldest and new friends, have the best of days in the year remaining.

My sweet angels are waiting to see if they are getting gifts (anything) or just switches and coal (probably lots).