Our Cincinnati Nature Center offered an event this month for the first time ever. They call it “Light in the Forest.”
People were required to wear a mask at all times. Historic buildings were decorated for the season. There were items for sale in the Rowe Visitor Center. Being extra careful we did not go into the Visitor Center.
There were lights in the the trees. There were moving lights upon the trees. There were luminaries along parts of the path. There were young people directing us which way to go when the trail came to a fork. There were electric icicles in some trees. The Krippendorf Lodge was decorated nicely but it seemed sweltering hot in there after being outside!
There were no refreshments as masks were required at all times.
Here is the closest we got to our daughter and her family! And it was only for moment out of doors!
We had a nice outdoors walk in the night, ie., 8 to 9 PM.
Ellie, the selfie expert, Lizzie, Dave, Emily, me and Bob. The lights gave me green hair and Dave has green on his face. Is he the Grinch? Naw! but it was fun to text Ellie posing that question. LOL.
Come the 25th we are not likely to even open gifts together unless there is a heat wave and we can do that in an open garage. The virus continues to spread and we are not brave enough to take it on! Or should I write foolish enough to challenge it?
My Dad, Paul Rush, was in the United States Navy for two Christmases.
My Dad is the third one over with his pants rolled the shortest!
Both 1943 and 1944 he was gone to war as Signalman 3rd class. He died when I was very young, just eleven years old. Found among his belongings was a re-telling of The Night Before Christmas. You will notice a few rhyming challenges, but hey! This was wartime. It took me many years to realize he must have copied it from a soldier friend because it speaks about the camp and a tent. My Dad was on a ship as far as I know!
My father-in-law was enlisted in the United States Army and missed three Christmases of 1943-1945. So I post this in honor of both of them. They spent those Christmas seasons away from loved ones, as do many military personnel today. May we remember them in our prayers.
Here is a scanned copy of one side. Then I will type it out for you.
“The Night Before Christmas”
It was night before Christmas, and through the camp yard
Not a creature was stirring – except the poor guards.
My stocking was tucked in my shoes to save space
And, besides, my tent doesn’t have a fireplace.
My friend in his shorts, and I in my shoes
Had just settled down for a nice tropic snooze.
When out in the area there arose a great clatter
That I sprang from my cot to see what was the matter.
I became so entangled in my mosquito net
That, if my friend hadn’t helped me, I’d be struggling yet.
And then, very cautiously I pulled back the flaps
Half expecting to see a battalion of Japs.
Just imagine my amazement when I saw instead,
The famous St. Nicholas, in his suit of bright red.
He sat in his sled, which was pulled by six Jeeps
And they bounced along gaily in short bounds and leaps.
They came to a halt, and away Santa went –
And then very suddenly he was there in my tent.
He was chuckling so merrily that his little fat belly
Just like in the other poem, was shaking like jelly.
And then I thought sure that this was a gag
When I noticed his toy sack was a blue barracks bag!
But he reached in the bag, and without hesitation
Turned to my tent mate with a pack of “K” ration;
And then for me – lucky guy that I am –
He dug in again – and came up with Spam
He followed this quickly with de-hydrated potatoes,
And then he produced a can of tomatoes.
And then with the remark he had work to do,
He raised a plump finger and up he flew.
I dashed to the tent flap and was able to see
Him get in his sled as he waved back to me.
“Away Willys,” “On Ford,” was his cry in the night –
And in no time at all he was clear out of sight
So it was with reluctance I got back in bed
And thought of the things St. Nicholas had said.
I’ll still have a laugh when I’m ancient and old
At the thought of St. Nick sliding down the tent fold.
That’s all there is to it. The story is through,
But before I sign off, here’s my wish for you!
May Your Christmas Be Merry,
And filled with Good Cheer;
May You Be Well and Happy
Through Out the New Year.
The first year we were married my husband ruined the joy of Christmas gifting for me. He felt every one of his gifts and correctly guessed what was in each one. When he realized my disappointment, he never did that again (at least out loud).
Years later, just before Christmas, his sister came to visit us from out of state. I drove her to the airport for her return flight. When I got home, he came out the door and stated, “I felt your presence!”
I got really angry and almost punched his arm right there in the driveway, until I realized he was talking about me being home, not about his gifts, his presents. Oy yoi yoi!
Last year I bought these items and Bob laughed. Since we are having no one visit for Christmas this is the only tree I am putting up! If the infection rate continues to skyrocket we will simply be dropping off gifts at doors!
And yep, I added tiny battery operated lights, too!
Do you see Santa there? Kneeling right there at the manger? He knows who is most powerful and sees us at all times.
Isaiah 9:6 (NIV2011) For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Luke 2:10-12 (NIV2011) But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.”
When the teapot whistled and I went to pour the water over the tea I dropped my lap blanket. Lucky decided mine was a really nice blanket.
I brought hers into the office! As I put my blanket back in my chair I was murmuring “Mine! Mine!”
She is content to use hers. Yes, there are times when she seems to fill the role of the Princess.
Recently I placed her pillow against the arm of the sofa instead of horizontally on the sofa.
She tried to make the best of the arrangement. Just could not quite get comfortable. She has yet to figure out how to rearrange pillows!
She looks to me as if she is saying, “Why, oh why did they do this?”
Poor puppy dog! Viagen Pets cites 10 reasons why folks love dogs: loyalty, friendship, therapy, health, unconditional love, protection, selflessness, exercise, forgiveness, and happiness. Bob says all she ever wants is FOOD. I prefer to understand her differently!
I hope there was a beagle at the manger in Bethlehem!
Yes, I know this is a cluttered photo. I snapped it to share with my daughter. This is my “Christmas Cactus” true name Zygocactus. Mine usually blooms sometime during the winter. This being the year of Covid and doom and gloom, death all around, mine decided to bloom on November 13 and bore mostly DOUBLE blossoms and buds! Yes, I was amazed, surprised and thankful. By November 13 most of my garden flowers are long past blooming. I did have an occasional carnation and snapdragon, but no more bouquets like April-September!
That corner of our office is no longer cluttered. We have been going through the house like the Tasmanian devil cartoon character!
Ruthlessly throwing things out like notes from retreats I have taught in the past. The four drawer filing cabinet is down to one. I just need inspiration to finish that one! I looked at one thing in the office and realized I had not even touched it in a year. Away it went.
The basement is unrecognizable. We have pared down, given away and trashed many items. This is one of my husband’s dreams some true. He knows I call him “Mr. Tidy.” I am not nearly as tidy as him. So Mr. Tidy is enjoying this process. Now he is amazed, surprised and thankful. I am getting into it. Covid staying at home has done this weird thing to me!!
Know anyone who wants some vintage crochet patterns? Yikes.
So in 2013 we were driving in the wilderness of Idaho and I was telling my husband about the Capacitar technique for reducing stress called “tapping”. [Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT; tapping acupressure points)]
My friend, Mrs. Hughes, taught me this. I began tapping to demonstrate. Meanwhile, he was distracted by the GPS and drifted over the center line. When he noticed the center line he said, “Tap faster! Tap faster!”
Capacitar ends this exercise with reciting three times “In spite of the fact that I have this problem, I’m okay and I accept myself!”
Meanwhile I am reciting, “In spite of the fact that I have this problem (named Bob) I’m okay and I accept myself!
In spite of the fact that I have this problem (named Bob) I’m okay and I accept myself!”
Then we passed Hughes Road!
What a hoot! I wanted to call Mrs. Hughes from Idaho, but I could not stop laughing! And besides, there was no signal! Priceless 🙂
I have NO idea why this video is stuck on this unflattering image. It is worth listening to though!
So I have had back pain flair up since mid-September. Recently I had an epidural to try to bring the pain under control. While recovering one of the ways my husband has been helping me is to remind me not to try to bend down to get things off the floor. He is willing to help me and do that for me. It has amazed me how MANY things I drop in any given day!
Recently I was wrapping gifts in basement while he also worked on basement items. At first I was angered by the following incident and then I just busted out laughing!!
Yes, the wrapping paper roll dropped off the table and literally rolled across the floor! We have got to keep finding humor where ever we can! No I won’t tell you who the gift is for! But I do like that the floor mat next to the incident declares winter JOY!
I recently had a birthday. Four weeks after my birthday comes my older sister’s birthday. Here she is as a child.
Now, mind you, she sent me a card for my birthday this year and asked me “Don’t we have a picture of you like this?” I think she forgot the photo of herself shown above!
Myself as a child
So below is the card. I opened it on my way in from the mailbox. And even in the midst of this awful pandemic, I LAUGHED OUT LOUD!!
And inside it read …
Yes, our mom cut our hair back then. She used to line up my bangs with a mole on my forehead. After years of that haircut I swore I would grow out those bangs and never have bangs again. I have only had a few times in my adult life when I had bangs. Besides, my hair grows so quickly it is hard to keep bangs! So here we are as adults laughing at Mom and remembering a funny memory together. That is a blessing!
So we were traveling from Colorado to New Mexico and stopped for lunch at Rio Chama Coffee in Chama, New Mexico. My photo did not come out great, so this is their photo from the website.
There was a mother and daughter seated near us on the outdoor patio – but not too near of course! After looking at this white van in the parking lot for a while, I finally approached them and asked if that was their van. They said, “Yes.” I asked if it was okay with them if I took a photo of the logo on the window. I explained that our Grandgirls in Ohio both play volleyball. Unlikely they will ever meet for a match. As far as I know no Native American teams play in our girls’ tournaments!
So proud of our #6!And our #32 Athlete! Photo by Robert DutinaHigh flying Grandgirl Photo by Robert Dutina
Both girls are well grounded in their family, though you certainly cannot tell by looking at their flying and jumping skills! 😉
Treasures in Plain Sight, A Christian Blog 