Bufalo Trace Christmas

" IF YOU DON"T GET THIS THING OFF MY HEAD I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET IT!"

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Twas the night before Christmas and all through my house

Penny and Belle-Belle were sleeping

Mac,Beau,Iris,Moochie and Quarrie were napping

Skye,Red,Akila and Endeavor were munching grass out in their field,

Bob was in his recliner and Mom was in mine, and I decided to type, I guess I just like the sound

When out on the roof their arose such a clatter

I ran to the window to see what was the matter

when what to my wondering eyes did appear?

A tiny little sleigh and it was pulled by miniature horses!

The little fat man in the drivers seat

was covered with crap, sure as could be

I called out the door, Hey are you ok up there?

He answered with a mutter, and a few chosen words--

"Dasher and dancer got the craps over Mexico

(that explained his suit)

I got that flu thats been around and nothing is staying down

(again,the suit explained)

The only high ball I've had all night is when I slipped getting out of my sleigh..

Rudolphs red nose is red for a reason

he can't seem to stand up straight, kind of wobbles and he's hiccupped past two countries!

the last chimney was too tight and I got my butt burned

and I'm so sick of milk and cookies I could puke.

Merry Christmas, my a--!!!!!

I shut the door, and went back to my typing

I heard scuffling and banging, and now theres some barking

If Penny and Belle dont get a piece of that suit I will eat a fruit cake!

Thats if the cats don't tear him a new one first...

Theres a lot of white fluufy stuff all over the floor..

no wait..that could be chewed up stuffed animals..

or is it?

HO-HO-HO,

I'm off to find the buffalo..

Merry Christnas, er ah ChristMas!!!!

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Solstice,Yule and Mom

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"Yule is the midwinter festival. It takes place at the winter solstice when the sun enters Capricorn. The generally accepted date is 21 December but purists may adjust the date according to the sun's position. The name 'Yule' is derived from the Old Norse word iul, which means a wheel, and refers to the notion of the year as a wheel turning through the seasons, the spokes being the equinoxes, the solstices and the great feasts of the quarter days."





"The feast is basically in celebration of the rebirth of the sun, the day when the sun, at its weakest, begins again to strengthen."





You may want to say this:





"This night once more the wheel begins
the turning year of the whole





that is of Earth, Air, Water, Fire
that is of Body and of Soul,





that is of all that lives above,
below, within, and near and far,





that is of Sun and of the Day,
that is of Night and Moon and Star





and all the Names and all the Words
and all the breath of all that breathes





and that has breathed all life, all life,
and is the Wheel that turns again.





We bless the turn
that turns again.


We praise the turn that turns again.
We bless the turn in her Name


and through ours in her
we bless.



I went to the creek this morning,took the dogs for a swim. I laid back with the engine off and looked to the sky and said my solstice prayer for renewed strength and tolerance.

My Mom is here, she made it in to Raleigh-Durham yesterday afternoon despite the Northeaster that is still hitting the states where my family lives, Massachusetts, Maine and New Hampshire. The snow is piling up in New England and we are snug in Virginia. Mom is settled in my chair with Quarrie napping above her head, chatting on the phone with her sons who were all calling to make sure she had made it and was well.

I hear her snoring again now, poor thing, she really was exhausted after the long flight and the many hours spent getting to and from the airports.

Today will be a quiet celebration of the Yule, the Solstice and celebrating my Mom.

Blessings to all my friends and family!
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Losing it

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This will be a quick blog, I think.
I must be losing it. My mind. I sent a Christmas card to my brother with a note saying that a bond was in it for his grandson, my g-nephew. It wasn't, and I don't send him a bond, I send him a check, which also wasn't there!
I have at least 4 things going on at once, Christmas cards, wrapping gifts, doing laundry and making a shopping list for Moms impending visit. Must have prune juice,etc,etc,etc.I have finished nothing. I flit from thing to thing like a butterfly. I found I had bills due while going through the cards.Stopped to write them, and went to the check book, and found I need to balance it. Went to the computer to check the bank balance, and went to e-mails instead and have been there for the last hour. Went to go to the bank web-site and came here to the blog site instead.
Its 2 pm and I feel like Curly in the three stooges show, where he has his toe nailed to the floor as he hurries in circles.
So I decided, hell, I'm here, I'll blog. Wish it was 5 pm, I'd have a glass of wine.
Hey, its 5 o'clock somewhere, right?
Scroll to the next blog down to see what I will look like ,
REALLY SOON!

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Family and friends

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This is one of the last pictures I took of my Mom when she last visited me in the Keys.
She was headed out for a walk...
My Mom is a pip, still....

Mom is coming to stay with me for a few months. She will be here for Christmas. Another tree to share with her. I'm lucky. She has some health issues now, but mainly she has trouble with her mind. Dementia is a word applied to her condition.She says shes 'flaky'.
Why is Christmas the time when you hear bad news?
I just got an e-mail from a friend back north. Her husband, an old friend, has been diagnosed with lung cancer, and the Doctors have given him a year to year and a half to live.
I can't say I was surprised, as he was and is a heavy smoker.
But it still is sad to know another friend is leaving.

I ran into an old friend, a girl I haven't seen in forty years.She lives in Hardy. I can't beleive I recognized her, but to me she looked the same. Just older. We will connect soon, as she said her number is in the book, and I checked. It is.

A somewhat new friend, Becky ( Ms. Peevish Pen) took me to Salem to the 'Curio Cottage', a great little shop filled with treasures from the past, and the present, and books and authors and flute makers/ players and wonderful cooks, and potters. Peggy Schifflett owns this little gem, and she is an author. She and I were discussing her book 'Mom's Family Pie', and we talked about aprons, and I love aprons, and I have several. They have a place in my heart as well as hers and they are filled with memories of family.
Becky and another author, Ibby Greer, who I also felt I have known for years but just met, chatted about Ibby's husbands book, and Ibby read a few poems from her book"Paper Faces" which I immediately loved. I knew several places mentioned in her poems.
Seems I have met more people through Becky that I feel a kindred spirit with, and for that, Becky, Thank you.
I wonder what I would do with my life if I were told exactly how much time I had left.
I have so many books in front of me I want to read. I have so many craft projects I want to do. I have so many places I want to visit, and I guess I have so many people yet to meet.
I am going to see my Grandson tomorrow. Chubby little hugs will feel so good.

I e-mailed back the only thing I knew to say to my friends..
That I love him, and if I can be there to listen if they need it, I am.
Otherwise, all I have to offer is love and friendship.
Its enough for me, maybe it will be for him and his wife.
Life is short..
Love deeply and tell family and friends what they mean to you...
I hope my friends and family know they are my life.

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Eclectic Christmas tree

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This is the 2008 version of the Condiff Christmas tree.

The topper is still a lighted angel although a new ornament gets added yearly. This new glass snowman was a gift from Amy Tate( Thanks Amy! Its high up where dogs and cats can't reach!)

Penny, our Aussie puppy, has now stolen and destroyed a cloth Christmas duck and 1 bow. If thats all she gets, I'll consider it a good year!

A snowman gourd..found at a Christmas sale, somewhere..

A whelk with a Santa face..A Breyer's spotted pony..

A buffalo ( my totem animal)..

Another horse for good measure..actually there are several..

A crab nativity scene( Bob's from the eastern shore)..

A sand dollar with a painted Santa Barracuda(remnants of the Keys)..

A hand painted fishy ball..( mittens for Caine beside it)

Several cats, this one is scuba diving( again, the Florida Key influence)

A painted coconut Santa..with a waterford ornament next to it..

and since we are now in Virginia, a must have 'John Deere' ornament..

What I have realized since going through my assorted treasured ornaments is that I don't have one single dog ornament!

That will have to be remedied at the next store I come to!

My tree is a memory tree. Everytime I look at it I am reminded of my past.It is alot of work for Bob and I, but I do love to smell that piney fragrance of a fresh cut tree.

Besides, going and cutting it, is half the fun!

My Mom will be with us for Christmas and I know she will enjoy gazing at the lights and reminescing of Christmas's past.

Merry Christmas everyone, and happy memories!

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