'TWAS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS ~~ PARTING SHOT

'TWAS A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS

I hope everyone had a nice Christmas. I know that we certainly did! We even had a smattering of snow on the Sunday before Christmas. Too bad it didn't wait a couple of days and fall on Christmas Day, but we were happy to at least get some. Linda and I both have always delighted in having it snow on Christmas Day, as neither one of us saw that happen until we moved to Yakima. I am not sure, but we may have had snow on the ground for one or two Christmases when I lived back in North Carolina, but if we did it was only an inch or so. I don't believe it ever snowed on Christmas Day. Since we moved to Yakima, we have had quite a few Christmas Days where we actually had snow, and some of them we even had a gracious plenty of the white stuff! At least that's how it used to be in years gone by. Last year we didn't have much snow all season, and so far this year we haven't had much. It's too early to say for sure if this is a trend. Now that we are both retired, it can snow all it wants to and we will be content and warm inside our little house!

Snow on December 23rd

One of my favorite things during Christmastime here in Yakima is when Linda's sister comes over to spend Christmas with us. She has made the trip over here many times over the past 11 Christmases. Linda and I decorate the tree before she arrives, but we save the hanging of the lights around the inside of the house until after she gets here. There is always a lot of talking and laughing as we hang lights everywhere we can, and Linda and her sister take many walks down memory lane.

Panorama shot of our living room

On Christmas Eve we open our stocking gifts, which usually generates more laughter and walks down memory lane. The night is filled with wine, gin, music, laughter...and lots of love. Christmas morning is more laid-back as we all arise at different times. There's always coffee to be had first and foremost, then a "fend-for-yourself" breakfast. After everyone is up, coffeed and fed, we commence with the opening of presents. It seems like every year we all tend to go more and more overboard with the presents. But that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The Three Musketeers

Christmas Morning

As always, we had lots of fun opening presents. I don't want to bore anyone with a long list of presents received, but I would like to highlight just a few. Linda usually gets a flamingo ornament from my sister each year. This year my sister decided to send something else (more on that later), so I was determined to get Linda a flamingo of some kind. Did I have any trouble finding a flamingo way up here in the Pacific Northwest? Affirmative. Did I manage to somehow find SOMETHING with a flamingo on it? Absolutely. To my surprise, Linda's sister also got her a flamingo item. Below is a  picture of the kitchen towel from her sister, and the puzzle from me.

I received lots of wonderful presents, but there is one that is a little out of the ordinary. Every year, my BFF from back in North Carolina sends us a box full of presents for both of us. The last two years she has included a bag of cornmeal. To most people, that probably sounds like an odd gift, but it is one that I cherish. This isn't your ordinary cornmeal. It is fresh, stone-ground, yellow cornmeal...ground so fine that it is almost a powder. The cornmeal we buy in stores around here is very coarse, akin to polenta. It's okay, but it is definitely not what I was used to. I am grateful that my friend sends some for Christmas so we can enjoy some good ole home-made southern cornbread. And we did, on New Year's Day.

The BEST cornmeal ever!

Cornbread on New Year's Day (to go with the Hoppin' John)

There were many more presents of note, which I plan to touch on in future blogs. However, Linda probably received the most unusual present of all, from my sister and her partner. Instead of a flamingo this year, they sent her Lil Bub, and it is the cutest thing you ever will see. Of course, you have to know the story of Lil Bub to appreciate the gift. Click here to go to Lil Bub's website and read all about this amazing cat that is actually an alien. Well, she isn't actually an alien, but she's pretty close.

Bub is a special needs cat that who has managed to survive and thrive despite many, many physiological disorders. Not only has she thrived, but she has raised over $300,000 to benefit other special needs cats. Click here to read the amazing story of Lil Bub.


Of course, all that hanging around the house opening presents and drinking wine & gin does tend to get to you after a while (not really), so lots of walks were in order for Linda and her sister. I was usually tied up in the kitchen, (anyway I can't keep up with them!) so I passed on the walks. It was pretty chilly outside so they had to suit up in snow pants and puffy jackets.

Is that a Carolina Panthers coat?  Yes!  Yes, I believe it is!

During the holidays we were diligent in our efforts to keep our little birdie friends well fed. However, we didn't count on feeding one particular bird. Linda spotted him outside on the ground and at first she thought it was a squirrel. That would be amazing in itself because I think I've only seen one squirrel in our yard since we moved here. I grabbed my camera, and by then Linda had gotten a better look and informed me that it was a hawk! Here's a picture I snapped of him through the window before I went outside and chased him off. I will spare you all the video that I took as it did not make me happy. But he is a bird, and like Linda's sister said, "Everything has to eat."

Cooper's hawk or Sharp-Shinned hawk?

So, now we've come to another New Year. It is hard to believe that we have seen 12 Yakima New Year's Days! Time surely seems to move so fast nowadays. I find myself dragging my feet just to slow it down (nod to Joni Mitchell's "Circle Game"). I hope this new year brings us all a little less sadness than we had last year. 2018 was a rough one. But there were many bright spots as well. I guess we have to take the bad to help us to appreciate the good.

PARTING SHOT

Summer Girl was keeping a wary eye on Florence the Flamingo in the days leading up to Christmas. Even though she knows Florence is a bird, she's an awfully big bird...and Summer Girl's not sure she could take her in a fair fight.

See you all next week!