It was a merry little Christmas!

And stockings were hung by the chimney with care ... 

We had a very merry little Christmas here on HeartSong Farm this past week!  The key words for my little family of creatures and two grown sons is Moderation and Tradition.

On Christmas Eve, for instance, I watch "Steel Magnolias" and put out a tray for the creatures in my yard to enjoy (unless it is raining, and then it goes out on the next available clear night).  I make some snacks like hummus, deviled eggs, and spinach dip for Ben and myself.  There may be something hot to drink like mulled wine or cocoa if it is truly cold outside.  I hang our two stockings and dust off the carved Santas that were made for me by my Daddy over the years.

I have not put up a tree since my divorce.  I sold the family tree in a garage sale when I first moved to East Texas.  A few years ago, I bought one on sale at Lowe's, complete with lights already strung upon it.  It is still in the box, never opened, and some years I think of putting it up, but, so far, the closest I have come to that was when I have propped up the box in a corner of the den!

Last year's tray for the critters.

Christmas morning finds me waking not too early, but certainly earlier than Mr. Ben!  While the coffee is brewing, I see a gift or two from Ben on the counter top or on the coffee table, and my stocking hanging stuffed on the mantel!  I sit down in the quiet and drink my first cup, with as many cats in my lap as will fit, listening to the holiday music playing on my DirecTV station.  Peace on Earth is my prayer, and I think how Life is Good for me.

In a bit, I will go outside and see what is left of the treat tray for the critters who passed by in the night.  Some Christmases there is little left, some it is hardly touched.  But, I know that my offering was appreciated and enjoyed by those who came across it, and I smile.

Eldest son, Matt, calls mid-morning from wherever it is that he is living.  The last two years, it has been Sacramento, CA.  It has been a number of years since he has been able to spend Christmas Day with us in person, but a phone call is a wonderful substitute, and now we have SKYPE (if we can remember to use it!).

Ben wakes late morning because our Christmas Day Tradition will begin around noon-thirty.  He grabs a cup of coffee and heads out to his outside "man cave" to wake up.  He is not awake, really, until he has finished that first cup, outside, and by himself.  My Daddy was just like that!

Santas that my Daddy carved and painted for me through the years.  Each is based on an historic

depiction of the jolly old fellow, and they hang out on my mantel all year long.

When he comes back inside, we exchange our gifts and delight in our stockings.  Hugs are exchanged, as well as smiles.  Then it is time to get dressed for our favorite part of Christmas Day, our special Tradition .... a movie and IHOP!  

This year, the movie was "The Hobbit" first, and then early supper at our local IHOP branch.  God bless those folks at the International House of Pancakes who stay open and serve all of those who love to gather at a local restaurant with family and friends on Christmas Day.  Ben and I appreciate you very much as a huge part of our Christmas Tradition.

This Christmas I was blessed with some awesome gifts:  a nice bonus from my boss, gift cards from my boys and a surprise one from a dear friend, a basket full of new dishtowels, lots and lots of chocolate, and an awesome new kitchen knife.

Thanks for my new knife, Judy!  I really love it!

But, for me it is not the gifts, it is about the enduring love of my family and friends that reminds me that life is indeed good.  It should be a time to stop and reflect on this goodness in our lives, and to slow down and enjoy what we have been given by so many, past and present!  Crowded malls and stressful shopping do not apply!

Here at HeartSong Farm, we hope that you have had a happy and wonderful holiday season, and that the new year is most kind to you all.

Life is very good here on HeartSong Farm!

Merry Christmas from HeartSong Farm!

My precious Jaguar Moon aka Jagger (March 2012 - June 2014) enjoying the snowfall last winter.

A very Merry Christmas and Holiday Season to all who read the blog from HeartSong Farm!

I hope that you are able to stay safe and warm, and that you enjoy whatever might come your way during the remainder of this year as well as throughout 2015.

And remember to be kind to those you meet along your way.

Peace,

S. H. G.

Thankfulness

Frigid temps came even earlier this year, here in East Texas, than last year, and Autumn was way too brief for me and the trees.  The trees never had much of a chance to change into their Fall dress before the Arctic air blew into town!  I told them:  "Maybe there is still time .... maybe it will warm up just enough ..."  Meanwhile, the week before Thanksgiving week had us in temperatures in the low twenties for many days and nights.

The oldest Bradford pear in the front yard pre-Thanksgiving 2014.

Gloria beginning to change her dress pre-Thanksgiving 2014.

A mix of light yellow-green, orange and rusty red for Gloria.

We don't get an abundance of color here, so I am thankful for what we do get.  I became spoiled living in  Tennessee, New England and Missouri, I suppose!  HeartSong Farm is located in the Piney Woods area of Deep East Texas.  That means that the Autumn colors play against the greens of the pine forests, a contrast that is beautiful in its own way. Not as "knock your socks off" as in Vermont, but lovely in its own way.  It is usually individual trees that catch your eye in this neck of the woods.

I don't know about other folks in this area, but it makes me very grateful to catch sight of a tree here in the full and glorious colors of Fall, because it is so fleeting and so individual.  For me, to spot a dogwood dressed in crimson, or an ash or hickory sporting a bright yellow makes my heart and soul sing with the beauty!  

In retirement, I plan to plant some more individual trees to add additional color for my Autumn viewing pleasure.  I am making a list of what I want to plant.  A few dogwoods, a hickory, and a black jack oak or two are first on the list. Sweet gums make beautiful fall color, but you also get those prickly sweet gum balls.  They can make a mess when caught up in a llama's fiber coat, plus they are not fun to step on with your bare feet and I am all about bare feet! Maybe I could plant sweetgums up along the back fence line, out of my usual path, but still in view from the back porch.

Meanwhile, I am content with the lovely colors of the trees already in my yard.  I love picking up fallen leaves and marveling at the shades, patterns, shapes and sizes.  They inspire me to create these same shades in my batts and rolags for spinning.  After all, inspiration for creativity is everywhere, quite abundant in our marvelous Universe!

It did warm back up during Thanksgiving week, thankfully, and the trees finished their color changing before dropping their leaves onto the ground.  

The Bradford pear tree leaves after Thanksgiving.  Look closely and you will see teensy-tiny pears! 

Gloria's beautiful scarlet dress the week after Thanksgiving 2014!

My red oak in the beginning of change, with Gloria in the background.

A baby oak in the front yard near Gloria.  I have found several of these in the

front yard this past year and I hope it is not too late to transplant them to where

I would rather have them.

Last year, a nearby landowner planted quite a few acres of little baby pine trees.  I noticed them last Saturday on a trip into town and they made me smile!  The land looks much like a miniature Christmas tree farm right now, with these sweet little 18" high green triangles dotting what used to be just a common cow pasture.  This, my friends, is how a pine forest begins!

Sweet little baby pine trees, dreaming of being a forest one day!

I am thankful that more trees are being planted to replace those that have been lost to concrete highways, industry and so-called progress.  I am, after all, a "tree-hugger," (and very proud of it).  We need more oxygen in our air and trees are quite happy to produce it for us.

While Matt was here for Thanksgiving week, the Sacramento area received some much-needed rain. I know that they were very thankful for the moisture, but they are still in a severe drought in that agricultural area of California where an abundance of our nation's produce is grown.

I picked Matt up at the airport in Houston on November 22, and he stayed with us until November 30. It was a nice long, enjoyable and mostly lazy visit for me and my two grown boys.  They will always be my boys even though they are now fully grown and in their mid-30's.  I am thankful that they are both healthy and happy and gainfully employed! They are still as different as night and day, but they have always gotten along well enough despite having almost polar opposite ways of doing things.

Matt and Ben worked together to take down the old ceiling fan in my den and replace it with a newer and larger fan. By the way, I did give Ben a much-needed haircut after the fan was up and running!

Ben (left) and Matt (right) beginning the job.  Matt is actually reading the instructions.  I am just so proud!

Progress is being made and parts are being put into place.

Close to being finished ....

And, it's up!!!!

I cannot tell you how thankful I am to get this project accomplished!  The old fan and its light fixture "died" almost a year ago, and we have really missed having the moving air as well as the additional source of illumination.

My new "dike" at the meeting of the driveway and parking pad near the door into the house.

This project has not been properly tested yet to see if the boys' idea of creating a dike will solve the growing and very aggravating problem of rainwater rushing down the driveway and almost into the house by way of the driveway side door.  We are hoping that the runoff from the highway will be diverted towards the front yard instead.

We used unopened bags of Quikrete, set them in place, and hosed them down, leaving the paper on them for now. There will probably be a few more adjustments and additions, but we have a good start towards success.  Tweaking is, after all, part of most processes. If it works, I will be quite thankful, for sure!  Wading through water to get to your car on a workweek morning is not my favorite thing to do, especially when it is ice cold.

I am thankful that Matt was able to come visit us and that he returned home safely to Sacramento eight days later. And also, that I was able to drive the 6 1/2 hour round-trip to the airport and back with no problem.  Make that two round-trips to the airport, one in a driving rain in the dark!

Many years ago, I began a Gratitude Journal, wherein I wrote down five things I was grateful for that day before I turned out the lights for the night.  I have since filled up four journals and am mid-way through my fifth.  It is true that, even on a seemingly terrible day, you can still find a few things for which to be thankful.  It becomes a lesson in joy and appreciation of the little things in our lives.  If you do not already have a Gratitude Journal, I highly recommend that you consider starting one in the new year.  You will most likely find that you have many more Blessings than you ever thought possible!

I am so thankful for all my wonderful friends who support me and make life so enjoyable no matter where I am.  Old friends, new friends.  Friends that are near and those that, unfortunately, are far away.

I hope that you all have had a Happy Thanksgiving, and are now enjoying a lovely holiday season, whatever that means to you and your family.

There is much to be thankful for here at HeartSong Farm!