Epiphany

The Epiphany, per Wikipedia:

Western Christians commemorate principally

(but not solely) the visitation of the Biblical 

Magi to the Baby Jesus.

I usually take down my tree and 

outside lights the day after the Epiphany.

Any reason to prolong Christmas !

It is also the last day of

 the 12 days of Christmas.

They finally arrive, although some

accounts say it could have taken

almost 2 years.   Anyway, it is a 

nice story.

Blessings to all !

I Love Lucy Dolls

I wanted to share one of my Christmas gifts

from my step-mom......I Love Lucy Barbies.

I have a couple of these packed away and 
can't remember which ones I have, but I
love these two!    And since they are 
dressed in pink I will keep them in my 
office to enjoy.   :o)   Aren't they a hoot?
Of course this is one of the best
 episodes in the history of television.
I feel like these two .....I have eaten so
much fudge the past 10 days......

These past 4 days have been quite interesting
and I have learned so much about human
 nature and the internet (facebook).    I do 
feel a shift in my brain (good!) which is
something I had wanted a year ago and 
couldn't achieve, but now it is here!
I don't think it was necessarily from my 
experience on the internet (it has crept in 
over time), but it has helped me 
to deal with it.....not the same reactions
that would have been a year before.
I told Mike the other night, "but at the rate
 I am going with my growth I'll have to live
to be 200 years old to enjoy any of my
progress" !   

Here in fortune's fairy boat
Is a cargo, rich and rare;
Blisses!  Kisses! Health and Wealth!
Yours shall be the lion's share.

I can't fully read the back of this postcard, 
but they always give me a tickle because
most are like me and start  "I intended to
write a long letter today, but...."
You can click on the image for a
larger view and see if you can make
out what is written.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The beginning is the most
important part of the work.
--- Plato
Boy, that is the truth for me:
Getting started is half done!

HAPPY 2012 TO ALL !!!

I got the image !  I have a few of these over

 the years and was glad to get this one....

scrambled for my camera as Mike counted 

down the last 35 seconds!  I trust everyone

 had a safe and fun night, filled with wonderful memories.  We ended up staying home as

 Mike was/is just getting over the flu. 

 But that is fine.

We ate, drank, had fun on facebook and

talked to family via skype.

 I feel that 2012 will be a good year for 

everyone, contrary to what others may say.

Another postcard from my collection. 

 This one is dated 1911.  

The pansies open up to reveal the

following pages:

Lots of plans for the year.   Always that way.

This year feels different.   I hope I am right.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In spite of illness, in spite

 even of the archenemy sorrow,

 one can remain alive long pass

 the usual date of disintegration 

if one is unafraid of change, 

insatiable in intellectual curiosity, interested in big things, and

 happy in small ways.

--- Edith Wharton

Happy New Year's Eve

.....IS ALMOST UPON US HERE IN 
THE UNITED STATES.  

 MANY BLESSINGS OF PERFECT
 HEALTH, JOY, HAPPINESS

AND WEALTH IN 2012 !

Funny postcard from 1907

Funny little postcard from 1907

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas weekend.

We did, but it went by too fast.   We saw Mike's

folks and sister Terri Christmas eve and Christmas day and then spent Monday afternoon and had dinner with my Dad and family at Outback Steakhouse.   I'll post a couple of pics of my nieces and nephew soon.  

I just love those kids !

Mike has been sick since Tuesday.   He never gets sick.

Last time he was like this was Xmas 1996!    He is a bit bummed to be sick on his time off.   So far, I am holding my own.  We have been taking lots of different stuff including soup that I added fresh garlic to and boy, it is potent!  Hopefully that  will kill off any germs incubating in me and the rest in Mike!   :o)

A good conscience is a continual Christmas. 

--- Benjamin Franklin

MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all my friends near and far !
Healthy, Happy and Wealthy wishes in 2012!

CAROL OF THE BELLS

Hark! how the bells
Sweet silver bells
All seem to say,
"Throw cares away."
Christmas is here
Bringing good cheer
To young and old
Meek and the bold

Ding, dong, ding, dong
That is their song
With joyful ring
All caroling
One seems to hear
Words of good cheer
From ev'rywhere
Filling the air
Oh how they pound,
Raising the sound,
O'er hill and dale,
Telling their tale,
Gaily they ring
While people sing
Songs of good cheer
Christmas is here
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas
Merry, merry, merry, merry Christmas

On, on they send
On without end
Their joyful tone
To ev'ry home
Ding, dong, ding, dong

From: http://www.lyricsmode.com/

 

Christmas bustle

One of the Christmas trees

in town.  This one is by the

Lakeport Museum.

Hope everyone is getting 

their Holiday preparations

together all in good time.  

I went out about noon and

it is amazing how many more

people are out and about

the couple of days before

Christmas.   Seems like people

come out of the woodwork

for sure.   :o)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

KEEPING CHRISTMAS

by Henry Van Dyke

It is a good thing to observe Christmas day. The mere marking of times and seasons, when men agree to stop work and make merry together, is a wise and wholesome custom. It helps one to feel the supremacy of the common life over the individual life. It reminds a man to set his own little watch, now and then, by the great clock of humanity which runs on sun time.
~~~~~
But there is a better thing than the observance of Christmas day, and that is, keeping Christmas.
~~~~~
Are you willing to forget what you have done for other people, and to remember what other people have done for you; to ignore what the world owes you, and to think what you owe the world; to put your rights in the background, and your duties in the middle distance, and your chances to do a little more than your duty in the foreground; to see that your fellowmen are just as real as you are, and try to look behind their faces to their hearts, hungry for joy; to own that probably the only good reason for your existence is not what you are going to get out of life, but what you are going to give to life; to close your book of complaints against the management of the universe, and look around you for a place where you can sow a few seeds of happiness --- are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.
~~~~~
Are you willing to stoop down and consider the needs and desires of little children; to remember the weakness and loneliness of people who are growing old; to stop asking how much your friends love you, and ask yourself whether you love them enough; to bear in mind the things that other people have to bear in their hearts; to try to understand what those who live in the same house with you really want, without waiting for them to tell you; to trim you lamp so that it will give more light and less smoke, and to carry it in front so that your shadow will fall behind you; to make a grave for your ugly thoughts and a garden for your kindly feelings, with the gate open---are you willing to do these things even for a day? Then you can keep Christmas.
~~~~~
Are you willing to believe that love is the strongest thing in the world---stronger than hate, stronger than evil, stronger than death---and that the blessed life which began in Bethlehem nineteen hundred years ago is the image and brightness of the Eternal Love? Then you can keep Christmas, and if you can keep it for a day, why not always?
But you can never keep it alone