Festiveness is All Around Us

Sea gulls posing 

Sleigh bells ring, are you listening?

In the lane, snow is glistening

in the soda shop we're listening

Christmas tunes a playing

Oh what

A beautiful sight 

and especially tonight

(from an ocean it's pure delight)

We're happy tonight 

walking in a winter wonderland

Gone away is the bluebird

Here to stay is a new bird

here fishy, fishy

To sing a love song 

While we stroll along

our fishing pole in hand

we're

Sailing in a winter wonder-sunshine.

In the meadow, we can build a snowman

We'll pretend that he is Parson Brown

Or why not Mr. Grinch?

if Parsons not around.

He'll say, are you married

We'll say, no man

But you can do the job when you're in town.

Later on, we'll conspire

with

hot chocolate we so desire

As we dream by the fire

Or better yet, Lake Harriet

To face unafraid 

the plans that we've made

While playing Christmas games

Walking and a playing 

in a winter wonderland.

Just having winter wonderful time 

Just walking

 and singing in 

our winter wonderland.

In the sweetness of friendship

let there be laughter,

and sharing of pleasures.

For in the dew of little things

the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

Khalil Gibran

It's always a pleasure to share time with you.

Take good care of you.

Critters, Candles and Chocolate

Welcome to 
SATURDAY'S CRITTERS

Just a wee few of the many furry friends of mine.

I cannot even imagine who or where I'd be without my furry friends.

Words will never adequately explain the true meaning they have for me.

So many meanings to the candles in our lives.

Every candle has it's own meaning.

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.
James Keller

My mother said she grew up with lit candles on her Christmas tree!

There are two ways of spreading light:
to be the candle
or the mirror that reflects it.
Edith Wharton

It seems my life can be summed up by 

Critters, Candles and Chocolate.

Happiness. Simple as a glass of chocolate 

or torturous as the heart. Bitter. Sweet. Alive.

Joanne Harris

So what are your thoughts on spreading some joy into the lives of others?

 A piece of chocolate or perhaps a hearty hello face to face?

Does social media dictate your every move?

Actually ignoring the person right in front of you hasn't just begun.
But we can end it, or at least slow it down.

Let's go live with- our words!

Words are only painted fire;

a look is the fire itself.

Mark Twain

They Brighten our world with their presence.

No one is useless in this world

 who lightens the burdens of another.

 Charles Dickens

Everyday I try to be in communication

with the universe

in an unconscious way.

Paulo Coelho

Never sell yourself short.

Always believe in yourself.

Every year during our Winter Walk I appreciate more and more the drivers and their horses for braving what always seems to be the coldest or snowiest evenings.
We salute you!

No matter what he does

every person on earth 

plays a central roll 

in the history of the world.

And normally he doesn't know it.

Paulo Coelho

I surely appreciate your visits here
take good care of you!

A Tree Story

A true tree story.
I'd be hard pressed to give you the exact amount of trees
 I've decorated in my life time already. But let me say this, each and every tree whether for my own family or not, there's something so very magical about bringing them to a merry delight of decor!



The idea behind this tree story is to wake everyone up.
It's soul feeding time once again.

The idea is to suddenly fracture the routine consciousness 
that put your powers of observation to sleep.
Paul Kaufman

Change your thoughts, changes your day.

The story of trees so often fall into our backgrounds,
wouldn't you agree?


Don't be a cotton headed ninny muggins!
Get yourself a tree to decorate!

Trees whisper, "We're here" as they sway with the wind offering
 a frosty burst into another chilly evening
as winter elves find their footing
for dancing and merry-making.

Folks have been chasing down their perfect special tree since before one can recall! 
Like sixteen centuries old!
Google tells me the first Christmas tree lot in the 
United States was started by Mark Carr in New York in 1851.
If you desire a deep read about Christmas Tree Facts read here.

Mark Carr's plan, bring gifts from the forest to city folks.

I wish you the beauty of nature as 
you wander for your perfect tree.

December's breath ranges in various stages from a whispering wind to a blustering frost, may your day out be adventurous but calm.

It's true some tree farms are offering come out in the warmth and glow of autumn and pre-order your favorite tree.

We've been lucky some years like the photo below it was a jacket weather day and Jackson is busy cutting away our tree!

Freshly cut Christmas trees 
smelling of stars and snow
and pine resin
inhale deeply and fill your soul with
wintry night.
John Geddes

There's something magical as you glide across freshly packed snow, 
and nature's silence pulls you in to this moment in time.
 and surprises you with nature's gifts waiting just for you.

Our Christmas trees become
a source of light after darkness falls.

Trust me on this, find a Christmas tree farm that offers family fun events like Santa Claus and sleigh rides.  Freshly brewed hot chocolate and roasted marshmallows, by the fireside and carols to sing along to.

and never forget the power and magic of trees
and they can be whatever you want to make them be.

Once our family festivities have come to a close it's time to add some food for the birds and decorate my yard with this year's special tree.
Our tree story has a forever happy ending, I hope yours will too.

The best gifts in our life 

won't be found under our Christmas trees

but rather the best gifts are found

 with those that gather around our Christmas trees,

our family and friends.


Thanks for brightening my day
take good care of you!

Saturday Wooden Critters

SATURDAY'S CRITTERS
by wooden designs.

Hard to believe Thanksgiving Day is only 5 days away!

Tomorrow is just a dream away.

This turkey is still on the fence about Thanksgiving.


So, have you ever heard about the clever Danish artist, Thomas Dambo known for hiding giant wooden sculptures in hopes to inspire nature lovers to explore the unknown depths of Copenhagen's forests? He has hidden six of these giant sculptures throughout six different municipalities in the area.  His sculptures are amazing as these photos show.

Below are some wooden sculptures so much closer to home.

Home is where your Gnome is.

There is a great lesson of Beauty and the Beast
that a thing must be loved before it is lovable.
Chesterton G. K.

In some neighborhood, live a couple of trolls
 perched on tree stumps 
that spend their days
 laughing hysterically or so I've been told. 

A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.

A happy face makes everything better.

Wouldn't you agree?

Is it a bird?

Dreams must be chased,

for if we wait for them to chase us

we will live a life of waiting.

Craig D. Lounsbrough

Since the livelihood of turkeys is crucial this time of year
here's a bit of turkey humor.

Lovely wooden little free library.
Feed the birds while feeding minds.


Not what we say about our blessings
but how we use them
is the true measure of our thanksgiving.
W.T.Purkiser


Thanks for stopping by you visits are special to me.
May all your Thanksgiving celebrations be
 joyful and filled with love and happiness.

Thankfulness always sees everything as a gift 
even though it might be wrapped in 
some rather unsavory wrapping paper, 
for the wrapping need not dictate the contents.

I Spy With My Little Travel Eye continued

My I spy collection continues.

Saint Paul, Minnesota. 

Outside where dusk begins to fall
once it's dark enough
you can dance under the stars.

We are, all of us, on our own journeys.
Alexandra Bracken
Just call me a wayfarer.

Not far from my house.

Your assumptions are your windows 

(or gates) on the world.

Scrub them off every once in a while,

or the light won't come in.

Isaac Asimov

I'm always surprised by unexpected deliciousness in my travels,
especially when served in unusual ways. One was the best Gumbo Soup ever, served in a huge pot passed from table to table while dining on Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

Sometimes we travel the world wide in search 

of delicious heartiness that we also make in our own kitchens.

Good manners.

While eating

Chicken Soup

The noise you don't make 

while you're eating soup.

Bennett Serf 

Humor it makes everything better, like chicken soup.

After reading this quote below and adding something my mother told me during my teenage years, well it just empowers me more to strive on with my beliefs.

So one day my mother sat me down and explained that I couldn't become an explorer because everything in the world had already been discovered.  I'd been born in the wrong century and I felt cheated. - Ransom Riggs

Maybe it was better, now and then, to wonder. (and wander) Ransom Riggs 
Not maybe Ransom, absolutely, always wonder.

There's always a story behind everything.

Don't just assume anything.

The undiscovered places 

that are interesting to me

are these places that contain

bits of disappearing history, 

like a ghost town. 

Ransom Riggs

So just around any corner 

where you've possibly traveled

 time and time again

this time

bring new eyes with you.

Bet you may believe this is our state bird here in Minnesota?

But this isn't in Minnesota.

It is a narrow mind that cannot look at a subject 

from various points of view.

George Eliot

So many Zoos and Aquariums

will we ever see them all?

One of my favorite home away from home places is right here.

 Huntsville Alabama's Botanical Gardens

Always build new sand castlesSo what if they wash away?


This photo below of me was taken during quite the incredible
outdoor adventure for so many folks.
It really encouraged wandering about. Sure sometimes in subzero temperatures, and sometimes blizzards, more often in the sunshine just to combat attacks of cabin fever!

Again I'm hoping Checkpoint Minnesota will return this year,

 but in checking out their site it appears doubtful.