Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas

Thanks for sharing some of the holiday season with me this year.
It has been memorable. Below are some photos I've shared this month, along with a video tour of the house.


In the sunporch I have three lighted trees this year. The full size one is the Santa tree. When I sit in that chair I can see the main tree in the living room.



It was inspired by this ornament...





To the left of the santa tree in the sunporch is the red and white tree...





This Santa is on the writing desk beside the red tree.



On the other side of the sunporch, in front of the piano, is the pink and green tree.







Under the living room tree, the main tree is where I have all the presents.



There's a theme every year. This year's blue, purple, silver and white was inspired by a ribbon.



The tree looks different exposed for the lights.

Also in the living room I have the copper and gold tree.

In the dining room this year I have a white tree with blue, silver and crystal ornaments.




Beside this tree, on a chest, I have some of my Santas.

I also have this tree in the dining room...

And near it two of my favorite Santas...

This is right behind the table, where I spread out the goodies when I had my open house Saturday night. I love to bake, so I cooked up a number of sweets.


If you want to see it all in context, I took some video. Just click on the arrow and it will play automatically for you.


Greg took some photos of folks Saturday night. Some included Ace Jackalope.









Thanks for being part of my holiday season this year. Merry Christmas to you and yours. If you're enjoying a big family celebration, or gathering with friends, or appreciating the beauty of solitude this Christmas, may it be all you wish it to be and full of wonder. Happy Christmas to All.


________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. My southern fiction book is complete and I'm looking for a literary agent. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

Holiday Remembrances

Every year people in my life gift me with some wonderful treasures during the holiday season. Some come as hostess gifts at the open house and are just because gifts. Pictured are just some of the goodies that have found their way to me this season.

The doily everything is sitting on was from Pat. I have a deep affection for hand crocheted items of all sorts - from potholders to doilies to lace on linens.

Jocelyn made me those cards, and Sharon brought that "Night Before Christmas" book. I don't think she knew it is my favorite Christmas book. I have the one I've had since childhood that I put out every year.



This precious little teacup is from Barbara. It's one her mother made and she passed it on to me. She says she's not sentimental about things. I, of course, am sentimental about everything. I've already put in on the tree, so I can enjoy it every year. She brought some other goodies, too, but I simply couldn't picture everything. This little teacup is a treasure.



Of course, people know of my fondness for tea, and my friend, Jan, brought me this beautiful Lenox tea cart ornament. Isn't it amazing? I was so touched that she remembered me this way.



Mary Lou made me this amazing crocheted tea cup and saucer? Isn't it incredible? I adore the little pink touches around the edges. I wrote here some time ago that I was wanting some crocheted tea cups. Mary Lou read it and took it to heart. It was so sweet of her to do it.



This little angel came from Nancy, who has made my tree much more cosmopolitan. She got the angel in Poland. Last year she brought me an ornament from Mongolia, and the year before one from Russia. It's so kind of her to think of me when traveling.

I just love all of these, as well as other things not pictured here like a copy of Jim's book, great Christmas music (old-fashioned greats!), Santa figurines and other goodies. It's very kind of people to remember me at the holidays.
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Christmas Catch up

Well, I'm happy to report that I'm feeling better. Not completely normal yet, but much better. So... time for some Christmas catch up.



Greg was here, complete with the blinking elf hat purchased during our trip to see Andy Williams, on Thursday evening for the Children's Christmas. Father Christmas was spectacular, of course. We didn't have a large turn out of kids - the weather was getting a little dicey - but, it was fun.

The News came to take some photos and interview me about the tree and other decorations. I'm hoping it's a fun piece. I really love to share Christmas with folks.

The next few days are a blur of going to the doctor and laying on the couch, interrupted by piling up in bed, only to return to the couch. Of course, I could see the tree from the couch, so that was a bonus.

Saturday night I did throw on some sweats and drive through the luminaria in Hyde Park for about an hour. I didn't want to miss it. It's just gorgeous and such a cool thing. Jim Sunderland has been one of the organizers for years and I so appreciate that sort of dedication. Jim is a good guy in so many ways.

Greg took some beautiful photos and allowed me to add a couple in here. I took none. I remained in the warm car at all times.





Sunday afternoon I snapped a photo of the winter solstice sunlight hitting an ornament on the tree. I had watched it do this Saturday afternoon and Greg took some photos. On Sunday I couldn't resist getting off the couch and snapping some myself. This was the one I got that was passable. It's a fun little bit, and an idea I owe to Greg.



If you haven't been looking in on The Lope lately, you should. He's doing Ace's Twelve Days of Christmas.

I hope the last few days of your Christmas season are shaping up nicely.
________________
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Sick

I hate it when people blog about being sick, but I know people wonder where I'm at if I don't blog every day. So, it's unavoidable for me to explain that without saying, "I'm sick." I can't think about much of anything else right now other than getting well. Your regularly scheduled blogging will resume when I'm well. Very soon, I hope.
________________
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Father Frost

I just love it when Father Frost makes a holiday appearance.
________________
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Nothing witty

I'm afraid I have nothing witty, interesting or insightful to share with you today. My brain power has been occupied with work details. There's much to do for a non-profit at year end. I'm afraid little of it is particularly interesting. It's mostly paperwork sorts of things. But, it's necessary nonetheless. So, I've been immersing myself in it, trying to slog through.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is one week away. I'm not ready! I want more Christmas season!

We go this gorgeous snow on Tuesday and I was so busy I didn't really get a chance to enjoy watching it. It seems a shame now that the actual holiday is so close. If I could just have a couple more weeks of Christmas season I'd love it. Just a couple more weeks. Please. Who's in charge of these things, anyway?

It's certainly not me. I want to move Thanksgiving to the end of September so we'd have Thanksgiving season, then Halloween season, then the Christmas season would start November 1.

Well, I must go get some rest. I have more mind-numbingly-dull paperwork to do tomorrow. Gosh, there's something to look forward to.

Actually, I do have something to look forward to tomorrow - lunch with Kristine and then tomorrow evening is my Children's Christmas open house. I tried to do this last year but cancelled because of the ice storm. So, this is the first go at it. Father Frost will be here. The candy canes are ready. We'll see how it goes. I don't know what to expect - there may be one kid or three or twenty or fifty. Whatever, it will be fun, I'm sure.
________________
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Avoidance

I've had a couple of emails from folks commenting that I've not been writing my usual kind of material here - what I'm thinking about, what I'm ticked off about, what is happening in the political world, etc. I assure you I'll be back to my usual self after the holidays. I just need a break.

I'm sick to death of hearing about the horrible economy and all the other "news" of the day. So, I'm avoiding. Those of you who have read here for a while know I'm a big believer in avoidance as a coping technique. Denial catches up with you almost immediately but avoidance, avoidance my friend can carry you through for a long time.

So, I'm avoiding. And, blissfully, it's a great season for avoidance. There are sparkly holiday lights and Christmas music and pretty presents and looking forward to seeing my family.

You can always haunt the archives if you need a fix of the other sides of me. Below is a list from 2007 and earlier, in no particular order, of some of the things people mention to me now and then. Meanwhile I'll be here, cocooned in my fluffy Christmas world, for a bit longer.

This I Believe
http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/08/this-i-believe.html

Is This appropriate?

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2007/07/logic-and-appropriateness.html

Quivira

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/10/quivira-national-wildlife-refuge-today.html

Bits and Pieces of Life

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/10/bits-and-pieces-of-life.html

Mama

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2005/05/remembering-mama.htm

I am No One's Daughter

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2005/04/i-am-no-ones-daughter.htm

How Big is the Sun?

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2005/04/how-big-is-sun.htm

Easter Sunday Thoughts

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2007/04/easter-sunday-rambling-thoughts.html

The Last Time

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/04/could-be-last-time-i-had-very-full-day.html

Let it go, let it be, let it lie

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2007/03/creative-sisterhood-and-more.html

A Ten Year Plan

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/08/10-year-plan-tonight-was-chicks-and-it.html

Letters from 1982

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2007/06/1982.html

Old Friends

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2007/06/old-friends.html

Poking at old lives

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2007/07/poking-at-old-lives.html

Dr. Robert Putnam

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2005/04/dr-robert-putnams-speech-in-hutchinson.htm

Finding a Good Man

http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/07/finding-good-man-i-heard-song-today.html

Not Natural to Be Happy
http://www.patsyterrell.com/2006/02/no-longer-natural-to-be-happy.html

Travel with Matthew - 4/9/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/6516.html

Teaching Children - 4/18/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/10405.html

Mama 4/24/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/11506.html

Journals 7/27/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/30958.html

Unity 9/14/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/40971.html

Happiness 9/17/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/41245.html

Person of Rivers 10/10/2004
http://patsyterrell.livejournal.com/47544.html

________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

Time

It's only one week until Christmas eve. I don't know about you, but I have many things to do between now and then. I have numerous work things to do before the end of the year and some of them are a bit complex. I worked on one of them today, but didn't get it done, so I'll tackle it again tomorrow.

Most of my shopping is done, although I still have a couple of little things left to buy. I have everything wrapped that I have bought, but there are some little details I won't take care of until the last minute.

To top it off, it's too darned cold here at the moment to be doing anything. We have an "arctic blast" and they're not joking. It was frigid all day and is supposed to be the same tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to being out in it tomorrow and I have a long list of things to accomplish.

Tonight was our Chicks Christmas party and it was lovely. Tomorrow night is the MHA board meeting so I'll have to be out in the weather then, too. I'm one of those people who's cold all the time, anyway, so this is not a bonus.

They're planning to turn my water off tomorrow for at least part of the day to work on a break - we have a giant hole in the street right in front of my house - so I'm going to shower before I go to bed tonight and sleep with wet hair. I should have planned that better, but so it goes.
________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

Christmas at my Home

I thought it would be fun to participate in this online open house at www.boomama.net, while sharing photos from my real life open house this past Saturday. See how that all works together? Nifty, huh?

Saturday night was really fun. There were a little more than 60 people here over the course of the evening. About half of them were folks who had never been to my house at Christmas. It was great to see people, although I didn't get to chat with everyone as much as I would have liked to. In fact, I never said more than "hello" to quite a few folks. I don't know how to address that because, even though I love to talk, I can only talk so much so quickly. Yes, even me. Besides, I think people come to see the main tree as much as anything.



In the sunporch I have three lighted trees this year. The full size one is the Santa tree. When I sit in that chair I can see the main tree in the living room.



It was inspired by this ornament...





To the left of the santa tree in the sunporch is the red and white tree...





This Santa is on the writing desk beside the red tree.



On the other side of the sunporch, in front of the piano, is the pink and green tree.







Under the living room tree, the main tree is where I have all the presents.



There's a theme every year. This year's blue, purple, silver and white was inspired by a ribbon.



The tree looks different exposed for the lights.

Also in the living room I have the copper and gold tree.

In the dining room this year I have a white tree with blue, silver and crystal ornaments.




Beside this tree, on a chest, I have some of my Santas.

I also have this tree in the dining room...

And near it two of my favorite Santas...

This is right behind the table, where I spread out the goodies when I had my open house Saturday night. I love to bake, so I cooked up a number of sweets.




Greg took some photos of folks Saturday night. Some included Ace Jackalope.







I didn't include photos of all the trees or collections, because this post would be even longer. You can see some of the things on the shelves here.

I was so touched Saturday night that Mark and his mom, and Carl and Kris came down from Kansas City for the party. Mia came from Joplin. And, some folks brought me hostess gifts Saturday night that I was so touched by.

Today I relaxed and didn't do a whole lot. We all went to Newton for lunch before they headed to their respective homes, and Greg and I came back to Hutchinson. We had hoped to be able to stop by Teresa's on the way back and see her Christmas tree. That woman can decorate a tree, let me tell you. But, it just didn't work out to do that.

So, I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning up a bit and trying to stay warm. This is our first really cold day/night here. It is 9 degrees here now, with a windchill of -23. How can anything be 23 below zero?

Fortunately, I'm not in the wind, although my office, which is on the north side of the house, feels a bit colder than one would expect when storm windows are in place and plastic in addition. I bought some more plastic today to do a couple more windows. This is a price one pays to live in an old house but I just adore my old house so I'll get out the hair dryer and shrink wrap my windows in plastic. In fact, I think the last time I used the hair dryer was for that very thing.

A quick thank you to everyone who came Saturday night and shared the holiday season with me. And to everyone who's sharing the Christmas season with me online. I just adore Christmas and love to share it. Come on over, lets have a cup of tea and watch the lights!

________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. My southern fiction novel is complete and I'm looking for a literary agent. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

I've been neglecting my writing lately - the kind with pen and paper. I've been doing tons of writing at the keyboard, but that is a very different kind of writing.

I moved my writing desk to the east side of my sun porch to make room for the Christmas tree in there to be visible from the street. I also put out these new additions Greg got me for Christmas from Victorian Trading Company. I love that place and I've wanted these for ages. When we were there in October I was looking at them and Greg just got them for me for Christmas.
In addition to the tree in front of the window, I also put my favorite reading chair beside it, positioned so I can see the main Christmas tree in the living room when I'm sitting there. The white tree with the teapot ornaments I showed a few days ago is on the other side of this chair. I can sit there and see all but two of the Christmas trees in the house.



Maybe I should try writing from the chair. It would be different and maybe it would give me a new perspective. I know I need to spend some time with pen and paper. There's a magic you only get with that brain to hand to pen to paper connection.

There was a study I read about a year or so ago that showed that when people do creative writing at the keyboard it activates different parts of the brain than when people do creative writing with pen and paper. I generally do the most creative thinking with pen and paper and then do that actual writing at the keyboard.

It's with pen and paper that I do all of my soul searching. I could have told researchers it involves your brain differently. But, I guess they wanted something a bit more scientific than some woman in Hutchinson Kansas telling them... that whole proof and brain scans and such.
________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

Time Going Quickly

The Christmas season is zipping by much faster than I want it to. It's only two weeks until Christmas now. It always happens this way. No matter how early I start, I'm still decorating up until the last possible moment before I start entertaining and then it seems I just don't have enough time to enjoy everything.

There's something magic to me about everyone else also being in the holiday mood. That increases my own joy. I have considered starting to entertain in November, but I don't think others would be in the mood for that.

Last night was Creative Sisterhood and Julie and Teresa stayed for awhile afterwards and just enjoyed all the trees. Teresa mentioned she thinks my main tree is more sculpture than Christmas Tree. Truth be told, the tree really isn't visible - it's encrusted with ornaments. She said surely there would be museums or shopping malls that would pay me to come and create a tree for them. That would be a cool job. I wouldn't want to do but a couple each year, because they take many hours, but it would be fun to see people enjoy them.

I love to share the decorations with people so it was fun that they stayed around to enjoy them. It's really the only time I've had people over in the evening this season since I've had everything done. Generally I do a lot of gatherings but I just haven't had the energy this year. I am really looking forward to my open house Saturday, and the kid's event next week, but I don't have anything else planned.



So far this season I've been pretty solitary, and it has suited me up until now, but I am looking really forward to having friends over Saturday night. Parts of my life feel very out of control right now, and I'm spending part of every day putting myself back together after the world tries to tear me apart. But every moment I don't have to interact with the world I can be devoted to pure Christmas joy.

We only get so many Christmases in a lifetime and I want to enjoy every one of them. I've been steeling myself since Jim's death in January, knowing that this year that would be hard in some ways. But, I know Jim would have appreciated that my holiday excessiveness makes me happy. He would have thought I was a little off my rocker, but if it made me happy to go for it. Our mother and Jim were very alike in that regard. I guess Jackie and I have a lot of that in us too - the "if it makes you happy and doesn't hurt anyone, go for it" approach to life. It's not a bad way to live.

I'm realizing I have very few evenings left in which to go look at Christmas lights around town. I haven't done that at all since things got full force underway. I was waiting to do it with Greg and I realized today that I'm not going to have much opportunity to do it next week so I think I'll not get much of that done this year. But, I have my own decorations to enjoy and they make me very happy.

Last night I pulled the couch out into the middle of the living room, got a Christmas pillow and a quilt, and went to sleep looking at the Christmas tree. I always wake up a bunch of times during the night, and when I woke up a couple of hours later I turned it off and went upstairs to sleep the rest of the night. But, it was a really nice way to go to sleep. I'm thinking I may do the same tonight.



________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.

Beautiful Foolishness

"Meanwhile, let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness of things."
                                             The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura



This weekend I was taking photos of some of the Christmas trees around the house, including this one. I realize these things are "beautiful foolishness" but they make me happy, as do most things that would fall into the "beautiful foolishness" category.

I've practically stopped watching the news, which is filled with one story after another about the horrible economy. I think it would be so much better to focus on what's right with the economy. Wouldn't it be better if we could all focus on "beautiful foolishness" for awhile?
________________
Check www.patsyterrell.com for the blog, art, and more. Friend me on Facebook.com, Follow me at Twitter.com.