merry christmas...

 in the land of Bethlehem,
a tiny baby wakes,
his path ahead,
he doesn't know,
the difference he will make.

wise men come from miles away,
to see the newborn king,
shepherds leave their flocks,
to revel in this day.

oh so humble and benign,
a manger for a bed,
unaware,
this tiny babe,
wimpers to be fed.

angels sing,
his lullaby's,
he settles in to sleep,
the time will come,
his work be done,
but for tonight,
there's peace.

 thought i'd whip out a few christmas poems.  seemed fitting in the early hours of christmas day.

 enjoyed a day of relative warmth...a christmas miracle!  i think we even got as warm as 15F! felt great to be outside.  it was just blossom and i for the monday walk...as predicted.  everyone busy with family on this day.  i did speak to some friends and family which is always fun! hopefully, i'll catch up with a few more tomorrow.

 i walked out and checked on the tree we decorated in the woods.  the first picture is from our tree.  i was going to hang the decorations that speedy made, but alas....
when i loaded blossom in the car (rio wouldn't get off the couch) i noticed some string scattered around the back of the car.  i thought it odd, but my mind soon wandered to other things.  when i got to the trailhead i went to grab the bag of bird treats to put in my pack.  all i found was an empty chewed up bag...RIO!!!  hopefully, her gut has no ill effects from eating 2 bird suet squares.  silly dog! speedy texted that it was made with peanut butter....of course.  it is impressive that a blind dog with such a massive head could so delicately nibble around the bits of string.

 love when the trees are all wound up together.

 sleep comes slow,
on christmas eve,
visions of toys,
of treats and joys,
that lie beneath the christmas tree,
waiting for the unwrapping noise.

when you wake,
it's christmas day,
so much excitement,
you can hardly contain.

en masse you rush,
to check the tree,
all eyes light up,
with delightful glee.

santa has come,
it's clear to all,
the stockings are full,
presents stacked tall.

the meaning of christmas,
we couldn't say,
the rush of the moment,
excitement unleashed,
an act that's repeated each,
christmas day.

 doesn't look like the critters have done much with our decor.  it looks pretty appetizing.

 lots of bikers/walkers out there today.  a day off of work.

 we eventaully crossed back over the field and then headed for stumphenge.

 it was snowing a few flakes when i started, then the skies turned blue, then they clouded up and now i have no idea.  there is snow in the forcast, but who knows

 tried to get some pictures of all the frost at stumphenge.  it's pretty cool.

 was remembering today how on christmas morning after the gifts were opened mom would make us all hot cocoa and often dad would help cook our pancakes.  i remember there were times that he'd make our pancakes in the shape of animals.  he must not have done that very often.

 went over to sandra's for dinner.  we figured we were strays.  again i had no invites, clearly i have some sort of social issues.  i do remember my mom trying to think of people who would have no place to go for christmas dinner and inviting those people to join us.  we had so many people eating at our house christmas eve...what were a few more.

 after dinner i cruised through a few neighborhoods looking at lights.  i always enjoy checking out the light displays.  didn't seem to be as many this year.  probably due to the cold temps we've experienced these past several months.  hard to get motivated to put lights out when it's this chilly.

 some did get motivated and there were several super big pines that were all lit up.  that takes some doing.

 will settle in and watch the muppet christmas carol when i'm done here.  so cute.  will have to fast forward through the silly love song bit...it's pretty weak.

 this was a strange looking camel.  most lit up animals are moose so strange to see a camel out there.

 at least i recognized it as a camel.

 more of the ice at stumphenge.

 the beloved tennis ball in the frost.

 memories of those lost come to me at this time of year.  my grandfather, ellis, and my parents especially.  grandpa lived with us for many years and was cared for by the family.  he was an easy man to be around.  every morning you'd greet him and he'd say, "just waking up".  years before his strokes he lived over our garage in the apartment we had there.  he used to make me blackberry jello and i'd come up after school and have a snack with him.  he'd also leave a dollar in your room if he came over and found it clean.

 times change and the magic of christmas also changes with it.  for me i'd say it's less magic now and more peace.  i find the time peaceful.  the lights, the music, the kindnesses shared.

 spoke with a friend today and he mentioned he'd been in line behind a woman who was trying to buy some last minute gifts for her children.  they were not elaborate or expensive gifts, just things for them to open christmas day.  he said her card kept getting refused and she didn't have enough cash.  he paid her bill, which was less than $100 but still would be a dent in his own budget as it would for any of us.  generosity and kindness abounds this time of year especially.  i like that.  of course, there are those, like this friend and my brother jeff, who are generous and kind throughout the year.

 i know i could do more, give more.  it's easy to just go about your life and look away at the needs of others.

 kindness starts, in our hearts.

 getting too sleepy for any more fast poems.

 blossom waits patiently while i take pictures and hold onto the beloved orange ball.  too slippery for ball chasing in stumphenge anyway.

 2 firefighters were killed today.  they were lured in and ambushed as they went to put out a fire.  the man who ambushed them did time for a previous murder and was released several years back.  not sure why he had guns or access to them.  so sad...all these lives lost this month...innocent victims to crazed madmen with guns.

 i think these show the frost better than the others.

 sure is crunchy as you walk on it.

 a few large cracks in the ice as i walked around. i wasn't scared...

 blossom and rio are unaware of christmas or the meaning of christmas. could try to explain but it would be in vain.  dogs have no need of saving...they do not harm unless they are attacked or hungry.  kindness is innate in them.  they are trusting like children.

 hoping everyone enjoys their christmas day no matter what plans they have made.  i will be solo as usual.  thankfully, i had loads of full christmas's in my past and in general i am fine with the quiet christmas i will have.  admittedly, some christmas's i do get lonely. it seems to be hit and miss with no real rhythm or reason as to why one year things upset me and another year i could care less. got a package from my sister today so i put that under the tree so i will have something to open in the morning.
 santa doesn't come to my house no more,
 no stockings get filled,
 no presents gallore,
 the things i want,
 i must buy in a store.  haha.

 guess i had another poem in me afterall...hehe.

 i am ready for bed...christmas is exhausting...

 merry christmas to all no matter how you celebrate and what you believe.  the spirit of christmas doesn't care what you believe...only that you extend kindness.  the lady checking me out today at the grocers was almost done with work.  her manager was directing more people to her line, she tried to tell her she was closing as she was leaving in a few minutes.  the manager said she still had 10 minutes and continued to direct people to her line.  i looked at the girl and said, "bah, humbug".  she laughed and repeated this phrase, which was clearly foreign to her...buhumbug...as one word.  everyone, including her manager laughed.  perhaps one day she'll watch scrooge.

 watched a bit of "miracle on 34th street" this evening.  some days i suppose we all wonder if our lives matter, if it would have been better had we not been born at all.  we all do matter, we impact those around us.  we choose whether that impact is good or bad i believe, but one doesn't need to do grand gestures to make an impact on others lives, often it's those small things one does each day that simply makes the others we share this earth with smile or makes their day a bit easier.  we are all on this ride together...