Christmas Spirit

This is a hard thing to say but I have a love and hate relationship with Christmas. I love it. I truly do. But there are moments and even some days when I hate it.  Those are the days when I feel that I am totally behind in my preparations, when I feel that my list of things to do will never get done (it never does), when I worry about traveling in bad conditions (our families are not nearby) and when everything else in life is preoccupying me.

Maybe that's why I love the movie 'National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation' with Chevy Chase so much.  I can really identify with his attempts at creating a perfect Christmas for his family.

One solution is definitely to try and do less.  I suppose scaled-down preparations, fewer presents and a less grumpy mother at Christmas could be a gift. :) Also to concentrate on what's truly important.

We do have our tree up now and it is exquisitely beautiful--I think our nicest yet. We go and cut our tree down each year, a tradition started a long time ago by my Mom and Dad.

Somehow we managed to find the time amid school projects, commitments and my husband's insane work schedule to cut our tree down on Sunday.

The decorations aren't quite finished so the boxes are still out. My elves go to high school during the day.

Did I mention that my elves are pretty?

Actually pretty goofy. :)

I own over 1200 Christmas songs.  (So you see that I do love Christmas.)  I listen to all sorts of genres.  Here's a song that I keep playing lately.  It's by a Canadian country singer named Jessie Farrell.  The song is called 'Christmas in My House'. The message is a good one for people like me.

Another song that I really love is by American singer/songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter. It's called 'Christmas Carol' and it's from her album 'Come Darkness, Come Light'.  There's a sad undertone to it but it's really quite beautiful. It's a song about trying to reconcile her sense of Christmas as an adult with fuzzy childhood memories, commercialism, environmental change and world events. I couldn't find a video of it  but here are the lyrics and I encourage you to buy her song and listen to the lovely lyrics along with her soothing voice.

The week before Thanksgiving Day 

This town puts up its old display 

Streetlights hung with candy canes and bows 

The earlier it gets each year 

The scarcer is my Christmas cheer 

I guess I just like taking these things slow 

I really don't remember much 

Of Christmases growing up 

Except the year the Beatles came to play 

On my record player that came from Sears 

That White Album filled my ears 

In 1968 on Christmas Day.

I haven't been to church since God knows when 

I'm not someone who usually attends 

Truth be told there's just two wishes 

On my list every Christmas 

Peace on earth and a snow storm now and then

Now I pray that peace comes in our time 

It's hard enough to keep from crying 

When every bit of news just breaks your heart 

The same old stories, same old songs 

We dust them off when Christmas comes 

And for one day we just try to do our part 

And around here winter seems to come 

With rain and mud and bits of sun 

It's not exactly Currier and Ives

I don't mind cold if it brings snow 

Alberta Clippers come and go 

But a dusting would make everything all right

Perhaps a Christmas eve from long ago 

Delivered Christmas day with knee-high snow 

It's something lost but not forgotten 

Like candy hidden in a stocking 

That makes me every year wish it were so 

Because Christmas is for children's joy 

For every single girl and boy 

That's the truth we come to understand 

But the memories that don't let go 

Like Beatles songs and falling snow 

Can make us feel innocent again 

And maybe next year we won't go insane 

When they rush to hang the bows and candy canes 

Because peace will shine in me and you 

From Bethlehem to Timbuktu 

Even if the forecast is for rain 

Because peace will shine in me and you

From Bethlehem to Timbuktu 

Even if the forecast is for rain

Here's hoping that you find whatever makes sense to you as the Christmas spirit in the days ahead, no matter what is happening in your life or the world around you. ♥

For Ginger

Well I guess life won't throw you one curve ball when it can throw you two.  I got a very sad email from my parents saying that they had to say goodbye to their 12-year-old (almost 13) Golden Retriever today.  Ginger was operated on this past summer for a tumour and bounced back rather beautifully. Unfortunately it returned recently and in a way that did not leave treatment options.

You know the old adage 'A picture is worth a thousand words'? You just have to look at the above photos sent by my Mom and Dad to know the dog that Ginger was.

Ginger was a gentle soul, a worrier (oh my, did she worry) and a devoted companion.  She was beside herself when my father went anywhere without her. She did not like when anyone was in the lake--kind of a difficult attitude for a cottage dog. She loved her people and they loved her. She liked being with the other dogs whenever there were family gatherings and was always a very gracious host.

Ginger and I developed a special bond this past summer when she realized that I always have dog treats in my pockets (a necessity for the owner of a wayward puppy).  All of a sudden, she was trying to outspeed the younger family dogs when I asked for a 'Sit' or 'Lie Down'.  It was pretty cute.

Marlowe, Ginger and Meeko.  Not in the photo: Mabel.

A huge hug to my Mom, Dad and sister Karen.  Ginger was so loved and well cared for.

And if they could be there with you right now to offer a little canine comfort, I know that her buddies Meeko, Marlowe (my brother's family dog) and Mabel (my sister's family dog) would be.

I think it is hard to hear of a pet dying without feeling the weight of all past pets.  So in this moment, my thoughts are with Ginger but also our childhood dogs Peppi, Mitzi and Toby, my cat Mackenzie King and my sister Karen's cat Whiskers.  I give thanks to all pets everywhere for the wonderful comfort and companionship they bring us.

Until one has loved an animal, a part of one's soul remains unawakened.
Anatole France

*  *  *  *  *

I wanted to close this post with four lovely photos kindly sent to me by Émilie who is from Brittany, France. As she said, these rainbows are not in the sky but they are beautiful all the same. Beautiful indeed.

Mucha stained glass in Prague, Czech Republic

Windows in Manchester cathedral

Painted horse in Rotterdam

Cathedral in Jumièges, Normandie

When I look at these photos, they say to me that rainbows are all around us.  We just have to look for them to find them.  And I guess on some days it may be a little harder to see them.  Merci Émilie!

Thank you to all my blog readers for your kindness and thoughtfulness. You warm my heart.

Walking in the Snowflakes

Mister Meeko and I went for a walk in the snowflakes.  It's quite mild today, so the walk was a little bit wet but quite enjoyable.  Very pretty too.

It didn't start out entirely smoothly. I got to the park and realized that my camera didn't have a memory card in it so we went back to the house.  I'm so absentminded lately. Meeko was a little surprised to be returning home so quickly.

Mr. Snowflake.  Did anyone notice the little hair trim in time for Christmas?

Once I had my memory card, I took quite a few photos.  Unfortunately, I couldn't use about half of them as they were out of focus.  Yes, I forgot to bring my glasses again. It's also complicated taking photos with a dog on a leash. Meeko is very good about stopping.  He's getting used to that.  But while I am taking my time composing my photo, he's thinking, 'While she's doing this, why don't I just go waaaay over here and sniff that.'

I did manage to get quite a few pretty photos.  In a few photos, you can see white lines.  They are the snowflakes falling.

The one below is without a doubt my favourite. I guess those are snowflake drops? It wasn't raining.

And finally, we got back from our snowy, wet walk.  Both Meeko and I have naturally curly hair that gets curlier when it is rainy or snowy. (I guess owners do resemble their dogs!) Here's my curly boy at the end of our walk.  You're just going to have to imagine what I looked like. :)

The photo is a little hazy as by this time my lens was a bit wet!

Have a good weekend in the sun or the snow, the warm or the cold, depending on where you live!