The 'Tween Days

Those days in between Christmas and the New Year tend to be some of my favorite days of the holiday. They have much to offer!  The shopping is over.  The rituals of Christmas, wrapping, shipping,delivering, checking the list twice to be sure no one was missed, is passed!  Cards have been sent, cards and gift rec'd.  Whew. . those are all biggies.  So now you can relax.  Enjoy the beauty of the Christmas tree and decorations on a calm day instead of a busy day.  It's now acceptable to take it all down if you have tired of the clutter or just bask in the glow if not. Reread Christmas cards and letters without having to rush through them and check to be sure that a card was sent to that person.  Too late anyway, will catch them next year.  The 'tween days are a good time to contemplate the coming year.  What do I want to do differently?  Make New Year's resolutions if you are in to those things.  I am more into just the contemplating.   I like to do things that make a difference.  In dealing with my LB issue, I have been very self centered this year.  After all, if I do not concentrate on surviving the big "C" would I be around to make a difference for anyone in my life or the world.  So my 'tween days thoughts wander through the annual ones of healthier eating and more exercise,(Tom's peppernuts and stolen baking projects were exceptional this year and reflecting on my waistline) better organization(always an annual as I think about the coming tax season), keeping check on my shopaholic activities(reminded of yesterday as I scarfed up the end of year clearance items at the Beall's store).  But also I am thinking of making a difference in others lives is important to me.  My daughter and grandson are both having graduation ceremonies in May. Daughter on track to excellent employment and grandson on track to college.  I like to think I have and will have a supportive hand in that.  That will make a difference.  I continue to be supportive to Kiwanis charitable activities. I continue to believe they make little differences for many.  But I need something more. . contemplating. . . thinking. . . I am so fortunate. . so many other are not. . .As the Quaker Friends say  "A way will open. . "

I am feeling well.  I spent a gift certificate on a couple expensive bras(I normally don't splurge on underwear purchases) that are evenly shaped, since I no longer am.  Why didn't I think of this before?  I have always worn the softer, unshaped ones which just don't work well in my out of balance LB situation.  I must be getting better to be so happy with such a trivial matter! 

The New Year is coming quickly!  Had a delightful dinner last night with Silver City  friends and acquaintances.  We usually hibernate for New Year's Eve but were invited to go to an early dinner with good friends at Bear Mountain Lodge just outside the town and one of our favorite spots.  That's a go!  We have some photography to deliver to a locally gallery this morning and will stop by our favorite breakfast spot on the way.  Yes life is good.  And time to contemplate that in these 'tween days of 2011. . .

Happy New year all. . the photo I am using is an abstract(like this post?) ice painting by my good friend "Mother Nature"..  She always supplies me with the best raw material for my photography. . hugs and love to all. . .

Sandy

Silver City Christmas Season, 2nd Year, with Hugs

This is our second year to be residents of Silver City for the holidays.  Last year, having just moved here from Colorado, we knew few people and were just feeling our way around.   This year it feels like home and I like it!  I realized a few days back it was so nice to go places and be greeted with hugs by people we now know.  I am a hugger.  Learned somewhere in midlife, not from my early life. I can still remember the shocked look on my Mother's face the first time I came home for a visit and greeted her with a spontaneous hug.  As with many loving people in my early life , hugging was not an automatic greeting.  Actually, it was through"Lulu" a dear friend somewhat my senior and a 5 foot bundle of energy, bubbling over joy and wit who greeted everyone with a hug, not a handshake, that  I came to learn what I had been missing as a 30 plus years of non-hugging. What a gift! I lost track of  Lulu several years back. I need to find her and say "Thank You"!   Tom is a hugger.  Mancos was full of huggers.  Hugging is good for  the soul.  I am so happy to now feel a part of this friendly, hugging community known as Silver City, New Mexico.

We are off for our Oklahoma Christmas visit in a few days.  It is a multi purpose visit, not the least of which is to spend Christmas with daughter Heidi and the grandchildren.  Also am needing to see about some major repairs needed on my rental house and a couple of other things.  We are doing our annual trek to the Bluff Balloon festival mid January and sometime soon will be going for a check up at Mayo.  Am feeling good, LB is still healing slowly but hopefully complete within the next few weeks.

 I was delighted with the photo above being published in the December issue of Western Friends magazine.  I call it "Aspens and Evergreens" and was taken on our last trip to Colorado.  I used the original version before on the blog but this one is the one run through the computer "Paint It" program. Evergreens are nice but really love those aspen trees!

I expect I will not have the opportunity to blog again before the 25th, so I will send a  Merry Christmas! to all my friends, family and Friends out there.   And yes, a big "Christmas Hug!" to each and everyone of you!

In the spirit of this joyful holiday. . with love. . Sandy

The View

Very cold, very beautiful!  Snows aren't as frequent here in Silver City as in Colorado or  Michigan or come to think of it even northern Nevada but they do come with a beauty all their own.  The landscape changes immediately to a winter wonderland and shrubs and native plants take on shapes and personalities the you have not seen on most days.   You can't beat mother nature for winter decorations.  The view here is from our back patio. I usually crop out overhangs etc to make it look like I did more than open the slider, but I rather liked the icycles on this one.  And so many of the wildlife photos I take do not even involve opening the sliding door and are shot through the glass.  I guess this house was designed for senior citizen photographers!

Life is busy with holiday happenings.  I am enjoying working with Kiwanis on Christmas projects, including gifts for long term residents at an area hospital.    And FeVa Fotos is making a showing this Saturday at a holiday bazaar sponsored by two of the artist groups we belong to.  And that involves putting together a lot of new FeVa Christmas "keepsake" cards for that sale.  Always fun!   As a Kiwanis project , I worked on holiday lighting of a gazebo in our local downtown park.  More complicated than it sounds!  But I have never worked with a nicer bunch of city officials including the young men on the  fireman crew who came to hang the lights.  And Tom has been up the ladder several times to achieve a proper setting on the timer!  Something else that proved more complicated than it looked.  But as of last night We Got It!   Most of my packages are mailed . .and only a couple of Christmas Parties to go. . This season always comes on so fast. . and it is evidently here!

The status on my healing body part remains about the same.  Slowly. . slowly. . but no problems that I am aware of. . I should be going back to Mayo for a check up next month for sure.  But for now and just thankful for another holiday season to enjoy with a Tom  and exchange greetings and goodwill with family and friends.   Even without a cancer recovery it isn't difficult to find gratitude for a good life when you look at the needs of those near and far.  We aren't that far from an area of our world where we are told some  mothers are eating every other day so their children can have something to eat every day.  That one got me!    "Be thankful you have enough." Not my quote but one that looms large in my head.  There are many who don't have enough.  So I guess that is my thought today.  Gratitude for being one of those who has "enough".   And humbly grateful for the being blessed with  so much more.  Sending love and hugs to family , Friends and friends. . .Sandy

Whoops! Holiday Time Already!

My the time sure flies when you get into this time of year.  This little birdie is working on one of the last apples on the tree outside the kitchen window.  I end up taking a lot of my photos through glass.  I feel lucky to have the wildlife that come to visit the yard.  I must remember to wash windows! We have been busy with Thanksgiving and trying to get our early Christmas shopping done so that those things can be shipped.  It looks like we are going to be going to Oklahoma for a quick Christmas trip so  I can deliver there.  Last night was the lighted Christmas parade in Silver City.  It doesn't start until 7:30 and then they turn off all of the street lights.  Draws a huge crowd but it is really difficult photography.  And cold!  I was reminded how the temperature can drop in the high desert when the sun goes down.  I wore my Michigan parka and was glad I had it!  Tom wore a heavy shirt and sweater and vest and I think he  wished he had a Michigan parka!  We do get climatized here.  The temperature was only down to 40 degrees but felt much colder. There was a Christmas concert at the old downtown theater before the parade that was a real treat.  And it was warm inside!  Tom has been doing a quite a bit of baking.  Already two batches of baklava for different events and working on his Christmas peppernuts that he likes to send for gifts.  They are addictive.  We need to hide them instead of sitting them on the kitchen cabinet.  I can see that new year's resolutions for me will have to do with diet and sweets!   Excuse the rambling. .just wanted everyone to know that all is well here.  Still working on healing but still going well.  I suspect I will be going for my Mayo checkup in January.  Not a bad time of year to go to Scottsdale!  Wishing you all a big helping of Christmas cheer!  Love and Hugs to all . . .Happiness and gratitude abounds here!

Party Animals!

Yep, it was a 2 party weekend for us old folks!   First we attended a beautiful wedding of Jessica and Kyle (pictured above) in Tucson.    We enjoyed taking photos and eating yummy food and visiting with a lot of excited family members.  Beautiful wedding, beautiful setting, beautiful couple.  Good times! 

And then the next day we were off to a baby shower in Scottsdale  for   a special family member for me(it's complicated) and I was so glad to be able to attend.   Again lots of good food(Tom's baklava served at both events) , nice folks and it was a treat to see Autumn, a cute mother- to- be, pictured doing baby practice , open many little pink and frilly baby things for the baby who is due on December 10th.  Tom took photos at this party and I just enjoyed.  He was doing great until the discussion of nipple shields at which point he turned red and said that now he knew why men don't attend baby showers!  Tom's such a good sport!   After the shower  we  managed to get ourselves to the nearest Outback Restaurant after checking into our favorite Sleep Inn.   Were surprised to wake to rain the next morning but took time before heading for home to stop in Trader Joe's to pick up a few foodstuffs.  Love Trader Joe's!  Also checked out a few other stores in the mall. .big city fix!   

So the party animals made it home Sunday at dusk. .Sr. Citizen party animals don't like to drive after dark!   It was a good weekend and today it was back to it- working on the hundreds of photos from both parties and getting caught up on local happenings. I am planning to make prints of the best photos and put together albums for those who will enjoy the memories.

 I am doing well, no problems. . .just still on the slowly healing track.  Looks like it will be December before it is time to go back to Mayo for my check up.  My impatience has turned into oh-well's . . .at least everything is going the right direction and I am grateful for that!  Love and Hugs. . .Sandy

The Frost is on the . . . Cholla!

I was so surprised this morning to wake to a gentle snowfall, lightly dusting the yard.  Birds were scampering after the bounty in the bird feeder and the seeds that had fallen below.  I flipped the switch on the gas fireplace and set down to enjoy my morning coffee.  Talking to Tom a bit later he laughed when telling me that the sun was shining in Washington DC and the people were wearing sandals and enjoying balmy weather.  I hope that he doesn't hit this storm as he starts home westwardly and the storm moves eastward.   As usual in Silver City, the snow was gone by noon but I must say a cold wind remained!  I guess I am spoiled with the wonderful weather here.  I dug out the Colorado outer clothing which included snow boots and a heavy jacket and proceeded with my plans to explore the happenings out and about Silver City.  I stopped first at the Mimbres Arts councils office where they were having their annual sale of items from Guatemala .  Wanted to ask why, with all the wonderful artists and crafts people locally ,they were bringing in goods from Guatemala?  I didn't make ripples and found a few things that I liked for Christmas gifts and  then moved on down the street to a big church bazaar.   I avoided all the goodies being served from the kitchen and proceeded to purchase some rolls of red velvet ribbon for $1(always good for  wrapping gifts) and two beautiful Christmas tree skirts(which I don't need)  and two stuffed bears dressed in holiday fare and holding a small light in each hand.  When I got them home , I realized why the batteries in the bears had been pulled.  The little lights do light up but the music they play would drive you up the wall. Oh, well.  I figured out how to just get the lights to come on, with no music.  They will work to decorate out table at the Christmas Bazaar that we are doing in December.  And if I want our table to get noticed, I know where that music switch is!  Also came home with a large plaster of paris yard decoration that I got help in loading but will have to wait for Tom to unload.  Hard to describe that one but I am sure it will be beautiful!   In the early afternoon the museum was presenting one of a series of historical plays which I wanted to be sure and catch.  The play was short and good but there was a young violinist that played wonderfully and also sang with the voice of an angel.  It amazes me the huge amount of   talent to be found in small towns.  Mancus was the same way.  Incredible!  I think people in the big cities must not take the time for the arts. . I guess that is a hasty judgement but wow! was that young girl good! So the day was fun. . would have been more fun to do it with Tom. . but was still good.  And I know he's going to love that big yard ornament! 

 Hope you excuse my ramblings but I know you are all tired of hearing about my LB or  "Unique Feature" or whatever I am calling this problem area of my body at this time.  Besides what is going on now is a slow process and so not much new to talk about there.  I will be glad when the healing is done and I can go back to Mayo for a check up and get their assurance that all is OK.   And all indications are that it is and I am grateful for that!   And grateful for all of you that listen to my rants, ramblings and nonsense.  Gratitude all around. 

Hugs and love, Sandy

Finding the " Light"

Do you have light in your life or darkness?   Most of us have a mix of the two.  If you have trouble with finding the light some days. . catch a sunrise or a sunset!   That is when God's light comes through the strongest.   As a photographer, the photos I have treasured most are those that have caught that few moments of beauty early morning or right before dusk.  Sometimes it catches me in such awe I have to remember to try and capture it through my lens.  And rarely, if ever, does the lens see the full glory of what my eyes have been allowed to see but somehow I feel I must try and preserve it forever.  Fortunately,  when we cannot find actual light in our day   we are given the ability to capture "light" in our minds through our spiritual beliefs or  through appreciating the gifts in our life and gratitude for all that life has given us.  Sometimes a beautiful reading can jar the mindset from darkness to light.  So my hope for all is to find the light in your life. . through you eyes. . through your mind. . and most of all through your heart.

Love and Hugs,
Sandy

P.S.
LB is still there, still healing and it is good to be able to focus on something else!  May you all feel "light" in your day!