Have a Very Merry Christmas!!

"From Home to home, and heart to heart, from one place to another. The warmth and joy of Christmas, brings us closer to each other." ~Emily Matthews

"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time." ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

"I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round, as a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
~Charles Dickens

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I love the many different Santa's.. there is a Santa for everyone..

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Winter Wonderland


Frosty feet
stomp around
wool scarfed
snowman.

Hot chocolate sippers
hibernate;
soaking fireplace warmth.

Written By: Patricia Sawyer
11-11-2008

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Thanks for stopping by my blog today.. I have rushed and hurried all day long getting ready for tomorrow.. I welcome both comments and followers... Have a wonderful day and a very Merry Christmas..

Patsy

Another Rainy.. Moody.. Monday!

"Every single night I'm nervous. You never know how the audience is going to react. "
~ Vivien Leigh

"Everything makes me nervous - except making films. " ~ Elizabeth Taylor

"I know what it's like to be pregnant and nervous and poor. " ~ Loretta Lynn

Nervous

1. Easily agitated or alarmed.
2. Apprehensive or anxious.
3. Relating to or affecting the nerves.

" I would love to sit on Santa's lap just once in my life! But I would be so Nervous!" ~ Aunt Lucy

This week Moody Monday has offered a theme of Nervous.. It is sometimes strange what makes a certain person nervous.. The picture above shows my late Aunt Lucy sitting on Santa's lap.. She was so scared! .. she was so Nervous that she was actually shaking.. look close and you will see that Santa is talking to her.. if you could hear his words.. you would hear him softly whisper.... " It's me Aunt Lucy.. Frank.."

We have a large family.. we have a big gathering near Christmas every year.. as long as Aunt Lucy lived she always came to visit which ever one of us was playing host that year.. We take turns sorta..But In the year above we were at a building Martha and Andy had reserved for that year.. It was their turn.. There was a big crowd there that year.. most of the eight of us have grown kids and some even have half grown Grand -kids.. Santa is a welcome sight every year.. for a few minutes all the little children are sitting quiet and smiling waiting their turn to try and make him believe they have been good all year.. Mason was sitting with all the other children planning his best ..I've been almost good story.. Dave was doing his very best at working the camera.. and Aunt Lucy and I were standing in the back of the room..

Aunt Lucy was My daddy's sister.. she always seemed like a strong woman to me.. she worked hard in factories all of her life and still found time to garden and sew.. she took up a lot of time with her Grand children...Every Sunday since I was a tiny little girl she was teaching little children Sunday school at her Church..

Aunt Lucy had rode with Mama to our Christmas party.. ever since Daddy had died, Aunt Lucy and Mama had become real close.. they often went places together and even shared taking care of an elderly neighbor lady all day so that her daughter could work...

Aunt Lucy was standing with me but I could see that her mind was on Santa and the children.. she never took her eyes off of Santa's bright red suit.. I asked her why she was way back there if she wanted to talk to Santa.. " I would love to sit on Santa's lap just once in my life! But I would be so Nervous!" she said....." I have wanted to sit on his lap and have my picture took ever since I was a little girl and he was uptown in the dime store!" she added.. "Go ahead !!" I encouraged her... "It's just Frank!" She shook her head and looked at me.. big tears in her eyes..
"I'd be too scared and Nervous!... are you sure that is "our" Frank?" I could tell she really wanted to but she was so nervous that she was shaking.. "I almost sat on his knee once when LP was a baby.." she said.. "But I chickened out and Diane took him up there.." She kept her eyes on Santa.. smiling as each child took their turn on his knee...."Then one time at the Church I wanted to... but no grown people were and I was scared they would laugh at me..." I kept telling her to go ahead.. No one here would laugh.. after all Davey and Jimmy had already been on his knee twisting around asking for a new gun.. Trudy had asked for something antique.. Reuben was next in line and I was betting he would ask for a new "Old Mustang" or for a boat.. Most of the grown ups had longer lists than the children had.. finally... just as Mama was getting off of Santa's knee.. Aunt Lucy looked at me and said.."If I don't do it now I might not ever have the chance again.... Are you sure that is Frank?" As soon as I nodded she hurried to the line and was soon sitting for the first and indeed the only time in her life on Santa's knee... She held on to Frank for dear life.. I eased up behind him and whispered that she was scared and for him to let her hear his voice...Aunt Lucy took sick and died before another Christmas came.. Every time I see Santa I think of her.. I would have never thought her to have been nervous of anything.. let alone of Santa.. We carried her a copy of her picture on Santa's knee..and with tears in her eyes she stuck it in her Bible.... I guess we all have something that makes us nervous.. maybe it's crowds or talking in front of people.. for me it is Mice and anything that looks... sounds or smells like one.. Cats make Trudy nervous.. and strange dogs make a certain son of mine nervous.. what makes you nervous?? I bet something does!!
Have a great day!
Patsy

Today is Ash Wednesday

"An idea can turn to dust or magic, depending on the talent that rubs against it."
~ William Bernbach

"Mark how fleeting and paltry is the estate of man: yesterday in embryo, tomorrow a mummy or ashes. So for the hair’s breadth of time assigned to thee live rationally, and part with life cheerfully, as drops the ripe olive, extolling the season that bore it and the tree that matured it. " ~Marcus Aurelius

"The dust of exploded beliefs may make a fine sunset." ~ Geoffrey Madan

If you live in New Orleans, Rio, or any of the other cities that have the big celebrations, it's been a week of party time ~ Mardi Gras~ but today the party is over. Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Christians around the world will gather, including many who partied so heartily yesterday, to observe the change of the season. The many faithful will approach their priest or pastor who will say "Remember that you are Dust, and to dust you shall return" while making the sign of the cross in black Ashes on each person's forehead. Or in some cases just placing a smudge of dust on the forehead. The first time I remember seeing the smudge was years ago when I was taking a square dance class and a lot of the members there were Catholic, I tried to wipe the dirt off one members head and boy did she get mad with me.. She snatched my wet paper towel right out of my hand and tossed it across the dance hall. She said I was trying to mess up her Lent.. I was just confused. I got even more confused when she wouldn't eat any pie because she was giving up Pie for Lent. I was young and figured something weird must be wrong with her. Needless to say I wasn't about to give up pie for something I didn't understand so I ate mine and hers. I was excited about a holiday that made her give me her pie, so I made it a point to find out a little more about it. I knew there had to be more to it than wearing ashes on your forehead.

In the Roman Catholic Church the first day of Lent is Ash Wednesday. Today begins a season of penance, reflection, and fasting which prepares one for Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday, through which we, who are all sinners, attain redemption. Even though the Bible doesn't mention the day of Ash Wednesday, all Roman Catholics are encouraged to attend Mass on this day in order to mark the beginning of the Lenten season. During this Mass, the ashes which give Ash Wednesday its name are distributed. The ashes are made by burning the blessed palms that were distributed the previous year on Palm Sunday; many churches ask their parishioners to return any palms that they took home so that they can be burned and the ashes saved for the following year. The priest blesses the ashes and then the people come forward to receive them. The priest dips his right thumb in the blessed ashes and making the Sign of the Cross on each person's forehead says " Remember man that thou art dust and to dust thou shall return". Some may not say those words exactly but something close to that. Many people wear the ashes then for the entire day upon their forehead as a sign of humility and obedience to God. While the ashes represent penance and contrition, they are also a reminder that God is merciful to those who call on Him with repentant hearts. His Divine mercy is of utmost importance during the season of Lent, and the Church calls on us to seek that mercy during the entire Lenten season with reflection, prayer and penance. Many people, even those who are not Catholic, will give up something for the season of Lent. Some will refrain from watching Television or doing other activities. I have known people who have tried to give up smoking and in the case of my friend from long ago, give up certain foods such as chocolate or even pie. The season of Lent will last 40 days, excluding Sundays, and ends on Easter Sunday. It falls on a different date each year, because it is dependent on the date of Easter; it can occur as early as February 4 or as late as March 10.


I myself can never think of ashes or Fire without recalling a man I once rented a house from. He was a wonderful man and a Preacher but he loved fire better than any person I ever knew. He would tell us he was first fireman to the devil. Mr. Huggins left this world June 18, 2008, and is missed by all who knew him. My poem tonight is dedicated to him and our memories of him and his fires. Though it has little to do with the season of Lent, it does have to do with Fire and with the ashes left after the fire is long gone. Mr Huggins would have been one of those few who can give up something for Lent and actually stick it out for the entire season. If you are giving up something for Lent I wish you luck with sticking to it. I think all of us should reflect on our wrongs and also on the wonderful Mercy shown to us by God. Not just today and through the season of Lent but every day! I hope you enjoy today's Poem about a wonderful Man and his Love of fire. I also hope you have a great day!
Patsy



Fire

"First Fireman to the devil I am"
he told us rather proud.
"But BUSTER is what they call me"
he shouted right out loud.

"I'm tired of this old tree" he said
while pulling out a saw
" But a fire is not a game " he said.
"I learned that from my Maw."

"Run Now and grab that Kerosene:
It's at the house next door,
I'll get an inferno going
This old tree will be no more!"

"Evening time Is gonna find us" he claimed
as Limbs he was a throwing
"with the devil's work already done,
and just some coals left here a glowing."

Written By: Patricia Sawyer
2-26-2008

This poem Dedicated to Mr. Buster Huggins. Who loves fire almost as much as I do! Anthony especially should remember the day he and I helped Mr. Buster with his fire.

Happy Independence Day!!

And I'm proud to be an American,where at least I know I'm free.And I won't forget the men who died,who gave that right to me.
~Lee Greenwood~~


We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls.
~Robert J. McCracken~


In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.
~Franklin D. Roosevelt~



"The liberties of our country, the freedom of our civil Constitution, are worth defending at all hazards; and it is our duty to defend them against all attacks. We have received them as a fair inheritance from our worthy ancestors: they purchased them for us with toil and danger and expense of treasure and blood, and transmitted them to us with care and diligence. It will bring an everlasting mark of infamy on the present generation, enlightened as it is, if we should suffer them to be wrested from us by violence without a struggle, or to be cheated out of them by the artifices of false and designing men."
~ Samuel Adams~



Happy Fourth Of July!
When we were kids that would mean a Day trip to the Beach. Usually down to Hunting Island. Back then the Island was in good shape. That was before Erosion and Hurricane Hugo took it's tole on the tiny island.


That was before the Island was a State Park. You just drove right down to the ocean back then and parked. We would find us a shelter and Set up all of our food and then we would get our feet in the ocean. I say this that way because if we got in much over our ankles Mama would yell for us to come back. That was just for us smaller ones though.. I well remember David being way out in the water once with His friend Frank Northcutt and you could barely see their heads bobbing up and down in the waves. I hoped and prayed for the day I too would be FREE to go deep into the wonderful Ocean water. Now that I could swim safely out that far I choose not to. Who knows what might be waiting on an old Lady like me just beneath those wonderful waves?



Daddy would sometimes take one of us by the hand and lead the chain of kids a tiny bit deeper into the waves Letting us jump over them before they washed over our feet. The salty water would splash into our faces as we screamed and yelled like crazy. Hopping over the foaming waves as they barely covered our ankles.


Mama would sit in the shade of the palms along the edge of the beach and crochet or knit. She had long hair and would let it hang down her back that day. I would run to her every little while and dry my eyes on her long dark hair. Rubbing them against her head. She would laugh and say.. "Now don't go too deep"... And as I scampered back to the water she'd always say.. " Yall better watch for jelly fish!" I think we all used her hair as a towel because by the end of the day her hair would be damp and trying to curl into ringlets as it hung down her back. Even Now I can picture her there smiling as we wiped Our eyes on her Hair. Content to watch over us from the shade of a tree. Counting us every so often to be sure we were all still where she could see us.


We would come in and out of the water and eat Chicken and sandwiches. Drinking Cool-aid from the jugs in the cooler. We would toss bread crumbs to the sea gulls as they circled us calling in others from far away.Until there would be a cloud of birds overhead grabbing the crumbs we would toss to them.

I have almost always spent The Forth Of July on the beach. I was In New Mexico last year On this holiday and Today I am at home. Dave and I talked about going to the beach.. Somehow we aren't there. But I guess that's what Independence and freedom are all about. The fact that we have a choice in what we do.. How we worship and where we go and when we go there. And even in who we go with.


On July 4, 1776, America claimed independence from Britain and Democracy was born. Every day thousands of people leave their homes to come to the "land of the free and the home of the brave" so they too can take part in the American Dream. The United States is a nation made up of Many different types of people. From many different Cultures and Nations. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with barbecues, trips, picnics, and family gatherings. Many will shoot fireworks tonight and I remind everyone to be very careful with those!

Today, On Independence Day, let us remember the sacrifices that have been made for our freedom. Let us remember those who have died for our rights.
Let us remember the families who have given sons and daughters for our freedoms. Let us also remember the great ideals that gave birth to this great nation.

Happy Birthday, America !!
Land Of the Free!
Home Of the BRAVE!

A Housework Holiday!

Housework is something you do that nobody notices until you don't do it. ~Author Unknown~

Our house is clean enough to be healthy, and dirty enough to be happy. ~Author Unknown~


“Life is denied by lack of attention, whether it be to cleaning windows or trying to write a masterpiece.” ~Nadia Boulanger~

Cleaning your house while your kids are still growing is like shoveling the walk before it stops snowing. ~ Phyllis Diller~


Guess what today is? Today is NO HOUSE WORK DAY!!
Finally a day that I will be happy to celebrate. Tickled to death in fact. I don't have to buy a gift or wear a funny hat. I don't have to bring any special food or wear a shirt of any particular color. This is a day to celebrate!One of my favorite days. A holiday from housework.


Years ago when my kids were small I developed a plan for housework. It came right in the middle between I'm busy with a child and I'll finish this later. That's the way it worked for me.I always managed to keep the dishes all washed and the floors clean. Everything else got done when I found a spare moment. If you have small kids you will understand that spare minutes are very rare. If you ever find one an emergency will immediately arrive to gobble it up.

I personally know women who drives themselves nuts trying to keep their house spotlessly clean. They sweep or dust every single day. They carry a cloth and polish of some kind with them every where seeking out and destroying every speck of dust of dirt. Making themselves and their families miserable. Dust happens, dirt happens, even spills happen. Sometimes I want to say to them. " Girl, put your feet up and relax. Take a day off. Give a cobweb a chance to start. It won't destroy your life, It might even enrich it.

I see tips and hints on-line all the time. I read most of them because if I can get a job done faster I'm all for that! I honestly hate most house work. It's not the job itself that I hate. It's the loss of the time it takes.Time that I could spend writing or reading a good book. Time that I could spend With my husband or children or My sweet Grand-children.. I hate to give valuable time to cleaning. I know cleaning is important but it shouldn't always be the most important. I always read over the hints and tips but I have never found a wonderful easy way to clean a house. It takes work and a plan to get that work accomplished. Once you have a plan you execute it in what ever way works for you and your house. Maybe you have time in the afternoon or maybe your time is at midnight. No two of us can follow the same plan. No two of our lives are exact.


When my children were small I did floors on Monday and laundry on Tuesday. Dusting on Wednesday and on Thursday I did a little of everything. I Did what ever I had to on the other days to keep everything in good shape. It was right then when I got a routine established that I decided to get married again and I doubled my household size instantly. Let me assure you that eight people use an awful lot of towels . I needed one whole day each week just to wash bath towels. Then there were sheets and blankets and rugs.. Not to mention clothes for all those people. So for many years every days plan included laundry. Every days plan included washing bath towels!

I now live in the smallest household I have ever in my life lived. Dave and I make very little mess. We do live in an old home on a dirt road so dust will always be an issue here. I really could skip days and days here and there and simply ignore all house keeping and get away with it. No one would notice. The truth is that I don't really need a holiday from housekeeping. I have been taking those holidays with-out permission for years and years. When I missed a day of house cleaning, no one cared. If the children wanted to go fishing or on a picnic at the lake, the floors would still be needing a sweeping when we got back. The dishes would wait to be washed after the bedtime stories were told and retold and the songs sang a thousand times and then once more. I always managed to get it all done.. eventually.

We lived in our house and it reflected that fact. I always cleaned the kitchen every night before I went to bed myself.. I have a thing about dirty dishes. I'm not going to bed with them in my house. Another trick I had was to get up a few minutes early and do laundry before the rest of the house was awake. I could get a load started while my coffee made. Them move on to something else while it washed. I also gave the older kids an extra amount of allowance for any chores they did.. You would be surprised at how much it helps when someone else folds a load of towels or dusts the bookshelves. I always welcomed their help and they always loved the extra money they got for doing chores. When you have eight people in your house, you have no choice but to figure out a way to get it all done. We had a lot of chores but we took days off for relaxing and play. We took whole weeks off for camping trips or trips to the beach. If you have children, remember that housework will wait. Nothing is as important as children. Not the load of dirty clothes, the breakfast dishes, or the cobweb hiding behind the screen porch door. Give your self a NO HOUSEWORK Holiday often. Put down that broom and have a great day!
Patsy.