A Spaceship into 2019

I started this a couple days ago, the first day of the new Solstice on our Spaceship Earth. It was a broken gray sky again followed by light gray as the night turned into day. Nothing like the two days in a row last week that were sunny. They began like this...

The birds and squirrels now watch for Pat to come outside to feed them. She scatters their foods over the ground. The trees outside my window fill with activity as the light comes up.

From the Weather Desk: We count consecutive sunny days now. We are up to two.

The Farm Report: We go to Wendy for her Photojournal text that Rose of Sharon "Rosie" is Miss October on The Miniature Goat Registry 2019 Calendar. You rock, Rosie!

Across the nation; Jeanenne and Larry's wonderful family gathered at their house, donned the aprons Jeanenne had sewed for each and every one; then, they made Christmas cookie's. Mmm-Mmm, what images dance in my head!

Further West we go to Utah and see how much Sonja's young men have grown...

Dimetrios.

Elijah.

Kingston.

From the Southwest came beautiful flowers from Valerie and Tim...

Moving toward the southeastern coastal states, Marge has stopped off to see her family and loved ones along her route to warmer winter climes. Here she is with one of her grands...

Back in Pennsylvania, a recent day walking around King of Prussia Mall before the Christmas intensities reached their peak...

...a Tai Chi class began.

Locally, Keoni is back from his school without major travel travails. A first for the year, I think. He and Aidan came over to assist me moving an enormous, heavy futon out of my room so Marge can sell or dispose of it. I didn't expect I'd be living with it stuffed into a quarter of my bedroom for many months instead of a few weeks since the Dock Manor wait staggers on and on.

But I have stopped waiting. Meaning, yes, I'm still on the next 4 or 5 people wait list at Dock--but fuggeddaboudit! and get on with living where I am. Now! So, the grandsons helped with the heavy lifting and the room has taken shape so that it is much more spacious, a place to paint again and work on my own stuff. Plus, the piano fits in, too!!!

That's the keyboard on the left. Yes, it has 88 keys.

Wendy, John and family had a night of tree-trimming to do. Music was part of it as Keoni and Aidan are rapidly putting together a program of mostly Christmas music for a two-man concert next Saturday night at the church. The evening was memorable and fun.

Wendy said this is one of their prettiest trees--with Charlie Brown decorations.

I hope the season of holidays has not gotten you out of sorts; instead enjoying it and looking forward to the challenges 2019 will bring us. I'm going to stay out from under my bed and join you as we gather our wits and each other to care better for our Spaceship Earth this coming year; care more for every passenger, care more for every live thing, the land, the waters, the air, as we hurtle around our sun 365 more days. It's not complicated--the next time you meet someone at the one-way bridge, flash your lights a couple times and let the other guy go first.

Merry Christmas

to all who celebrate it,

and

Happy New Year!

Letter to My Friends Out There

Greetings!

From the Weather Desk: For three or four minutes out my window, the mostly clouded sky vaults into morning pastels that I see through the skeletal silhouettes of winter's trees. Squirrels and birds are in motion along and among the branches as the clouds behind fade back to grays surrounding small patches and streaks of soft, pink-edged blue.

A Shoutout to Pat: Thanks, for feeding our wild friends every morning. Their visiting spirits mingle with the jostle of humanity stirring everywhere in the early light.

The big day of this household's seasonal observance is two days past, the remains cleaned, distributed, and mingles now with the memories of 2018. Our open house was filled with good people, good foods, and good heart for three full hours.




Ahead lie more considerations for traditional observances of the holidays still to come as we move through this last month of the year.

Much remains to be done to declare "Ready!" for the holidays. I do less each year now but that's okay--not that I'm just forgiving myself for doing less--it seems more a switch to quieter observances and appreciations of the bounties of my own existence. Or, that you and I exist at all. The love of family and friends and far beyond pervades everything and I'm a little astonished to know of it.

*

Betsy, Pat's Florida daughter, shared this from her zoo workplace.