Name this Blog Post!

Why, oh why have I never thought of that before? Name this blog post and you will win NOTHING!😀 Between the 1,000 or so different prints that I sold, along with the 2,160 blog posts that I have titled, it would seem reasonable that at some point I might run out of ideas. Even though I may think of something while writing this, I'm hoping you can help a girl out with fresh ideas. Do chime in please.

So let's get started, shall we?

Christmas is coming! Small towns, and big towns for that matter, have loads of fun activities to get involved in and so we have. Let me tell you, some of the outdoor activities have been very cold indeed. In fact, the weather has been cold for over a week now with temperatures on some nights plunging into the teens! However, most of those days the sun has been shining brightly so even though it is cold, you can stay warm with enough clothing. Today is not one of those days. Temperatures have soared into the 50's and it feels very cold to me because it is about as wintery as you can imagine, minus any snow. Driving to Andrews this morning to play pickleball in the gym of the Methodist church, the roads were wet, the clouds were low, and the sky was gray.

Noticing it last year about this time of year, a sundog appeared in the sky late in the afternoon during my walk on Friday. 

Having had several days of rain I need to go and check the water level in the river because it looked like this during that same walk. What is always so fascinating to me is the clarity of the river which is hidden during the months when the river is high because of the levels in the dam upriver.

And while in the photo above it looks like snow on those rocks, that is merely an optical illusion as we have not seen any since last I wrote. 

Here's something kind of fun....

When Bruce had to cut the top of the maple tree because the top branches were touching the power lines, I kept said top and put it in a bucket of water on the porch. At that time the leaves were supple and lovely. Well, after a succession of freezing nights, those pretty leaves shriveled right up causing me to think twice about leaving the bucket on the front porch. Imagine my surprise when I lifted it from the bucket, only to find ice in the middle of the day.

I wonder if there is anyone amongst us who would have predicted that in December, 2024, my honey would be burning leaves in his fire pit? Any takers?

Having declared it before, and no doubt I will do so again--the Nandina plants here are just beautiful, especially at this time of year.

The richness of the colors of both the berries and the leaves is just so striking.

As is so often the case for everyone, the Christmas season is jam-packed and for us that is most assuredly true. Beginning on Thursday morning, the weekend kept us in motion. My honey at his dishwashing station:

Lentil soup and sausage biscuits were on the menu and very well received by our guests. You never know who is going to show up. Oh wait, that is Pastor Wil seated in the center. Before you think I have a typo , it really is Wil.

Thursday night Mark and Mary Beth picked us up and took us to the Crown where we met up with DAnna and David and Gerry and Paul for a lovely, cozy holiday meal.

Apologies to Paul who is blocked. I really need a wide-angle lens for this sort of photo! Or maybe a newer phone? 

It was bitterly cold Friday night when I went to photograph the annual tree lighting in one of the town pocket parks which is a term I learned from Laura. I wore my Uniqlo underclothes as well as jeans, a sweater on top, small boots and my puffy jacket. It was just right.

Laura introducing the choir from a local Baptist church who did an admirable job in the freezing weather. How cold, maybe 27? Or even lower.

It was a sing along of Christmas carols to begin with.

Lots of folks were gathering in the run-up to the lights coming on for the first time this year.

Ta da!

It makes for a good spot for family photos.

Including your favorite folks from Murphy.

In addition to the tree lighting it was the last art walk of the season and sadly it was far too cold for most folks to hang around downtown. From there we went to a fantastic party at John and Laura's cozy home and did not get home til nearly 1:00. Having read this blog for any length of time you, no doubt, know that is quite the anomaly! 

This was a busy weekend for our church family, doing good for the children of Murphy. I missed most of it and for the life of me I can't remember why. Anyway, they decorated the fellowship hall on Friday, as well as put things together for Saturday's "Memories with Santa" event which including all manner of craft making and snacks for any child in the community, along with photos with Santa. So that was Saturday morning and then in the afternoon they set up the popcorn makers, a fire pit and all the fixing for s'mores. We also did not help with that because Laura had asked for another favor.  And why did they set up in front of the church you ask? Because it was the annual Christmas parade which passes directly in front of the church! After visiting for a few minutes we walked to the nearby Murphy elementary school parking lot.

Oh yeah, free socks and gloves were available for those in need.

My job was to fit those who were walking in the parade into empty spots. Seriously, agreeing to help, I had no idea what that meant, but after meeting Laura at the nearby elementary school, as in one block from our house, on Friday she gave me a little idea. Now that I have done it, with Bruce's help of course, should the need arise next year we are totally up to speed.

The parade was long! As such, so will be the number of photos I am including because, what the heck, I know you want to know what a small town parade looks like! First though, a young girl, her mom and her dog joined us street-side and as we began chatting I learned that she has an Instagram page for her dog. Yup. While I did not get a photo of the dog she is pictured with her Mom who is holding a bag containing little cards, with a QR code that take folks to the dog's page. 

The times they are a changing my friends. He does tricks which she demonstrated as we waited. 

The folks in the parade throw candy to the crowd which is eagerly snatched up as soon as it hits the ground,  although where we were it was mighty dark, making us a little nervous for the children. Please note the band in the photo above who were marching in the parade for the first time in several years. Their numbers are small, but they are an enthusiastic bunch nonetheless.

Unfortunately, the float went by so quickly I missed most of it, but here is the back of the best in show.

The homecoming court!! 

In a stroke of good luck it was not nearly as cold on Saturday night; still I felt bad for them with their bare shoulders and arms! 

It was a good thing that there were no fires that night as most of the local fire departments were represented.

This was a good float.

Plenty of lit vehicles.

Note the folks picking up candy in the street.

It was a fun time although by the time our last group of walkers jumped in with their group, a Head Start bus, our feet were plenty cold! We jumped in with their group and walked the few blocks to the church where we watched Santa and his reindeer drive by.

And a good time was had by all! It is SO nice being able to walk to all of these events; we just love it.

As I have been doing for the last week or so, when we come downstairs in the morning, I turn the Christmas tree lights on. Except, Sunday morning they did not come on. What the heck?? Now what? We went to church and once home thought about our next step. Because there was an open house at the parsonage, our plan was to go to that and then on to Lowes for some replacement lights. It was a lovely time with our new friends with the highlight being a fun game where two people are in competition not to laugh at corny Christmas jokes that were printed on little slips of folded paper. Some folks were quite good at keeping a straight face including Nathaniel, the pastor's son who is squaring off against Bruce.

A very fun game for a group should you be looking for something to do. 

From there we went to Lowes and returned to dismantle the tree. 

Bruce is putting the new lights on and here is what we took off. 

Just when you think at our age nothing new could happen to us, well think again Gail!

Lots more tree decorations, but you get my drift. And now my friends, once again we are in business!

Looking at the picture, that little star atop the tree could use a little help!

Perhaps you found all this interesting but what you really want is a Christian fix? 

Want no more as here is our little cutie laying on Momma's chest! Such a sweetie! And those sideburns!!

Indeed it 'tis the season to be jolly and we very much have an abundance of things to be jolly about!

your friend,

Gail

A Child is Born

Our hearts are full dear readers. We have a grandson!! In spite of what I wrote in my last post, just two days later, Fallon's water broke and it was game on! Nearly 14 hours later, Christian Alexander Peck was born, with a full head of hair I might add. He is just beautiful and yesterday's visit to the pediatrician confirmed all was well. The new parents took him home on Friday night and are completely smitten and can you blame them?

I think it is fair to say that this is just the first of hundreds of photographs that we will receive from Bill and Fallon! 

Ordinarily, on Monday afternoon I take a walk while Bruce is in the gym. Layering on more clothes to ward off the 40 degree weather, despite the brilliant blue sunshine, I decided it was just too cold to be enjoyable, especially because I can be writing instead! Dropping me off at the post office where I went to buy stamps for Christmas cards, I walked the three blocks home. Surprisingly, it was not bad at all, especially when you consider that we went to the courts this morning when the thermometer on the front porch, not to be confused with the back porch which generally runs about five degrees colder, read 32 degrees. 

There was no skipping today as it was the annual collection of goodies to be donated to Toys for Tots. The picklers were generous as always. 

We stopped by the Scout's office, that is the Cherokee Scout for those who are new to this space, to learn how to submit it to the paper. Easy-peasy! You gotta love the simple life of a small town.

My beautiful tree. You know the one don't you? Of course you do because I have featured it for weeks! 

That blue sky is really something isn't it? Who knew? Of course not every day has a blue sky but a bunch of them do. On this day, we noticed that the leaves were dropping, more as each day passed.

And now there are even more on the ground because we have had three freezing nights in a row and, well everything looks very different! For some reason, knowing that a freeze was coming, it did not seem to register with me and I left all my porch plants in place that now look dreadful. First thing one frosty morning I noticed that I had two beautiful hydrangea blooms on the plant so I cut them, bringing them in from the cold. They were a brilliant blue, almost purple, the color was so rich. Well duh, why was I so surprised when this happened when they thawed?

Seriously it was so brilliant and frozen, I might add. A few hours later it turned this sickly color! Not so pretty now.

It must have been last Tuesday that we put up the Christmas tree and I am here to tell you, putting up an artificial tree goes pretty darn fast. I won't ask, "where have you been all of our lives?" because we loved having live trees, but the simplicity of this definitely has a lot to offer. After we figured out how to arrange the furniture in order for the tree to fit, Bruce did the rest. He is just so darn good at it. Well that is a silly statement if ever there were one. What isn't he good at? 

The living room is a little cramped but nothing we cannot live with when the trade-off is having a lovely, sparkly, colorful tree in our midst. We went over to Indigo Mountain (downtown shop) and found some stocking holders we could put on the mantle. I did tell you that I found the two stockings in my fabric baskets didn't I? Still wondering how they got there, but I am not one to look a gift horse in the mouth so enough said!

The beautiful little nativity, made in Bethlehem, is from our favorite antique store in town. 

Before we get into where we spent Thanksgiving, this photo I took last week says a bunch. Like a dummy I also left the fern out in the cold and while it is not yet dead, I'm afraid it will not be many days before it is. Of course the tree...oh our beautiful tree how we will miss your red presence!

I must tell you that it has been very fun decorating our new home. Just saying...

Downtown is looking very festive with all of the shops decorating their front sidewalks and windows. Jenn goes all out as is her custom!

That table has a train track and she uses a remote control to make it run when she sees children through the window. Additionally, she attached a snow machine to the awning that spits out cold snow on cue. 

The town lights are up,

and the Christmas tree lighting is Friday night, followed by the parade on Saturday night. If it is all sounding like a Hallmark movie, well they did not make that stuff up. It is alive and well all over this region. 

Thanksgiving day was a bit gloomy, made oh so much brighter when you spend that kind of day with friends, especially ones who have made you a Thanksgiving feast! There were probably ten cars we passed on the twenty five mile drive to Nantahala Lake to spend the afternoon with our friends Dave and DAnna. Mary Beth and Mark were there as well as Sarah June. All folks without nearby families. 

They are from Georgia so a Southern Thanksgiving it was. Deviled eggs and strawberry pretzel salad, both delicious. 

It was the relish tray that brought a stab of nostalgia for me as my family had that every Thanksgiving when I was growing up. My Mom always used cut glass too.

Sausage dressing is a staple in our home and an absolute must for Mr. Bruce so that was my contribution, pictured here next to Mary Beth's delicious potatoes.

The dining room corner still has Thanksgiving decorations but as to the rest of the house, it was all Christmas including two trees, the pictured one below on the back deck.

That is a good way to brighten the bare landscape beyond the house. 

Of course you can't have a Southern Thanksgiving without pecan pie and we did as Sarah June brought here homemade pie. Whipped cream was optional but really, does anyone aside from vegans turn down whipped cream when it is offered? 

Saturday we went to Cleveland, TN for some retail therapy! The drive was lovely.

As it goes through the Ocoee g,orge it is mighty winding but my brave man is becoming more accustomed to them as each month passes.

For the most part we have adapted to the shopping opportunities we have here, but every now and again, it is pretty fun to go into a HomeGoods! 

I have to admit that the crowds took a few minutes of getting used to. 

I know that you are laughing right about now, aren't you?

A few random things to share including my fine frame and nice painting; frame by Bruce.

Perhaps you remember Mark and Mary Beth getting the chickens when they were featured in this very space some months ago? Well, they do what chickens do and we were the lucky ones to receive some of their bounty.

Holding their monthly dinner Sunday night in spite of the fact that their beautiful new puppy died during the night, she claimed it helped to keep her distracted. Izzy their beautiful cat wanted to join in the dinner.

Well my dear ones, just as I was drawing this to a close last evening, I looked at my watch and thought, oh shoot, a surprise birthday party at 5:30 for our friend Ken! Bruce was at the gym but left in a hurry. I walked over and he drove which was a blessing as it was mighty cold.  A nice time was had by all and the truth is, Ken was deathly ill only a little more than a year ago, so each new birthday is very much celebrated. 

By golly, I am glad I had not hit publish because, much to my surprise and excitement, opening the door this morning to check the porch thermometer, what to my wondering eyes should appear but snow on the ground!! 

Here is something fun. While at Hobby Lobby we purchased these little Santa stakes for the yard and I photographed them. Duh, but of course I did! In part because they are so cute and in part because I was showing the multitude of fallen leaves.

Here is what it looked like probably twelve hours later!

I believe it was yesterday that Bruce was saying it was probably going to be a cold winter and my reply was, let me look in my blog post from this time last year. Here it is for the curious amongst you. What I learned is that it was cold then, like 18 degrees one night with a little frost, but no snow yet. Actually we had very little last year as it turned out. Anyway, whether it will be snowy or cold, one thing for certain is there will be Robins!

Celebrating each new day, I remain,

your friend,

Gail