Christmas, a special time of year

Christmas is a special time of year. You hear it on all the radio's, T.V. and what ever electronic devise you have.. Last minute shopping, new products, anything your heart desires.. you just have to have the funds to buy it..

The least expensive gift to give is your friendship, and caring for one another.. This is the time of year to say Thank you, to Help, to Share feelings, ideas, and for Giving.. Some times the hardest is giving of ones self.. Looking at the years past,, I can say I have been blessed to have many friends.

It is a precious gift, the sharing of oneself.. I have a card file for the Christmas cards sent & received .. some go back to the 1960's. Also I keep the file cards of friends that have passed on.

Might seem strange, but I feel this is a special time to remember them. The fun or the serious moment we shared.

What new friends will the New Year bring? Will I call them friends or acquaintances. Will they be like ships in the night, just passing by..

There are so many wonderful poems and sayings about friendships.. Each one must be held close to the heart..

From my heart to yours, Have a very Merry Christmas, and a wonderful, healthy, Happy New Year.

Turkeys, near a Pear Tree

We were driving home, and a gaggle of ( I know geese) or a herd of Turkeys were on a neighbors front yard.. Sorry if they are a bit blurred, but they were starting to run.. Further down the road the old pear tree, that must have been planted in the days of the prospectors and large ranchers had lost it's leaves and the pears are showing up..

Is this anything like "a Partridge in a Pear Tree". There used to be an old wagon road down the valley where we live. The road winds down till it's dead end.. The local Indians used to camp along this part of the river and the Prospectors used to pan for gold.. and still do in some areas.

No, we have not found any gold.. Our part of the river is like an ocean beach all sand, and we don't have the equipment/knowledge to look for it. Maybe some day!

Rio, the Search and Rescue Dog and Ralph

Yes, they have a permit.. Time to gather wood... I am not a brave person when it comes to driving the roads in the mountains with truck and trailer.. Ralph and Jean were up doing the hard work.. Rio is watching the work from a safe distance.. They were tired at the end of the day..
Ralph and I did gather another trailer load later in the month.. Now, it is hard, because of all the rain and some snow at the higher elevations, but our house is warm.

Windows in Austria

No, we have not been there lately. But many years ago Ralph and I traveled in Austria. I was making a fabric postcard for an exchange and thought of the window series I photographed while we traveled.. It does bring to mind some thoughts.. about life. Are we leading a closed life with our windows closed, do we shut people out like the shutters on this wonderfully textured building.

Or, do we open our windows, let the breezes blow through clearing out the cobwebs of our minds. Being open to new thoughts, beautiful creations, wonderful new friendships, and open to new opportunities.. The New Year is coming, what do we want to make of it?