Dear Winter,

     It's so nice to see you again. Please leave. I was thrilled when you arrived an' I took special pleasure in the snow you brought so we could have a white Christmas. In fact, that was very considerate, on your part. In spite of the fact that my heart raced with joy when you arrived, I'm beginning to notice murmurings of discontent among the masses. I fear you may be reduced to tears, should your old, cold ears pick up the whisperings that might travel on the wind. No disrespect intended, of course, but it would not be a good idea to give in to such frozen showers, if my opinion counts for anything.

     In case you haven't been keeping good tabs on just how busy you've been, may I remind you that evidence of your extended visit is virtually everywhere. Although I'm sure the farmers are thankful for the moisture so their crops will benefit, I rather think they would not like it if you should continue to shed tears and turn an already messy situation into an impossibly dangerous one by adding your icy personality. Keep in mind that 'Safety First' should always be your motto.

     I've noticed that you seem to have forgotten to be safe in some of your ventures. Recently, when you arranged for my good hubby-buddy and I to spend time in a ditch, we did not feel that you were practicing 'Safety First.'

     Rumor has it that Spring is impatient for her vacation here. We have enjoyed getting to know you soooooo well, this year. Now, its time to move on an' let Spring have her time with us. Yes, I realize that it may be a little early for such change, but I'm tired of being so cold. I'm looking forward to lilacs an' tulips. Two-lips is my kinda' season; not Blue-lips.

     I have your bags all packed an', though you may be very comfortable where you are, please don't let the door hit you in the rear, as you leave.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

Inventory In December

     Have ya' noticed? It's coming fast; December is upon us. You know what happens in December, right? Yeah; me, too --- all kindsa' fun stuff. Except for the other eleven, the month of December is one 'uh my favorite months of the year. Well, depending on the time of year, that is.

     How's come December is one 'uh my favorites? Well, jus' sit yourself down an I'll tell you summa' the things that make me look forward to this time of year. Alrighty; let's take inventory 'bout the tail-end of the year. First, of course, is the wonder of nature. Snow. I love snow. Shhhh; don't tell anyone what I jus' said on accounta' I've heard that snow isn't necessarily the favorite thing around these parts. Remember; keep it on the QT.

      Naturally, there's a reason I like the white stuff. Wanna' know why? KIDS! As far back as I can remember, wherever there was snow, there was sure to be kids. 'Course, there don't seem to be quite as many kids as when I WAS one, but some of 'em still come drifting outta' the woodwork when the flakes start falling.

     Next on my list of Can't Live Without It is that awesome feeling I get whenever I hear the sounds of Frosty, the Snowman or Rudolph, the Red-Nosed Reindeer. It's hard not to love a season that causes people to create whimsical characters; don't you agree?

     Have you ever noticed how friendly an' happy people are during the last month of the year? Oh, don't get me wrong; I think most people are friendly an' happy most of the time. But in December, it's almost as if we are all bit by the same bug; the Cupid of the holiday season, you might say. The joy is so contagious, in fact, that it might almost be considered an epidemic. Let's hope no one with authority finds the time to wrap their minds around that thought or we might hafta' find new an' creative ways to express all that happiness.

     So, by now, you're pro'lly wonderin' how I've managed to make it this far without a word about the big day. It wasn't easy, lemme' tell you. Christmas is absolutely my favorite, Favorite, FAVORITE day of the year. Nope! Nope! Not for the presents, but for what it represents. You see, it is at this time of year that funny things start happening. I like to think of it like a maple tree whose sap is spilling out at Sugaring Time.

     Look around an' see if you don't agree. You just might catch your neighbor smiling even more than usual. Or, when you aren't lookin', someone might leave a prize on your doorstep; maybe hurry to help you during a difficult time. Could be, you'll find  yourself inviting someone over for a cuppa' hot cocoa an' a chat. See what I mean? For the whole month of December an' maybe even a little longer, you're gonna' start seein' the love come pourin' outta' every person --- like a Maple Tree.

     Now, here's what you wanna' do: act real nonchalant whenever someone is near. Then, when they think you're not lookin',  jus' casually start noticing what's goin' on around you. Uh, huh! See there? Without them even knowing it, you're gonna' catch someone right in the act of bein' nice. Keep on your toes 'cause it's gonna' happen a lot more than you expect. I'd be embarrassed to have anyone mention it, but I sure hope I get caught in an unexpected act of kindness. An' you can be sure I'll be watchin' YOU. Oh, an' guess what I jus' noticed? Whilst I was writing, December jumped in.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

Ho! Ho! Ho! Is it Summer?

     When I was a child, I noticed that seasons never seemed to follow any particular pattern. Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that I never stayed in one place for very long. Christmas in Florida, for instance, feels nothing like Christmas in Maine. In Maine, there's snow and lots of trees, smelling like Santa Claus is just climbing into his sleigh. Florida, on the other hand, has Palm Trees and beaches. Nothing wrong with either place, mind you, but to a child such a difference is significant at an important time of the year.

     The same holds true when preparing to spend the day at the beach. Go to any beach in America, south of say, the Mason-Dixon line and you know why you're there. The day is hot, the sun is comfortable and the water is pleasantly cool for the heat of the day. Head north and you may be in for a surprise. At least, that's the way it always struck me. The day was generally cool, the sun pleasant and the water {{{{{ c~o~o~o~o~l~l~l~d~d }}}}}.

     There are other telltale signs of seasons being individual, depending on what part of the country you are in, as well. Have you ever witnessed Fall in someplace like Oregon? The leaves change colors and really begin to show-off. Each tree fills with more variety than the next and every leaf tries to out-do all the others. Counter that with the changing of the seasons where Palm Trees grow. Although exceptional in her own way, the announcement of season's change is not as pronounced.

     I'm glad for everywhere I ever lived. I love the Palm Trees and the Pines. The Oak and the Redwood. And every single variety I have been fortunate enough to witness. There is no spot on this Earth that I don't think of as beautiful. In fact, I consider every creation from here to outer-space to be a mark of glory.  I'm especially grateful that I have finally moved to a place where I can be reasonably certain that one season follows another.  And the nice thing is, each season seems to be very much like the last one of the same name.  That's somehow very comforting.  How long did it take you to recognize the difference in the seasons.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

     This is a re-post, with a few minor adjustments, except I messed up the original when I was tryin' to re-post.  hmmmmm

Raccoon Christmas

     Let's talk about Christmas... sorta'.  I like Christmas.  Its actually my favorite holiday of the year.  I couln't tell you why, exactly; I jus' love it.  All the lights an' decorations an' it seems like people really are kinder at that time of year.  Actually, I'm drifting from what I wanted to share with you, though.  So, I'd best get back on track, eh?

     It was Christmas, a season of goodwill.  By some fortunate mistake, I was given Christmas Eve off from work.  Normally, since the shift started at midnight and was considered to be Christmas Day, I would have had to work.  However, by some stroke of luck, I got to be home for Christmas Eve, which was really Christmas Morning.  Was I excited?  You bet your sweet bippy!  It had been several years since I'd been able to be home on Christmas Eve.  I would be going back to work at midnight, but for a little while, at least, I was home for Christmas.

     We chose to open our gifts and share in the traditions that were personal to our family.  Two of my older children had received Banana Chairs as gifts and were thrilled beyond belief.  Those Banana Chairs play a very important part in this story.  After opening alla' the gifts an' enjoying a rare holiday together, everyone else decided to go to bed.  However, because I worked the night shift, it was more my habit to go to bed much later.

     I puttered around, appreciating the fact that I had been given this time off and, eventually, I did grow tired an' decided to go to bed.  That's when Christmas changed completely.

     We had light switches on opposite walls.  I was near the kitchen and flipped the switch to turn the light off.  If things had ended there, I woulda' been fine, but they din't.  I walked the clear path towards the bedroom suddenly realizing that I had not checked the front door to make sure it was locked.  Naturally, I turned to correct that error and that was my undoing on accounta' I din't turn the light back on.  Bad mistake.

     Not recalling that we now had Banana Chairs in the middle of the room, I moved in my normal break-neck speed, towards the door.  In only a couple of steps, I was reminded about the Banana Chairs, as I tripped on the first one an' tried to recover my balance.  The second chair was strategically placed so's I was not able to correct my fall.  Instead, I went flying face first, into our huge oak rocking chair.  I'm sure the whole thing din't take longer than a couple of seconds, but those were the looongest couple seconds I've ever lived through.  The noise was enough to wake the dead... I thought.

     Evidently, the Living sleep more deeply than do the dead.  When I had landed, I found myself several inches from our plastic mat in front of the door, lying on my back, with my arm draped across my face.  It must have been a very comical sight, but I wasn't thinkin' 'bout that.  Instead, I was wonderin' where everybody was.  Curiously, no one had come to my aid.  So, I waited.  An' waited an' waited.

     Finally, I realized that some encouragement was necessary.  I moaned quietly; then, waited again.  Nuthin' happened.  'Hey, people!  Someone could be dying out here!  Don'tcha' care?'

     I did the only thing I could think of; I moaned some more, this time, making sure that someone would hear me.  Sure enough, my good hubby-buddy soon poked his head into the room.  I couln't see him, of course, 'cause it was so dark.  But I could hear 'im.  He turned the light on from a third switch an' walked towards me, all the while askin' if I was alright.  When he got close enough, he took my hand... the same one attached to the arm across my face... an' started to help me up.

     Very quickly, he dropped my arm back onto my face, sayin', "Oh, good grief, Yaya.  You're all blood an' guts, everywhere."  Then, he left the room.

     'Well, that's a fine how-do-you-do,' I thought to myself.  The comment about blood an' guts had gotten my attention, though.  I carefully scooted myself towards the plastic mat.  "Scoot!  Scoot!  Scoot!"  An' before I could form any more thoughts, he was back with the medicine kit.  My hero.

     I was soon as good as new, if you don't count the goose-egg that now perched between my eyes.  Oh, yeah; an' my new Raccoon statement.  Both eyes had reacted to the force of my fall against solid oak an' I wore a mask of two very black eyes.  Someday, I 'll tell you 'bout the interesting reaction I got at work, that night.  But that's a story for another day.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

On The Eleventh Day of Christmas - A Shortcut In Winter

     Quick message tonight.  We've been without electricity, so I wasn't able to post, except at Red Wagon Flights, last night.  Shortly after writing over there, the lights started flickering and I thought it best not to push the issue.  If I don't get to see you before Christmas, I do hope you have a Merry Christmas and that the big guy in the red suit is good to you.

     One more idea before I go.  This is an idea that saves many hours, if you happen to heat your home, using wood.  I made firestarters today, just in time before we lost power, again.  Filling cupcake papers with sawdust, I then poured paraffin over the sawdust.  After letting that set-up, you can use these to start a fire, if you have a woodstove.  We have two of them and getting the wood to catch can be quite tedious, at times.  Just put the firestarter into your woodstove, stack the wood as you normally would (heheh, that sounds funny), above the firestarter, and light the cupcake paper.  The wax will let it burn long enough so your firewood can get a good fire going.

     If you don't have a woodstove, but you know someone who does, believe me, this gift will be very appreciated .  I hope to see you tomorrow.  Stay warm, be happy and keep a hug on.     Yaya

Game Time Saturday

     Did you happen to see the post about our December Visitor?  Have you had any December Visitors?


     Game time!  Now, let's see if I can do this.  Below is a Christmas Word Search.  Looking backwards, forwards, up, down and diagonally, circle the words from the Word List.  I don't know, yet, how to make this game playable online, but if you copy/paste it into your Word document, you should be able to play it on a printout.  If not, come back next Saturday and we'll try again.  In fact, I will try to grow in my ability to upload games every Saturday, so I hope you'll come back each week to watch my progress.


     Tomorrow, I'll post the answer to tonight's wordsearch.  I'd love to know your feelings about Game Time Saturday.

We Have CHRISTMAS!

     I can't believe it.  Not only is it the season of love and giving, but I am in a house designed to decorate.  I love my new home.  I've always wanted to have the kind of stairs that lent themselves to being decorated for Christmas.  And guess what?  Here it is!

     But that's not all.  Lookie!  My good hubby-buddy came up with this idea.  Isn't that just the cutest thing you ever saw?  A whole stack of teddybears.  Well, two teddybears, a puppy and a very large mouse.  I'm sitting here with my jaw wide open, amazed that hubby-buddy thought up something so special just for me.  Isn't he a cutie?  I'm seriously considering keeping him around for awhile.  What a dude!

     Wanna' see more?  Not a problem.  Take a gander at this.  Do you like it?  Isn't the backdrop of the tree just perfect?  I am just giddy over having it in a Bay Window area with a beautifully cut-glass window behind it.  And guess what else?  Houses!!!  They have little blinking lights in the windows.  How cool is that?  I'll have a picture of those, tomorrow.

     Now, don't go 'way, yet.  There's still more.  Do you like the velvet bow on the front door?  You should have seen it yesterday when the wind fought hard to take her away from me.  But my pretty bow hung on as if her life depended on it.  Bless her little heart.  And we ain't done, yet.  Give us a couple of days and we'll have even more sparkle and shine; not a lot, but I'll be ready to show it off.  Will I see you then?

Its Coming! Its Coming!

     I can't believe it.  Its finally Almost Here.  I've waited Aaaaalllll year.  Now, I can finally say its almost here.  This is my absolute favorite time of the year.  Tomorrow we will begin to decorate for the wonderful event that the whooooole world will help me celebrate.

     Don't you just love this time of year?  Everyone seems so friendly and kind.  Pretty lights are everywhere.  People think Snow, no matter if they are at the equator.  Okay, okay.  Maybe no one else does really, but I do and as long as I am thinking snow, well, I just know that everyone else is helping me to think it.  After all, doesn't everyone want snow for Christmas?  Surely, Christmas can't come without snow, can it?

     When I was about 14 years old, we took a trip from South Carolina to Florida and then, Maine.  I don't recall where we were on any of the other days, but I remember that we were in Florida on Christmas day and Maine on New Year's Day.  In Florida it was hot and humid and I was not impressed.  Of course, at 14, I'm sure that I didn't think I was supposed to be impressed by anything.

     We stayed at a Holiday Inn and there was a pool.  My little brother, 3 years younger than I, were very close.  That is, until he broke the cardinal rule.  On Christmas day, he had the audacity to go swimming.  Swimming!  What was he thinking?  Christmas is not for swimming.  Christmas is for snow skiing and sledding, snowmen and forts.  I was crushed!  Betrayed by my own partner in crime.  By afternoon, I managed to work my way through my little attitude, thanks to the continuing heat and discomfort, and joined him for a nice cool dip in the pool.  And naturally, we are still very close.

     Isn't it funny, some of the ideas we grasp onto?  Do you ever wonder where some of them come from?  It seems there are superstitions and wild-hairs about everything; black cats, ladders, salt, spiders and the list goes on.  Do you have memories of unique ideas that caused you to change the ways you've done things?

Curious About The Seasons

     When I was a child, I noticed that seasons never seemed to follow any particular pattern. Of course, that might have had something to do with the fact that I never stayed in one place for very long. Christmas in Florida, for instance, feels nothing like Christmas in Maine. In Maine, there's snow and lots of trees smelling like Santa Claus is just climbing into his sleigh. Florida, on the other hand, has Palm Trees and beaches. Nothing wrong with either place, mind you, but to a child such a difference is significant at such an important time of the year.

     The same holds true when preparing to spend the day at the beach. Go to any beach in America, south of say, the Mason-Dixon line and you know why you're there. The day is hot, the sun is comfortable and the water is pleasantly cool for the heat of the day. Head north and you may be in for a surprise. At least, that's the way it always struck me. The day was generally cool, the sun pleasant and the water {{{{{ c~o~o~o~o~l~l~l~d~d }}}}}.

     There are other telltale signs of seasons being individual, depending on what part of the country you are in, as well. Have you ever witnessed Fall in someplace like Oregon? The leaves change colors and really begin to show-off. Each tree fills with more variety than the next and every leaf tries to out-do all the others. Counter that with the changing of the seasons where Palm Trees grow. Although exceptional in its own way, the announcement of season's change is not as pronounced.

     I love everywhere I ever lived. I love the Palm Trees and the Pines. The Oak and the Redwood. And every single variety I have been fortunate enough to witness. There is no spot on this Earth that I don't think of as beautiful. In fact, I consider every creation from here to outer-space to be a mark of glory.

     Until the next time, keep a hug on.

 ~ Yaya

This is a re-post, with a few minor adjustments.