The human condition as seen in our tree

             This funny tree will never look quite right in daylight, but it is amazing at night, because the entire core is filled with strings of Christmas lights.

The music is playing,

The presents are bought.

The garland is shining,

The Advil is sought.

The house is decked out in a glory divine,

After "Santa" and "Mrs. Claus" endure endless lines.

The children are joyous,

The stars twinkle and glow,

But we're having a heat wave,

So there's no chance of snow.

The holiday cheer with its baubles so bright,

Draw us away from that one holy night.

But into our darkness,

Into our sin, 

Into our nothingness,

Christ entered in.

He came to our brokenness

to set us aright,

He came to our emptiness

to fill us with light.

Thank you, Emmanuel, Come, Lord Jesus! 

On the way to Bethlehem

This picture is our wallpaper this week--hope you enjoy it too!

Do we have a spectral seasonal lesson to learn here, as did Scrooge?

On Saturday, Ken, Mimi, Jeanne and I met up with Teresa and Pat at Hartland Christmas cut your own tree farm.

We were armed with a saw, high spirits and Christmas joy.  We were all wearing sweaters and scarves and long pants, and, as we trekked up and down the rolling hills of an endless supply of trees that were too small, too thin, too prickly, too etc, the sun began to focus on our intrepid little group with a merciless and and searing eye.

Soon the desperation that accompanies these hopeless quests under difficult circumstances (like last minute Christmas Eve shopping trips to Potomac Mills) decidedly descended on our little group.

Clearly too prickly, for instance!

Too narrow of course! By now I was also holding Teresa's scarf, soon to be holding Sebastian's sweater, etc.

The temperature by now was at least 95 degrees and it was past lunch time and we were all dehydrated.

Finally we settled on a tree that was tall "enough" and wide "enough" and  not prickly. It wasn't the greatest tree but it was the same desperation that makes buying the worst possible item seem like a good idea on Christmas Eve.

Peter managed to carry it to the van after ken cut it down.

We were so glad to have a chance to leave, I mean, to have our tree!

We drove it home.

Got it in the house...

Began setting it up....

AND BEFORE TOO LONG IT BACAME CLEAR THAT THIS IS A TREE THAT DRAWS A LOT OF ATTENTION TO ITSELF.

Maybe a little imposing, right?

Imposing, but somehow cheerful, 

Sort of like this guy......

But in the daylight, another side of this tree has come to light...

The inside....

Literally!

Could this tree somehow contain a holiday lesson for our family?  Is it the ghost of Christmas Tree past? Of a few years ago when it was fuller on the inside?  Or the ghost of Christmas tree future? That spectral being who points its long bony branch at the commercialism of perfection? Or maybe it's just the ghost of Christmas present that says meh.

Who knows?

But in the meantime....

Slippers for Jeanne

This was a big accomplishment which I worked on the way to Chincoteague and back.

Usually this is my knitting "M.O.":

So glad the project did not come out like this:

Though I think Jeanne would have enjoyed having it!

Four great grand babies on the way, praise God!

Asking our dear Lady to watch over all expectant mommies,

And especially Kris, Teresa, Mary and Laura 💓

After "The Mass is ended, go in peace"

....comes hand washing!

what could be more fun then a machine that dispenses bubbles so generously?

Teresa had a wonderful idea yesterday...

a fall photo shoot at sully plantation :-)

the weather was mild and overcast, and most of the leaves had fallen,

but such pretty Virgina scenery!

Seb

Dan

Char

'Kitty'

siblings

It was a lovely day

everyone enjoyed the outing

praying at the cemetery on the property on all souls day...

and some out takes.....three out of about fifty or more...

a blessed time!

but wishing we had a picture of tee and her littles too :-)

Ken used "map my run" when he mowed the yard the other day

...the map above shows the "route" taken, pace and calories burned.

....and, no,

he was not on a riding mower! :-)

Cold or Cole Mountain Hike

From the George Washington National Forest website:

Can't make it to Scotland or Switzerland anytime soon to hike those spectacular high mountain meadows? Well right here in the Old Dominion we have the next best thing! Every hiker in the mid-Atlantic should hike Cold Mountain at least once. The 360° meadow views from the saddle are are some of the best on the east coast.

These are the names of some of the major mountains in the spectacular view

when you finally reach the top. 

Similar view....in all directions!

John, Mimi, Jeanne and Peter, Ken and I enjoyed brisk temperatures on the 5.8 mile hike which features 2 overlooks on the way up to the summit.

this was my attempt at a partial panorama

It was truly spectacular to reach the top of the mountain and find ourselves in a meadow with 'top of the world' views.  Jeanne and Peter enjoyed collecting apples from an old apple tree that was laden with fruit just on the side of the clearing.  Thanks be to God for an amazing time!

it was a wonderful blessing to enjoy the fall color and enjoy some family time.

On Sunday,

Jeanne prepared an apple pie using apples she picked at the summit: