This is an older picture of the village. I posted it because this year the village will be on the back porch and will look very different.

Did you notice the new look and music? Thanks to Suzie, she fixed the music for me and did the blog Yule as a surprise. SURPRISE! I was trilled. Thanks so much. Been working on the Yule gifts and trying to get Scott started on the tree ornaments for the porch tree - he's just not into it yet, but Christmas Eve is just a little too late. They are simple ones and take seconds each and he will get into it when I start humming Yule songs (or tape my mouth shut).

The playlist are some of my favorite songs of the season.

Friday, November 13th

True is this picture has nothing to do with this blog. Just seems it looks nicer with a picture.

Yesterday Scott had a colon router reuter done and he passed with the highest honers. EXCELLENT. That issue and my not feeling not so great has kept me from doing very much on Yule, BUT I got a magnifier to help me do some projects and I am counting on it being enough help. I have so many things left to make, most of them are smaller projects and will go fast. Then there is all the soap I still need to make. I have been bad. Not going to worry about the baking for a few weeks.

I am finding that I really miss the winters in the North a lot. I would love to rent a cabin in Gatlenburg with a fireplace and even for 2 days this

would be a wonderful little winter get away. I miss those cold crisp mornings when I would put on a snowmobile suit and tennis shoes and go do the barn chores, feed up and milk the herd. I left a small brandy every extra cold morning by the Franklin stove near the back door and would enjoy that nip of warmth and then it was on to other things. With work and going back to school my days were busy. You could see all the tiny tracks in the new snow and could follow them to their little borrow. I know the ice would be a problem for me now, but just that get away would be so nice.

If I can't be there, then this is the other place. This swamp is home and I am content here. We are getting our Yankee birds stopping in at the pond for a couple days, always a welcome sight. Our Loots are here for the winter and out bi weekly white egret visitor is here. Love the bird visitors. I think they call our Loots Loons in the North, but they are Loots here and totally cute as they smile with our geese and ducks.

There really wasn't much to say today, but wanted people to know Scott came out fine. As I knew he would.

Nope, no idea what I am going to say

I am in such a happy place today. just feel so great. If you are reading this you are hearing some songs that mean something to me starting with Viva la Vita by Coldplay. It is so how I feel about life right now. When I was young I ruled the world, well at least MY world. I had no one I needed to answer to, just myself and honestly I was doing great and I was on top. When you get older it seems at times the world rules you and a stronger sense of it as you get older. But I tell ya, I'm still on top. I just don't think I could be much happier right now. I'm looking back at my life thru songs and damn but I did ok.I was very well known in the horse world in the 70s and in rabbits now. I have some great kids I raised alone. They are strong independent and honest - the way they were raised. I pretty much raised myself and I am stubborn, very stubborn. But could be a lot worse. I am loyal, but have a limit. I have always avoided have loads of friends but prefer a few GOOD friends and I have them. I have someone in my life who some days is so perfect and other days close to being a cement bundle at the bottom of the pond. I do get lonely as I am home a lone too much, but Some days I can see to drive and I should take advantage of those days and GO! Just need to get back before dark. I still have plans and dreams and I can see them happening. Isn't dreaming what it's about? Alice said; 'ever drifting down the stream, what is life but a dream.' Love that saying. The entire verse is on my wall where I pass it several times a day (ok, it's in the bathroom and I am in there A LOT!

Here's a fun time link you MIGHT enjoy YouTube - "Take Me or Leave Me" U of M Musical Theatre#t=149. Hope it shows up on the back ground. The "stars" are all on Broadway now; Jake and Andrew are getting some nice parts and are going no where but up while Courtney is already getting the top parts and has been on tv all over.

Now, we need to talk about Suzie! She set up my blog after nagging me for months on having one. I love the set of it. Told me how to set up Playlist with the songs, tried to tell me how to install it, but ended up doing it her self Cat In The Moon - give it a look.

Today is going to be a quiet day, don't think anyone is coming here so I will get some rest, reminisce, sing a little, dance a little and enjoy a wonderful cool day. Sounds fine to me.

It's begining to feel a lot like Christmas

Well, that would be a yes and a no statement. It sure doesn't look like Christmas, but when does it in Florida? It's early, right? SO? It's Christmas here for me. Christmas is when the family got along and didn't fight or pout, it was the greatest time of the year and I still feel that way. I celebrate more of a Yule feeling now that I am older and semi sane still.

This is a picture of my favorite ornament, made in China. It was gotten at my wedding dinner, 30+ years ago. It's a not fancy felt egg with little cones for the figures, toothpicks for the arms. Problem is that one of Mary's arms was either done sloppy or as a joke and she is more of a happy Joesph. Ok, I am a bad boy, but it makes me smile each year.

One of my favorite memories are; Christmas eve was spent with mom's family which was exciting! I was spoiled rotten there. I had an uncle I just adored and he was just like the tv father, wise and loving. Christmas day was with Father's family, he didn't want to go but did so anyway. This was the family that I used to have to sit in a chair for hours and be quiet - BUT not at Christmas. At this family the thing I remember most was dinner - they used REAL butter! I would break my slice of Wonder bread in to 4 pieces and butter each piece. Impressive for a 6 year old, huh?

Both families had Nativity sets, I bought my parents one when I was 8 and guess what? I have all three. I also have 6 other sets, including a huge one I hand chalked. Not all go out each year anymore, just not enough room, plus I have a Village too and it takes up way too much space. I wonder how many sets I can get out this year? Any bets?

NOW, candles! Christmas eve grandma had all these candles for Christmas - reindeer, trees, skating snowmen choirs and I so loved them all. Guess who has them now, yet me. I got the ones that survived, and there were some missing. In came EBAY! I started adding missing pieces and discovered that they were Gurleys.

My words were what the heck does that mean? I did a little reading on the history, good reading and I now have a small collection of them, very cool to me. I was left missing the 5 inch reindeer and the 5 inch skating Snowman. Delivered yesterday were the taller reindeer and 2 small skaters. WONDERFUL treat. Only one candle yet to find and i will find it.

I whined for 30 seconds and won - next week the Christmas decorations will start coming in and I can get a easier time getting the ho ho season going. I THINK there are 8 big Tupperware trunks in the barn plus the boxes of trees. As much as I want real trees I can't bring myself to cut one one and will settle for branches and the like. Which is a decor I really like anyway.

So, as things get arranged I will share things with you and hope you enjoy them as much as I will.