Gifts from my Sons

doggie kisses, giggles, snuggles and hugs,
grandchildren, puppies, people I love.

Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Mom

Clean, Shop, Wrap, Bake, Clean, Shop, Wrap, Bake, Clean, Shop, Wrap Bake.....Ho! Ho! Ho!

Finally ready for Christmas.  Family is on the way, friends and family have been carded, gifts selected and wrapped, house is clean, goodies are baked.  IT'S ALMOST HERE!!  I'M READY. 

I know that I am so blessed.  I don't know exactly why I should be blessed, but I am and I am grateful.  There are the usual family ups and downs, births, sickness, deaths, deep love, deep discord, but we come together year after year, every year, and that is my blessing.

My mom died November, three years ago.  We just didn't know how we would have Thanksgiving and Christmas without her.  No one felt like it, but we decided to pretend our way through, and guess what?  It worked.  In pretending to be happy, we found that we could be, in spite of our heartbreak.

I have to stop writing now, and get back to the grocery store, I forgot the sour cream, of all things!  I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, crazy, happy holiday. 

Cindy

Canal Grasses Redux

 

"Canal Grasses", Acrylic on 12" x 16" on canvas board

 

Just messing around this morning, I painted over the above, previously posted painting, making the hung over tips of the grasses larger, and generally more prominent, neatening up (is that a word?) the blades, reglazing the water, a touch of the brush here and there, really just messing around.  Some mornings, I want to paint, but I don't want to start a fresh painting, so I dibble and dabble.

 

I am distracted now by the holidays, I could easily become overwhelmed with the blatant. . . . well, you know.  Yesterday, I was uptight and anxious;  today I choose, instead, just to relax and enjoy...the pretty decorations, the cold air, the friendliness of strangers waiting in line with me.  These are things that are easy. 

 

One year, we had a dollar store Christmas.  This was back when paper sacks were still used at grocery stores.  We picked up 11 sacks, and a box of markers.  Each person's name was written on a sack, and each of us went to the dollar store with $10.00, buying a gift to drop in each sack except our own.   Some of us had a great time, and some didn't. 

 

 Another year, we were all flush with success, and spent A LOT on gifts for each other.  That year, some of us had a great time, and some didn't. 

 

My mother loved Christmas beyond reasonableness.  She joyfully began her shopping for the next year on the day after Christmas.  She didn't have Christmas as a child. 

 

Another much loved family member also didn't have Christmas as a child, and resists any shopping until absolutely the last woebegone, guilty, panic stricken minute.  This person also loves Christmas, but not until Christmas day.

 

There really isn't any point I am trying to make here, just early morning ramblings.

 

Safe and satisfying holidays, ya'll!

 

Cindy

 

Williams River Wide Open

Another quickie!  This was painted early this morning, before life started waking up around me.

Williams River, Wide Open

5" x 7", acrylic on canvas board

 

On my bulletin board:

 

"Magic can take you a long way.", author unknown.

 

Have a great day,

 

Cindy