Have you forgotten me?

I have been away from my blog so long, you've probably forgotten me.  Blogging crept to the bottom of my priority list just before Thanksgiving, though I continued to read as many posts of yours as I could.  We put the garden to bed in late November - composting, mulching, dividing, transplanting.  Many of the potted plants made their way indoors.  The lack of daylight in the early morning and evening put a stop to my habit of taking pictures before work or just after returning home.  And so my garden blogging  has been in hibernation.  I wish I could show you with photos that the Professor Sargent Camellia is blooming, the birds are busy at the feeders, and the holly and nandina berries are bright when I look out my windows.  Soon I'll be out taking pictures again.  But first I'll have to say good-bye to the Christmas season - just one more day to enjoy it.

Tomorrow, Epiphany,  will bring the season to an end and I will have to tackle putting it all away - a task that always makes me blue. But rather than think on that, I'm going to re-live a little of the season, beginning with Thanksgiving, and share it with you.

I love Thanksgiving - the joy of family, good food, togetherness, and gratitude.  There were 19 of us gathered at our house this year, including 8 children age 6 and younger.  It was a beautiful day with lots of outdoor activity, including a pre-feast Turkey "Wog" through the neighborhood.   The walk we took AFTER the meal was not nearly so brisk.

Soon after Thanksgiving we dove into preparations for Christmas, including two sessions of cookie-baking with the grandchildren and having their help in decorating my angel tree.

 I have always loved angel ornaments and had collected so many that they deserved a tree of their own.  But the fresh tree we put up is also decorated with ornaments we've collected and been given over the 40 years of our marriage.  Each ornament reminds us of a person, a place, or a time that we love.

The weekend before Christmas each year we travel to one of those places we love (Charleston) to be with people we love (my husband's brothers and sister and their families).  This year the weather was balmy - balmy enough for a nice run - a treat after the long drive.

I use my phone as a GPS to measure and time my route.

And then a beer at the Rooftop Bar with a great view.

Another tradition we love is hosting an open house for friends and neighbors.  

This year we took a few pictures before our guests arrived.

It has been a full and busy season full of precious moments, including the moment I opened this gift from my husband on Christmas morning

He had a little book made for me, telling the story in pictures of our sweet Bear, who loved Christmas.

I hope all of you had a joyous holiday season and are off to a happy start in the new year!

Christmas greetings from Charleston

Life has been a whirlwind for the past several weeks and blog posting and reading have taken a back seat in my life.    Last weekend we were in Charleston, SC for an annual family gathering.  Charleston must be one of the most festive cities in the country during the Christmas season - I could spend hours walking and admiring the houses and the decorations.  It rained much of the weekend but before leaving Sunday we had time for a walk to the Battery.

Wreaths were for sale in front of one of the churches.  When we asked what the red and white wreaths were made of, we were told "popcorn" berries.  They were all beautiful.

 The owners of the garden below had posted a sign asking passersby to admire it from the street.

The view beyond the gate below was charming.

I love this house and the way it's decorated.

It was cold and windy at the Battery, but we love the walk past these beautiful houses.

On the walk back to our hotel, this charming alley caught my eye.

The owner of the little shop came out to greet us.  If I'd had more time, money, and space in my car I would have made some purchases for my garden.

Now it is Christmas Eve and the weatherman is predicting a White Christmas.  It's been the coldest December I can remember in eastern North Carolina, with two snows already.  My heart is full of the joy and blessings of the season.  I hope you'll have time to hop over to my other blog to read about my Christmas angels.
Wishing you all much joy and happiness this Christmas season!

Only ten?

I'm joining in the celebration of 10-10-10 at the invitation of Meredehuit of This Grandmother's Garden, even though it is already 10-12-10.  She and other bloggers have been sharing lists of 10 things they love.  Sounds easy, doesn't it?  If you love as much as I do - people, places, nature, books, etc., etc. - it is VERY difficult.  So I decided to leave out all of those things about gardening that I love - because if you read my blog you probably already know about them.  My list will tell you a little about the non-gardening side of my life.  The list is totally random and not in any particular order.

I love

1) the fingers of newborn babies.

Well, really I love everything about newborn babies.

2) Thanksgiving day hikes with family

There were quite a few of us, spanning three generations, spread out on this trail last Thanksgiving Day.

3) UNC-Chapel Hill home football games (especially if we win)

I met my husband in Chapel Hill but we never went to a game together as students, and we're lucky to get to one a year now.

4) The annual Christmas season gathering of my husband's family in Charleston.

Charleston is a wonderfully festive place to be just before Christmas.

5) My beautiful and sweet dog, Little Bear

She loves being outside as much as I do.

6) Decorating my angel tree at Christmas each year.

I've collected so many angel ornaments over the years, that I decided to put up another Christmas tree just for them.   I made many of the angels and others were gifts.  

7) Outdoor concerts at the North Carolina Museum of Art amphitheater

This was Patty Griffin with Buddy Miller.  They were fantastic.  It had been raining all day - thus the blue tarp.  

8)  Girl talk on the beach 

With my sister and sister-in-law last year.  I have my back to the camera.

9)  Sitting on the porch with my husband and reading on a rainy afternoon at the lake.

With this one I've managed to include three loves! 

10)  Discovering new music through NPR music - both on the radio and on the website.  

My most recent discovery was Ollabelle.

It's been fun thinking of all the things I love and sharing them with you.  If you haven't already told us about 10 things you love, I hope you'll join the celebration!