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Friday, December 5, 2014

It's Haulin' Out The Holly Time


Nineteen days until Christmas.

Eeeeeekkk!!!

How is this possible, when just a few weeks ago, we were still
harvesting tomatoes from our diehard and shriveled vines?

November, right after Halloween: 
(I suspect our tomato plants actually benefit from our benign neglect
of them, and become tougher and more productive out of sheer cussedness.)
Weird, eh?  Weather.
Mother Nature is a wicked practical joker.
The day before Thanksgiving, this:
...which piled up to 6 or 7 inches before it ended
Thursday morning, and it stuck around for 5 days.

Now the tomato vines look like this:

The Prison Yard looked like this, not all that long ago:

And today it looks like this, like some abandoned industrial site:

Collapsed annuals, weeds, and veggie plants,
gritty dirt from snow shoveling, and just that dreary look of winter.

It's time, my friends.  It is time.

Bring on the bling!

I think one of the strongest arguments for decking
your house with Christmas lights is that
it is so freaking dark in winter!
Even just a bit of light around the front door helps dispel that winter gloom.
Meanwhile, my house looks really spooky, doesn't it?  Hmmm....

Take heart.  In just a few more weeks we begin the
long slow climb back to the Summer Solstice.

Well, as Auntie Mame sang:

Haul out the holly
Put up the tree before my spirit falls again
Fill up the stocking
I may be rushing things, but deck the halls again now


For we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
Candles in the window
Carols at the spinet


Yes, we need a little Christmas
Right this very minute
We need a little Christmas now

********************************
This weekend, Howard and I will get the Christmas storage boxes
up from the toasty boiler room, and they will take over the dining room.
Big time.

2011's chaos.  It's the same every year!
Plans? 
The chandelier gets poinsettias.

 The front stairs get garland and ribbons.

And there will be a Christmas tree in every room.
Well, every occupied room!

What are your plans for Christmas decorating?
Less than past years?  More?

And do you change styles year to year, or keep with
your own traditions for the holidays?

I'm so nosey!  -- Cass

PS  Howard already has lights on our side fence.  Show off.


8 comments:

  1. I sure do miss the fresh tomatoes, it is a long time until next July! I do like that photo of the snow...wish we would get a little instead of rain. Can't wait to see your tree in the conservatory...that is such a great place for a nice big tree.
    Have a wonderful weekend, Cass!

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  2. We are in a new home this year and I am still not sure where to put everything. I have twice the space but after so long in the other house (32 years) it is a very different feeling to decorate. I now have many, many deep window ledges to use whereas before, after retrofitting double glazed windows, I had no ledges left to put stuff on.
    My tree is now in my entryway instead of crammed between my living room and dining room.
    I am having fun finding new homes from my Santa collection.
    Time sure is passing quickly isn't it. Like you say we will soon be getting more daylight and spring will be right around the corner.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am putting out fewer decorations this year because we have workers tramping in and out of the house. Hopefully, the project will be finished in time for us to put a big red bow on the door of our fabulous new master bath and wish ourselves Merry Christmas as we open the door! Can't wait to see the photos of That Old House decorated for the season. I've read your blog for a long time and really enjoy your sense of humor! Merry Christmas to you and yours.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Looking good! And thanks for the chuckle too!
    Kari

    ReplyDelete
  5. We broke out the tubs of Christmas stuff yesterday. Put up the tree, performed the annual debugging-the-lights ritual, strung the banister with garland, and I'm well on my way to spicing up the rooms of our old place with some Christmas cheer. Every year I do at least one thing differently, but mostly stuff is the same with a twist here and there. It's comforting that way ... I know what to put where, and then I mix things up so it doesn't get tired. (I love your chandelier!!)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sounds good to me.
    We have some lights outside, I will add a strand to the
    porch railing tomorrow. We try to have theme each year, I alternate
    years for the village and We have gone from a large pre-lit tree to
    a pre-lit pencil tree. Some years more decorations some years less.

    Have fun!

    M : )

    ReplyDelete
  7. Just some lights outside and the same decorations I've had for years. Your home looks beautiful as always, Cass :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'll bet it was gorgeous, Cass. Thanks very much for your visit and comment. I hope that 2015 will be good to you and yours. You and I should both get back to our blogs! I miss your regular posts!

    ReplyDelete

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