Like Scrooge

The past year has been one of the most melancholy years of my life. Forever gone are two of my precious family that have always been an important part of my life. Memories of years past spring up within the wellspring of my heart, like Scrooge, my thoughts fly from one experience to another and I remember the good times I shared with my brother and my sweet cousin. No ghost of Christmas past need guide me, there are few regrets and no need for repentance of wrongful deeds. Their presence was always a good influence in my life and they showed me kindness and love that I did not necessarily deserve. Brothers like Mike have a way of forgiving and burying any differences along the trail. Cousins like Betty Joyce left nothing to be buried,  her heart was beyond gold, she was the essence of sweetness and purity.
I certainly have regrets for things I did not do during their lives, but God knows my heart and His Word has guided me to do all that I could do. Until now the daily grind has forced me to put aside my sorrow and grief, but as this season of love and forgiveness approaches, I now must mourn those whom I loved so dearly. Christmas's past warm my heart as I remember the joy of childhood family gatherings.
And like Dicken's Scrooge, I awake to the realization that Christmas is reborn in each new generation. As Tiny Tim reminded Scrooge of all that is good about the season, my precious grandchildren have awakened the joys that have always made it so special. The wonder of Christmas in the eyes of a child is the most precious gift for any parent or grandparent to receive. Thank you Jesus for the eternal gift you have bestowed on us all so that we may see the wonder in our children's eyes. Though many of our loved ones will no longer share those joys with us, may we cherish the shared memory of times past.  Thank you Charles Dickens for reminding us that we can choose joy over sorrow.

"God Bless us everyone"




The Leaf Collector Cometh

For those of us who live in heavily forested areas, there is a yearly ritual that we look forward to each Fall. Homeowners transfer their leaves from the yard to the curb for the city to come by per a planned schedule and vacuum them up. This year I had almost a month to create the curbside piles for the city. It's always good to watch when they get to your street. Takes me hours to accumulate them, takes them minutes to get rid of them. I still have an equal number of leaves to push to the curb for the second round. It is so much fun.

Darren helped me rake and blow the leaves in mid-November

We piled them onto a tarp and hauled them to the curb

 

Dumped them on the curb across the front of my yard

The leaf men cometh in early December

 

3 man crew- 1 raking, 1 vacuuming, 1 driving

Gone! Now I need to get the rest of the leaves up to the curb for round 2

Much to be thankful for

We had a wonderful visit from our daughter and grandsons from Florida on Thanksgiving Day. We were sad to see them leave after a short visit but we enjoyed every minute they were here. We look forward to seeing the rest of our clan as soon as possible. Thankful for each visit, thankful for every smile, every laugh, every hug, every moment we share with those we love so dear. We had a great visit.



Weston and his lion



Bennett gets some Star Wars PJ's



Nana and Bennett



Bennett with his PJ's and Minion hat



Note Peggy's stunning necklace.



Poppy helped him a little bit but he put all the pieces together.



Weston & Poppy at the Cracker Barrell



Waiting for the girls on the porch in a rocking chair



Schroeder plays another masterpiece



At Granny's

Weston with Uncle Larry and Uncle John



With Uncle Mike



Holding Granny's hand

Checking out Granny's tree



Four generations at Granny's



On the inside wanting to be outside.

Past time for a nap

Nana loves on her Bennett





Poppy gets some help raking leaves




Unfortunately, he sometimes raked them off the pile

Don't tell Dad, but it's OK if he roots for the Frogs and Bama isn't it? (He calls them the Bull Frogs)

Hard to get everybody looking at the camera



When everybody was looking away

Mommy and first born



Why we went to the Bog Garden

It was mid morning and they were still sleeping

They were just waking up

Along the trail

One more duck

Holding precious cargo

A sweet boy



Nana & Wes

Three hands-full

However we do have a few leaves

This is my backyard after most of the leaves have fallen in mid-November. There are still leaves on the trees but many have already fallen. The golden maples and the red maples are the prettiest, but the oaks and walnuts and other hardwoods are beautiful also. The problem of course, is that you have to rake them up.

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We normally have to blow the leaves or rake them or drag them in a tarp from the back yard to the front and pile them up on the curb. The city has a leaf pickup service that comes by twice during the Fall to vacuum up your leaves off the curb. They don't tell you exactly when they are coming, but they publish a schedule of when they will be in your area. My area is pending and will be next.

My son Darren visited me just in time to help me drag up the first batch to the curb. The leaves have not all fallen yet, so there will be many more to rake, but that's the price you pay for the beautiful color we enjoy. It becomes a part of your lifestyle and it actually is good exercise for old guys like me. (Not sure Darren would agree).

 

 

 

Cheryl likes to capture nature's little oddities, like leaves that are twice as large as your hand and azaleas that bloom in mid- November. We have thousands of acorns buried under the leaf piles and dozens of squirrels to dig them out.

 

 

The sun sets on another beautiful day in the Piedmont, maybe I can rake some more leaves tomorrow.