Christmas Eve is here. Where did the Year Fly?

Here at the end of the year, we reflect with gratitude, on a time and space where we were blessed with many opportunities.

Warm Wishes for a wonderful Holiday Season with family and friends.

A time and space to create new memories; a time and space to build a stronger emotional foundation with focus to carry into 2014.

Happy Noel

Trumpet Vine with Donkey Ears Cactus

Oil Painting

(Juried into the February Phoenix International Sky Harbor Museum)

I would love to introduce you to my friend Linda Thompson. She comes forward in to my life from my past as a Mortgage Banker. She too loves to write. Here are her Christmas thoughts share with you.

Meaning of Christmas

It’s midnight and I lie awake pondering life,

Wondering the deeper meaning of Christmas.

A voice from within said, “Go on a journey”.

And gently the voice set the course for my quest. 

You are walking in the Forest of Living Trees

…….so adorned with sparkling snow.

Their branches fold around you like wings of angels

…….you feel their Infinite Love.

Their roots go deep into the nourishing earth

…….you are one with their soul.

They will help guide you on your quest

……it is their journey, too.

In silence and amazement you look for the journey

The air is cool and clear, you breathe deep

Brighter than the morning sun the moon shows you a Path

Stars glistening from above light up the trees

You see life’s familiar scenes play along the way

…..they soon pass from sight.

That paradigm no longer seems important

……you let it go.

You ask “Where am I going? What is my purpose here?”

…..You have awakened, my dear.

You reply “What do I do now? Which way do I go?”

……. Explore possibilities and create your new path.

Suddenly the Winds of Change begin to shift

The snow is swirling in musical complement

The winter birds sing “Be Light, Be Light”

Reindeer dancing in laughter kiss your heart in merriment 

With compassion and wisdom you feel the Oneness

……a new paradigm is here.

Iridescent Rainbow Lights shine far and wide

…….around and within you.

A Golden Light comes into view, ever so close

……it’s Brilliance touches you

Before you appears a Divinely Beautiful Child

……and whispers a message to you 

Listen and Trust.  What is your message?

I share my Heart Love and Divine Light with You

Merry Christmas 2013 and Happy New Year 2014

Linda J. Thompson

So from Arizona and California

Merry Christmas and Seasons Greeting to ALL

Mary Dove

Bye for now.

This may be a break in the stress of the holidays.

 A look back in time to be shared with the young and the young at heart; maybe this will help the young better understand our live experiences and where we come from as the foundation of who most of us are today. They may even get a chuckle out of our growing up experiences. Maybe a few may even say, “Neat, wish I could be free to have that much fun.”

Enjoy a look back into the time capsule.

This is another one of my High School friends, Johnnie Tarver. Pass it on and give him credit.

Memories to be enjoyed by all ages!

'Someone asked the other day, 'What was your favorite fast food when you were growing up?' 'We didn't have fast food when I was growing up,' I informed him. 'All the food was slow.' 'C'mon, seriously. Where did you eat?' 'It was a place called 'at home,'' I explained. 'Mom cooked every day and when Dad got home from work, we sat down together at the dining room table, and if I didn't like what she put on my plate I was allowed to sit there until I did like it.' By this time, the kid was laughing so hard I was afraid he was going to suffer serious internal damage, so I didn't tell him the part about how I had to have permission to leave the table. But here are some other things I would have told him about my childhood if I figured his system could have handled it:

Some parents NEVER owned their own house, wore Levis, set foot on a golf course, traveled out of the country or had a credit card. In their later years they had something called a revolving charge card. The card was good only at Sears Roebuck. Or maybe it was Sears & Roebuck.

Either way, there is no Roebuck anymore. Maybe he died. My parents never drove me to soccer practice. This was mostly because we never had heard of soccer. I had a bicycle that weighed probably 50 pounds, and only had one speed, (slow). 

We didn't have a television in our house until I was 12. It was, of course, black and white, and the station went off the air at about 10, after playing the national anthem and a poem about God; it came back on the air at about 6 a.m. and there was usually a locally produced news and farm show on, featuring local people. 

I was 15 before I tasted my first pizza, it was called 'pizza pie.' When I bit into it, I burned the roof of my mouth and the cheese slid off, swung down, plastered itself against my chin and burned that, too. It's still the best pizza I ever had. 

I never had a telephone in my room. The only phone in the house was in the living room and it was on a party line. Before you could dial, you had to listen and make sure some people you didn't know weren't already using the line. Pizzas were not delivered to our home. But milk was. 

All newspapers were delivered by boys and all boys delivered newspapers --my brother delivered a newspaper, six days a week. It cost 7 cents a paper, of which he got to keep 2 cents. He had to get up at 6AM every morning. On Saturday, he had to collect the 42 cents from his customers. His favorite customers were the ones who gave him 50 cents and told him to keep the change. His least favorite customers were the ones who seemed to never be home on collection day.

 Movie stars kissed with their mouths shut. At least, they did in the movies. There were no movie ratings because all movies were responsibly produced for everyone to enjoy viewing, without profanity or violence or most anything offensive.

If you grew up in a generation before there was fast food, you may want to share some of these memories with your children or grandchildren. Just don't blame me if they bust a gut laughing.

When my mom passed away in her things I found a old royal crown bottle.

In the bottle top was a stopper with a bunch of holes in it.. I knew immediately what it was, but my daughter had no idea. She thought they had tried to make it a salt shaker or something. I knew it as the bottle that sat on the end of the ironing board to 'sprinkle' clothes with because we didn't have steam irons. 

Man, I am old. How many do you remember? Head lights dimmer switches on the floor. Ignition switches on the dashboard.

Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall. A real ice box; pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards. Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner. Using hand signals for cars without turn signals

Times were good and we had tootsie rolls that came cut so you could share with a friend and a country who believed in "In God We Trust"

From Facebook by Johnnie Tarver – Pasadena High School class of ’57 and this would be Pasadena Texas.

Hope you enjoyed this reality check. Feel free to copy to share with friends and today’s teenagers. Just give Johnnie Tarver credit.

Hope you enjoyed this time capsule.

Happy Noel to Each and All

Mary Dove

Bye for now.

A Seasonal Poem from Barb Wiatrak Young 

It looks as if Barb Wiatrak Young (reminder we were in high school together) is becoming my blog poet. Most often she creates words that speak to her at times of seasonal events. This is her poem, for the Christmas Season, shared with graduates of Pasadena High School, Pasadena Texas this December.

I encourage and support all creative efforts. The process of writing is the same process the artist travels when painting an image just using a different tool.

Story of Jesus

by barb wiatrak young

Tell me the story of Jesus

That story of long, long ago

About the star in the heavens

Lighting where the shepherds should go.

Tell me of that lowly stable

Where the son of God laid his head

Of the manger all filled with hay

And how the shepherds were led.

Tell me of that first Christmas morning

How the light of heaven was there

How Mary held her precious son

Little Jesus so sweet and fair.

Tell me the story of Jesus

Why he came to this earth

Of the miracle of blessed Mary

And the story of His holy birth.

Tell me how much He loved us

So willing to die in such pain

So all of God’s children could live

And be in His presence again.

Tell me how Christmas is precious

Not what we buy or amass

Not all of the tinsel and trimmings

For some have forgotten, alas.

Christmas is the gift of our Savior

That we might remember the cost

From the time of His sacred birth

So not one soul would be lost.

Yes tell me the story of Jesus

My brother my Savior my friend

Tell me of life everlasting

A life that never will end..

Yes tell me that precious story

Over and over again...

Happy Noel to Each and All

Mary Dove

Bye for now.

Have a Happy Turkey Day from Mr. Country Strutter, my Turkey Watercolor!

I decided this Holiday Season, Mr. Country Strutter, my watercolor turkey, will represent my annual good wishes to ALL.

Above the noise, we as individuals have much to be thankful for: family, friends and the fact we exist to experience another day. With a positive attitude and awareness, we can effectively change our world for the better. Keep your personal focus on your life plan, the answers will be provided to you for this accomplishment. Believe you can create a better world for yourself and our children.

The challenge of this watercolor was to capture Mr. Strutter in his environment of grasses and local interesting plant material. The center of attention in his glory; he was painted with close attention given to his textures, colors and plumage. The feathers required a focus of detailed attention. I'm pleased with the painting and the juxtaposition between strong detail and a soft foreground and background. Enjoy.

Country Strutter

watercolor painting

21.25 X 24.75

SEE MORE

Print sizes and framing available at Fine Art America

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be grateful for your the many forgotten blessings you've received during this past year.

A day to share with family and good friends.

Mary Dove

Bye for now.

A fall poem to share from Barb Wiatrak Young.

Just a reminder Barb and I went to high school together in Pasadena Texas. To give you a setting for this poem, she currently lives in Utah. These are seasonal thoughts she shares with us to enjoy and can ponder to move us into a higher peaceful state of mind. Please forward her words to share with friends and family. Enjoy.

Colors

by barb wiatrak young 

All around like shimmering dubloons,

Aspens rain their leaves of gold...

Oaks on fire with crimson, scarlet...

Explode with color and unfold

Overhead the sky seems painted

In a periwinkle blue,

With clouds of cotton, fluffy white..

Shyly, softly peeking through...

Old man winters smile is kindly..

On autumns colors blazing hue..

For so soon his frosty paintbrush

Will with white those trees imbue...

For the fall gives forth to winter

Then winter flees on frosted wing,

Making way for purple violets

And the haunting song of spring...

I am so oft reminded as I ponder

How like the seasons are our years

Spring and summer, fall and winter

Through the trials, and smiles and tears...

It seems in spring, we have forever,

But summers chores seem never done

Hastily comes fall and retrospect

For the days so quickly run..

Winter is so very sudden

Lingering soft upon our brow..

Making days so much more precious

While we live the here and now...

Happy Thanksgiving!

Be grateful for your many forgotten blessings you've received during this past year.

   

A day to share with family and good friends.

Mary Dove

Bye for now.