Twas the Night Before Christmas

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Thank you for joining me on this Windy Sunday.

Since the holidays are upon us, I will be reading Christmas Stories my mother read to me as a child.  Let us spread the Holiday Cheer!

Here is a little history of the story I will read today. Enjoy!

Twas, the Night Before Christmas, was first published in 1823 as “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” in the Troy Sentinel, later attributed to Clement C. Moore and renamed. 

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse. The stockings were hung by the chimney with care and hope that Saint Nicholas would soon be there. The children were nestled all snug in their beds while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads. And Mama in her kerchief, and I in my cap had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap. Went out on the lawn there arose such a clatter, I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter. Away to the window, I flew like a flash, tore open the shutters, and threw up the sash. The moon on the breast of the newly fallen snow gave a luster of mid-day two objects below. 

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer. With a little old driver, so lively and quick, I knew in a moment it must be Saint Nick. More rapid than eagles his courses they came, And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name! Now Dasher! Now Dancer! Now, Prancer and Vixen! To the top of the porch! To the top of the wall! Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!

But I heard him exclaim, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

 

It's the most wonderful time of the year!

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Christmas Time

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CHRISTMAS TIME

As Christmas draws closer, so do thoughts of those we care about the most — family, friends, and loved ones who are no longer with us.  I give thanks to the people who have made a difference in my life.

     

Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas time.

    -   Laura Ingalls Wilder

 

I hope your holiday is filled with plenty of ho-ho-ho!

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Petunia the Piglet

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PETUNIA THE PIGLET

While living in Paso Robles, I decided to buy a pig.  It was a spring day, and I made a wire basket for my piglet.  I thought I did a great job.  I went over to the Templeton small animal auction.  They were busy that day.  The piglets were running around the corral, and a few other fellows and I started to bid on them.  They were quite noisy because the corral guy was using a paddle around them, and they would make a squeal.   I won one and requested a female.  As I got closer to the loading chute, the wire basket seemed too smaller.  I was a bit worried my piglet would not fit in it.  The guy in front of me grabbed his piglet, and it slipped out of his hands, and he and his kids started to chase it in the parking lot.  What a scene.  I heard someone say “next,” and there I was, picking up my piglet.  I jumped out of my truck, and the young man said, ‘you want that piglet in this basket?”  Well, of course, he laughed and said, “pigs in a basket.”  The piglet squealed and squealed as they put her into the basket, and they closed the latch.  I drove off with my piglet in the back of the truck.  It must have been quite scary for the little piglet.  Being she was taken from her mother then sold at auction.  I promised I would treat her like a queen.

On the way home, I heard a bunch of noise coming from the back of the truck.  I decided to pull over and find out what was going on.  Well, little did I know that piglet was quite smart? It had somehow made its way out of the basket and was roaming around in the back of my truck eating the Oat hay I had picked up earlier from Templeton Feed and Grain.  I looked and said, “Oh my” I need to get home ASAP!  So, I took the backroads home, just in case she decided to jump ship. 

I arrived home, and luckily my piglet was fine.  I opened the middle animal pin and thought this would be a perfect place for her.  It was next to the chicken coop.  I dropped the truck's tailgate and put a plank board against it, then dropped a few morsels down the plank board, and the piglet followed the food until she was in her new home.   I made sure she had plenty of water and food in her new home before she arrived.  Once she made it into the small animal pin, she started to burrow around and seemed happy. 

I got into the pin and tried to show her how to drink her water through the spicket and raised the food bin.  She figured out the food bin immediately, but the water spicket took a while.  I sat and watched her play, and she was happy.  She ran around in circles for me. I went into the barn and grabbed a pitchfork of hay, and dropped it in the corner for her nap.  She looked at the hay and ran over, and started to fluff her bed.  It was quite funny.  Hay was flying everywhere.  It landed on her head and back, and she stared at me.  As I looked at my piglet, I decided to call her Petunia.  She was cute and inquisitive.  Every day I would go down and watch her play.  When I entered her pin, I would move slowly and talk and sing to her.  Petunia would stop and stare at me when I came in. As time progressed, she was getting big.  I had to cut a hole in the back of the small animal pen so she could run around on the lower end of the property.  Some days when I went down to feed, she was playing with the cows.  They would run near the fence line back and forth.  Sometimes she would just bask in the sun.  Occasionally you could see her sitting and watching the cars drive by the property.  They would stop and say hello to her.  She loved the attention. 

I decided to sell my Petunia.  I had a few takers and decided on the young kids from the valley.  They were going to mate her with a male and have babies.  She was a good breed and extremely healthy, plus she did have a good demeanor.  I told the boys to make sure to give her a mud bath and feed her grapes when it gets hot.  They laughed.  I said my goodbyes, and off she went to start a new life.

I learned a lot about small animals from Frank.  Thank you for teaching me and being a loving husband. 

Let me leave you with this quote - Life itself is a privilege, but to live life to the fullest - well, that is your choice.

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Friday’s Quote – Gratitude

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GRATITUDE

 

GRATITUDE unlocks the fullness of life, it turns what we have into enough, and more… 

It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.

GRATITUDE makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow. 

-Melody Beattie

My GRATITUDE AFFIRMATION – I am happy and grateful for the life I have.

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Poppy is Pleased to Announce

JOE BOOTS

Entered into

SCREENCRAFT Cinematic Short Story Writing Competition 

RED LIST (Drama)  #13

 

The Most Trying Time of My Life

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The Most Trying Time of My Life

It was a beautiful day to take a hike in the country. I found a rock to sit on so I could take in nature.  The mountains were green, and the birds were singing.  I noticed a few wildflowers intertwining themselves with the rocks and a red-tailed hawk flying above. I sat quietly and meditated. 

After the death of my husband, it was the most trying time of my life.  All the support I received from many people and places helped me immensely I thank them.  I am moving forward into new territory. I feel like a butterfly coming out of a cocoon. My thoughts are clearer and I am feeling stronger.

I can stand up for myself and say "NO" when something does not feel right for me.  

I have been writing and entering many contests.  I am almost done with my short story “Joe Boots.”  It will be entered into the Cinematic Short Story Contest.  I am also writing a western series “POLONA." I received an accolade when I entered it into the ScreenCraft Virtual Pitch contest with about 1200 other entries.

I am enjoying this time of my life.  Things are falling into place and I feel blessed with my family that surrounds me.  We help each other and love each other unconditionally.  They are my love and light. 

 

Let me leave you with this note  – May you grow stronger each day.  Reflect, Stay Safe, and be well during this global human pandemic.

 

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Friday’s Quote – Understanding Vulnerability

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Understanding Vulnerability

In a world that seeks connection, we oddly avoid eye contact, we time our text responses in order to protect ourselves from seeming too eager or too interested, and we hold our feelings back because we don't want to see overly emotional or unreasonable.

We silence our instincts, and at the end of the day instead a feeling good about ourselves, we feel alone, we feel misunderstood.

Remember it is okay to be emotional, to seek help, to confidently tell someone you enjoy being around that you are infatuated with them. 

There is nothing wrong with vulnerability, with being human, for that is what creates depth within our relationships, and that is what ultimately unifies us.    

 

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