When I was  little girl, I had a tutor who taught me to read.

I was home for the first six months of second grade, and I don’t remember any math or social studies or science.  All I remember is fairy tales.

She gave me a book of fairytales for Christmas and I devoured it.  And I’ve been reading like that ever since. 

But one of my favorite stories was about the Cobbler and the Elves.

You know the story- the poor cobbler can only afford one more piece of leather, so he cuts it out one evening and then goes to bed intending to sew the shoes in the morning.  But that night, elves creep into his shop and carefully craft the shoes into  a work of art and he sells them quickly and for a  good profit.  This goes on until he is quite prosperous and he decides to thank them with little green outfits that his wife sews for them.

The elves love the outfits, put them on and prance about and then leave-never to return- but it is OK because the cobbler is now well known and well to do.

I told you all that so I can tell you this.

I’ve been feeling rather poorly lately, and trying to keep up with Christmas preparations and get ready to go to Chincoteague has just about done me in!

SO, I was taking a small break and napping, and I woke up to see this vision-

AN ELF came to help me and clean up the living room!

I KNOW it’s an elf because of the green pointy hat with a star on the top.

And I am truthfully as thankful as any prosperous cobbler.

All I had to provide was a  hat!

My friend, Patty, is a quilter and she made me this art quilt of  Sailors Rest in Chincoteague.  I love it!  I love when someone MAKES something just for me!

It is such a compliment and an act of love.  I know, because I quit buying gifts years ago.  Occasionally I will buy something if it is exactly perfect for someone, but just buying so that I can give a gift? -no.

Anyway, Luke and Willow, Aidan and I are going to Chincoteague on Monday.

Frank and Jordan will come down a couple of days later.  And we will be spending Christmas in Chincoteague!  That is why I’m on a baking frenzy now, so that I can take stuff down and give gifts to neighbors and friends before we go.

I would love to have you all over for Christmas Eve Tea, someday.  Robin and I started a tradition of having a gourmet tea and sharing a literary reading or music on Christmas Eve afternoon.  It was filled with good will and good food and good books… but we have held off from celebrating with the Tea for the last two years because we were burnt out and people were busy or out of town. 

But I’ve been thinking a lot about this and maybe next year, we could have a Christmas Tea for all of you in the local area .   It is truly a blessing to share a hot cuppa  and a greeting from the heart along with a beloved text with dear friends.

I haven’t made or sent out Christmas cards this year.  I’ve been busy, distracted and sick- but I plan to send out after Christmas cards while I’m in Chincoteague.

So, I’m wishing you the Merriest of Seasons and the most Holy of Christmas Celebrations. 

It was a dark and stormy day.

And then the sun started shining in small patches over the trees.

But the sky remained dark and the snow started coming down heavy and wet, the wind blowing it into silhouettes over the landscape.

And I went to play with a couple of five year olds.

These two.

We read stories and told stories and listened to each other’s convoluted stories.

And we braided hair and made cookies and did homework and made Christmas presents and ate pretzels and peanutbutter with sprinkles.

We made shortbread cookies with chocolate kisses.

Today I’m on a cookie baking marathon.

I’m going to make Best Ever Oatmeal cookies- so good- (really not like an oatmeal cookie with raisins) more like a crunchy, nutty, melt in your mouth with white chocolate stripes down the front.

And cut outs, Sugar and gingerbread.  But I’m not decorating today, just baking.

And Finnish Ribbon Cookies.

And Lemon Coconut Dainties.

I’ll post recipes later with pictures.

I better get started now- or I will have no cookies to show!

This is where I was last month.

And this is where I am now.

Is is just me – or does it look progressively darker and stormier?

I am not a holiday person.  I celebrate, but somehow feel really out of sync with the world around me.  My thoughts are dark and gloomy when elsewhere people are singing songs of joy. 

I have a cold and am drippy and miserable.

And today, when I went for a blood test, I looked down and saw a black sock and a blue sock on my feet- and it didn’t even bother me.

Pray for me.  I’m not feeling like myself.

moonstruck definition

moon·struck (mo̵̅o̅n′struk′)

adjective

affected mentally in some way, supposedly by the influence of the moon; specif.,

1. crazed; lunatic; insane
2. romantically dreamy
3. dazed or distracted

Also moonstricken moon′·strick′en (-strik′ən)

It’s out there-big and beautiful reflecting down upon us.  On nights like this I watch for moonshadows and walk as silently as possible. 

Not because I’m a  1.crazed lunatic;insane, but because I have a 2. romantically dreamy sort of  personality, and am easily 3. dazed and distracted.

It really is beautiful tonight.

At around 4:30 the moon was getting ready for it’s starring role in tonight’s production- and in fact , I got several pictures of the dress rehearsal.

It really is distracting isn’t it?

I wish I was a better photographer.

Because this moon is fabulous.

And I am moonstruck.

Moonstricken.

This has been a rough year.  We have been swamped with  many different issues with which we needed to deal.  And business has not been good for anybody.  Frank has lost several of his sisters in the last couple of years.  But last week his oldest full sister died and it has bothering him nonstop.

So, when his sister, Elizabeth, and her husband Bob asked us out to dinner for his birthday, he was pleased.

I’ve given up on Birthday celebrations for Frank.  He always acts disgruntled and unhappy afterwards.  I had a big party for him several years ago and he just didn’t enjoy it- so I quit trying.

But tonight he was happy.  It is hard when you are the youngest of 12 siblings and don’t keep in close touch.  I am thankful that Elizabeth reached out to him.

Sisters are really good that way.

Thanksgiving in America is a holiday.

People think of family and food.

They count their simple blessings.

And some call it “Turkey Day”.

The giving of thanks and the habit of thankfulness, however, is a choice and a privilege that  is given us by our bountiful God, the giver of all good things.

I am full of thanks that God honors and chooses relationship with people.

With His people.

With me.

To be a part of the family of God, through the brotherhood of saints, bequeathed to us through Jesus Christ our Lord is a gift beyond all measure.

And so thanksgiving is not over.

Ever.

Speaking of family and gifts- I just wanted to share a picture of the youngest member of our family and mention that he is definitely in the category of the gifted.

Guess who likes to shovel off the driveway?

Or should I say, sweep off the snow?

Wishing you a blessed Holiday season.

I had a great time last week with Cynthia andAlly and Aiden first in Smithville, then in Marshallville.  Biut out best time was at the Post House with Aiden for lunch.

Allyson calls me a feeder.  I DO like to see little boys eat heartily- and so I share my meal to supplement theirs when necessary (and allowed.)   So I shared my cup of chili with Aiden who loved it as a dip for his grilled cheese sandwich.  But most of all I loved his straw handling skills.

He is such a lot of fun and I love spending time with them.

I’m thankful that God brought Aiden into our lives.

These are the brides…………………….and these are the grooms!

Aren’t they cute?  This is what I’ve been doing this weekend- making 56 pairs of this happy couple for a dear friend’s son’s wedding.

I put on my baker’s hat and cut out and baked 112 gingerbread boys and girls-

and then I decorated them with three different chocolates.

The brides got all white chocolate- the grooms dark and milk chocolate-

and  then I gussied them all up in bows and ribbons.

  And packaged them in cellophane bags,

And tied them with black and gold ribbons and put them into a bakery box.

Actually – two bakery boxes.

Being a baker around holidays means that you don’t have a lot of free time.

Tomorrow I’m making dozens of turkey dinner rolls for the Bake Shop.

You can find directions and a recipe for making the rolls here.