It does seem hard to believe that Christmas is over. All the planning, baking, shopping, cleaning, wrapping, fretting, and worrying are behind us. The Head Gardener made the statement Christmas Eve as the house was in the frenzy of the moment to enjoy it because it would soon be over. And it was. The office served as gift central where it looked like Amazon, UPS, and FedX converged. Today it has returned to normal, waiting for tax season to begin when we have to dig through stuff to prepare for the accountant. -:(.
The beginning of January does not begin any quieter with a New Year's gathering of our dearest friends on New Year's Eve. This year it is our turn to host the New Year's celebration. Two couples will be over night guests. So I have to get the house ready again for company. The Christmas decoration will stay up for the party. Then we spend the first week of the year celebrating three birthdays, two of them mark life mile stones. We will welcome the family's first teen-ager; it is so hard to imagine sweet Jacob at 13. Where have the years gone? And the HG will qualify for Medicare. Oh my. Our son in law has the 3rd birthday of the week. So really, Christmas is just the kick-off to the 13 days of celebration afterwards.
We did have a white Christmas because it snowed before and after. Now it is really cold, with the mercury hovering around 0 F.
So you know that it is really winter when:
The beginning of January does not begin any quieter with a New Year's gathering of our dearest friends on New Year's Eve. This year it is our turn to host the New Year's celebration. Two couples will be over night guests. So I have to get the house ready again for company. The Christmas decoration will stay up for the party. Then we spend the first week of the year celebrating three birthdays, two of them mark life mile stones. We will welcome the family's first teen-ager; it is so hard to imagine sweet Jacob at 13. Where have the years gone? And the HG will qualify for Medicare. Oh my. Our son in law has the 3rd birthday of the week. So really, Christmas is just the kick-off to the 13 days of celebration afterwards.
We did have a white Christmas because it snowed before and after. Now it is really cold, with the mercury hovering around 0 F.
So you know that it is really winter when:
- the flickers hang out in the tree waiting for seed cakes
- the garden art gets frosted
- Santa appears on the neighbor's roof
- the heated bird bath resembles a giant margarita
- the Happy Birthday banner stays up for days to commemorate the birthdays
- mine the 20th, Jen's the 24th, Jacob's January 3, Son in Law's January 4, and the HG's January 7
- And the flicker is still there
While the HG spent yesterday coming up with Garden Plan 2016, I began working on my family genealogy by putting existing records on Ancestry.com. I have been working on my mother's side which has not been researched and entered my father's lineage that was completed by my great grandfather, grandmother, and aunt. I am finding some very interesting things and making some discoveries about myself. As I discover that others are researching my relatives and posting wrong information, I am more determined to enter mine correctly to help get their records correct. (Is that at the teacher in me?) Next, finding relatives is very difficult because names are often misspelled, people having the same names, and transcribers not being able to read handwriting on the census documents. Let me give you an example. My grandfather was Harry Dudley Duston and father was Harry Duane Duston. Both are sometimes listed as Harry D. Duston, so which is which? Both lived in Golden, Colorado, but grandpa passed in a hospital in Wheat Ridge and my dad had been moved a nursing home closer to me in Greeley where he died 3 days after we moved him. So I am finding that some who have researched him have the wrong place of death. I am a stickler for accurate information. Now I am becoming obsessed with getting my information correct so that others have it correct.
At any rate, I think both grandma and Aunt M would be proud and glad to see their hard work enter the modern world of technology and not just left to turn to dust in a closet.
Tomorrow the HG and I are off to Denver to spend time with the kids. Heather felt so badly that she didn't get to spend the day with me on my birthday, so I promised her that we would have lunch tomorrow, but only if she takes to Norm's Dollhouse store. The HG will spend the day with boys. They will have lunch, visit aquarium shops, and go to the shooting range to shoot their bows.
As the year winds down dear friends, I want to thank you ever so much for being my blog pals, for reading my posts, leaving the sweetest comments, just being there always cheerful, happy, inspiring. But is not all about me, I so enjoy visiting each of each of you where I am entertained, encouraged, and inspired by you. So THANK YOU.
I'll be linking with Judith at Lavender Cottage for Mosaic Monday. (PS Judith. the potatoes au gratin in the crock pot were perfect.)
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What a lovely post. You are certainly busy - about as busy as we were - all the family get togethers and birthdays - it just seems to be one big month long celebration. January we only have two birthdays - time to slow down some. But I love the family and friends time together. We will have a very quiet New Years eve this year - a nice change.
ReplyDeleteGood work on the geneology - I did Don's family with the help of his aunt in the 90s - when Ancestor.com was harder to work with - I am enjoying doing my family much more - and yes indeed, there is a lot of wrong info entered - at one place I found that my dad and his older brother were listed as twins - yet their birthdates were listed as three years apart. Got that fixed in a hurry.
Your post brings me back to the spring we have coming up---the excitement of it all even though its quite dormant now. Love the expectation!
ReplyDeleteWe are busy, too. The genealogy sounds very interesting. My husband has been hard at wrk in tracing his family way back, for many years. Very time consuming. I wish you the best.
Jane x
Genealogy is fascinating. My daughter is researching on Ancestry.com and has discovered American ancestors way back. I wonder if you have any English family from years ago?
ReplyDeleteNo we are not having a normal winter as we have no snow...and it was 68 on Christmas Eve. Now it is getting a bit colder, but still awaiting snow...Snowdrops blooming in spots too. Very strange! You have a wonderful January of celebrations coming. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteDonna@GardensEyeView
and @LivingFromHappiness
Good morning! Wow, no snow here. We are having spring like temps in Maryland. Your mosaic looks pretty. Happy Birthday to you and all the fmaily members. Working on the Geneology is fun, I tried Ancestry.com. Have a great trip. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week ahead! I wish you all the best in 2016, Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteA very unusual winter so far in my corner of southern Ontario, green grass and temperature up in the 50s? We have a winter storm watch right now but it will be freezing rain, I'd rather have snow.
ReplyDeleteI've down some family history myself on paper but really should look at Ancestry.com as well as I hear it's easy to work with.
It's been a good year, thank you for participating in Mosaic Monday Ann and of course our extended conversations from time to time. I'd like to use my crock pot more and now that I know the potatoes were a success, that's another recipe to try.
Best wishes for a wonderful 2016.
It is full on winter here! Although it was unseasonably warm to begin with, we are now into normal, (quite cold) temperatures.
ReplyDeleteAnn, We are having seasonal temperatures in recent days. We have a some snow which helped with the feeling of Christmas. Traveling the highways was very good and much appreciated. Sylvia D.
ReplyDeleteDear Ann
ReplyDeleteSounds like you had a wonderful Christmas. Best wishes to you for the new year thank you for providing us with year round entertainment with your blog posts. Wishing you peace and joy and a productive garden in 2016. Your blogging buddy Elaine x
Again such a lovely reading post. Here we have an unseasonable winter, far too warm for the time of year and no snow, but we don't have often snow on Christmas. I love the seasons as they ought to be, cold in winter, warm in summer. The forecasts, however, say it will be colder next week in the new year. You have been so busy with all the birthdays and Christmas and this will continue into the new year. My congratulations with the birthdays, especially yours. Although busy you will have fun with all the celebrations.
ReplyDeleteWish you a Healthy, Happy and Prosperous 2016 with lots of blogging and gardening fun!
Janneke
Winter has been rather warm here, although we're a bit chilly now. But even though the temperature hovers around freezing we have no snow - although I keep hoping. Yes, Christmas comes and goes in a hurry. Happy New Year and Happy Birthdays to all your family!
ReplyDeleteBut what if it's January 2nd, and you still have none of that happening? Are you sure it's winter? It feels a bit wintery today, but the grass is still green and it should be in the 40's later this week. Such an odd winter we are having here in Ohio!
ReplyDelete