Christmas Play

Remember the Christmas pagents when you were a child? Ever been in one? I was in one, in kindergarten. I had to be a shepherd. That wasen't bad but the fabric for the costume looked ugly to me. grey and black striped wool sort of stuff.

That is what shepherds wear, I was told. OK. So what do I say? You dont say anything you just point your shepherd's crook at the star. What star? That tinsel thing? Like This? NO Higher! Higher! WHAM! Hit the stage with a resounding thud! All the other shepherds jumped. We trotted off. I don't remember the baby part.

Flowing Stream on The Blue Ridge Parkway

We drove up on the parkway the day after my mother-in-laws funeral, in the rain. To get perspective, to honor 95 years of a giving, loving woman. This stream reminded me of the seasons. the passing of time, the end of one era, the promise of another.

VOLUNTEER PUMPKINS

I love volunteers. They are the masters of surprise. Last winter I catapulted the 2 rotten halloween pumpkins to the end of the compost bin. The birds enjoyed the seed feast as intended, but they must have missed some...accidentally or on purpose, it was a good thing. There were 4 as a result, 2 little ones and 2 big ones. It was fun watching them turn from green to orange. It was wild how the vines grew so fast ! Sometimes over a foot a day. We had to keep the vines trimmed as they tried to come in the back door. We named her "Audrey" from little shop of horrors. "Has anyone watered Audrey today?" was the call when the weather got so dry in August. They will be returned to their favorite spot late Nov !

Got Plums ?

Our two plum trees were stressed. Ant wounds on the trunk that ran deep and oozy led to their assumption of a last hurrah. They bloomed and produced with abandon. Many branches died, others filled to breaking with fruit. I mixed up a cocktail of dish soap and canola oil and liberally sprayed on the trunk. Do not despair I whispered, just hang on and if this doesnt work I will get a professional. Come Feb. is a major prune, more spray, and prayers. In the meantime I am making jam, have copied reciepts for cobbler, pie, pudding, stewed, and canned. Why is goodbye so hard ?