Fall; Not Forgotten

The days of color continue. 

Winter arrived but fall is not forgotten.

I just can't let go.

Merry Christmas from Our House to Yours

Hope you and those you love have had a warm, safe and happy day. We shifted gears and spent the late morning hours at the local theatre enjoying "Sherlock Holmes". Then it was back home for a special meal of tamales, tortilla soup and fruit salsa & feta cheese over black beans. My better half makes a really tasty tortilla soup. It was a great day.

Before the day ends, I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas from our house to yours. And send you special thanks for taking time to stop by Sea Mist and Sunsets this year. 

PS...We may not be the most sophisticated movie critics but are ready to see Sherlock Holmes again soon. Very fun movie. 

Colorful Memories

The Earth Bestows

“In spite of all the farmer's work and worry, he can't reach down to where the seed is slowly transmuted into summer. The earth bestows.” 

― Rainer Maria Rilke, Sonnets to Orpheus

Once Night Falls

Having spent more Christmas seasons in the Northwest than in CA, where I grew up, I find the Northern version more to my liking, though New Mexico is my favorite. Because it is typically cold and damp here in Dec the scents and sights are different. Fresh, clean smells and sparkling reflective colors abound. 

Living near the town of Gig Harbor provides a another fun element to the holidays with their long held tradition of a lighted boat parade. Like other communities around the world, the season is kicked off with a tree lighting. That tree is what you are seeing behind the fisherman statue in the park; and reflected in the still bay water. 

The boat parade happens a week later. If I am going to be perfectly honest, I haven't attended one in a couple of decades, as crowds and limited parking are just enough to keep me at arms length. However, part of this traditions magic is watching the harbor boats slowly come to life over the week or so prior to the parade. Then there is a flurry of decorating the day of the event. Once night falls, all the boats slowly circle the harbor a few times. Children's eyes grow big as they pass and boat captains are rewarded with much applause and gratitude for their efforts.

We have lived in this area for so long now, I recognize that some boat lights have gone out through the years which comes with sadness, along with the pleasure of knowing their parade lives on. A community built on the backs of it's early fishermen, Gig Harbor, like other fishing villages, reflects that hard work and the timeless celebration of it.

It was a pleasure to stand beside the magic of those lights for a bit last week. People passing, smiling, sharing a few words with me as we all soaked in the feel of the season. Then it was back to reality, making those earlier moments all the sweeter. Thank you Gig Harbor!

The Gift of Options

Stepping back in time to bring some color forward. 

Originally done, many years ago now, 

in another range of colors. 

Time. 

It offers us the chance to explore.

Make changes.

Or not.

Time.

It provides the gift of options.

That Simple Act

I doubt
for most of us

when tying a string around something

we anticipate it needing to hold tight

securing for the ages

what is held within it's wrappings

We employ techniques

learned as children

struggling to tie our shoes

finally moving beyond capture of feet

to packages and thoughts

When tying I remember

who taught me

the patience required

of teacher and student

and the wide scope

of life lessons

attached to that simple act.

Wrap with care.

The first two photos above were taken at the Yakima, WA History Museum.

Maple: noun

Maples have so many faces, shapes, sizes and colors. 

Variety. 

How I love all that variety.

Oh, and those winged fruits.

maple |ˈmāpəl|nouna tree or shrub with lobed leaves, winged fruits, and colorful autumn foliage, grown as an ornamental or for its timber or syrupy sap. •Genus Acer, family Aceraceae: many species, including the common European field maple ( A. campestre), the North American sugar maple ( A. saccharum), and the Japanese maple ( A. palmatum), which has many cultivars.• the flavor of maple syrup or maple sugar.

Sing, Sing, Sing

Like millions of us, I am drawn back in time during the holidays. Almost anything can trigger one of those memories, but music certainly stands center. Of course not all the memories are holiday related. The most recent trigger was running across this Christmas red clarinet in one of the local antique stores. Once sighted, the clock began it's backward spin.

When very small, my main musical exposure centered around the radio and a handful of record albums my mom would play. When our first TV arrived we were transfixed and then transported. So many firsts in each viewing. Among my favorites were old movies. It was the early 1950's and everything that came through that big tube was black and white. It all seemed like one big magic trick for the longest time. 

My favorite movies were musicals. Those with great dancing got my gold star. Probably not necessary to say Fred Astaire was amazing but, in truth, he was. In some of those movies the big bands were given a good deal of footage which seemed magic as well. Benny Goodman's Orchestra stood out and I loved his clarinet playing and Harry James on the trumpet. It was during that time that I first saw the 1937 movie "Hollywood Hotel". I can't recount the whole movie but the thing I remember clearly was another first. Gene Krupa on the drums. He was something and his playing in "Sing, Sing, Sing" never left me. The piece. The drumming. The man. 

It may not be a holiday tune, but the holidays got me there and YouTube had it. 

Enjoy! 

Handmade

Let the Holidays begin.

Hope there are handmade moments in your season.