Christmas Wreaths

My love for Christmas goes back to my childhood. My mother would decorate our house on the inside while Daddy would decorate the outside. We always had a live tree (a cedar --back then) and Mom would use fresh greenery to decorate most everything in the house. I remember that our house smelled SO good!!!!

Dad would hang greenery around the eaves of the house and hang a huge picture of Santa Claus above our front door. He used a spotlight to light up Santa at night. I think we were one of very few homes that were decorated on the OUTSIDE back then ('40's-'50's). People loved to drive by our house to see Santa!!!!! That was so special to me. You can see why I loved Christmas SO much.

Another memory I have is the beautiful homemade wreaths that Mom would make --and hang on our front door. I guess that is why I have a love for wreaths to this day. We have three wreaths on the front of our home now. There's one on the front door and two on the front of the house on either side of the computer room window.

Today I'm showing you some memories of Christmas as a child ---and also show you a couple of pictures of our lit wreaths. Above is a picture of Mom, Dad and me standing in front of our home. Note the wreath on the front door and the snow on the shrubs. I was hanging onto my dolly, LuLu. Below are more pictures.





Now you can see the BIG Santa hanging on the side of the house above the front door. That old Pontiac belonged to my older brother, Ray.





I included this picture of my parents so that you would see some of my mother's Christmas decorations around our home. I still have that clock which is shown in the picture --and it still RUNS!! It's one of my favorite possessions from my parents.





This is one of the lit wreaths on the front of our home. We bought this one last year.





This is our new wreath --which we bought before Thanksgiving this year. Both of them look so pretty at night all lit up on the front of our home. I'll show more pictures of the outside (and inside) of our home throughout this month.

What are some of your favorite Christmas decorations from childhood ??? Besides the tree, I think the wreath will always be one of my fav's.

Hugs,

A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving --and enjoy celebrating all of the things in life which I am truly thankful for. This year, since George's parents were with his sister in Tullahoma, TN and since none of our other family members could join us for the day, George and I decided to do something totally different. We called a good friend in Kingsport, TN (who has MS and who also lives alone) and asked her if she had plans. She had none ---so we drove up there and took her out to dinner. She told us that we provided her with a fabulous Thanksgiving this year, but believe me, the blessing was OURS.


We had a fabulous day ---and the dinner at Cracker Barrel was excellent. But---even better than the dinner (if that is possible) was the long ride we took all over Kingsport and that area. Reida doesn't get out much these days---so she enjoyed showing off her little city to us. AND--we surprised her by taking her out in the country in search of a new waterfall (which she didn't even know was there). We found it---and Reida was amazed!!!! We all had a wonderful day---including seeing the wild turkeys on Bays Mountain.


Hope you enjoy some of our pictures from this perfect day with a special friend. Above is a picture of two childhood friends, Reida and me. We are standing in Reida's newly renovated kitchen. It is gorgeous! Below are more pictures.







George took our picture --while we waited for our delicious Thanksgiving Dinner at Cracker Barrel. And believe me, dinner was delicious--and the company was better!!!









Wild turkeys on Bays Mountain --where we took a ride on Thanksgiving afternoon; don't you know those guys were happy not to be on someone's table on that day!!!! ha ha









There were three of them in this group... Pretty, aren't they? They are quite colorful--so I assume they are all males.







Here's two more --in another area. I could almost hear the one in the rear saying: "Hey, wait for me." ha







This is the waterfall we saw on Thanksgiving Day... It was in the country -and the drive was fabulous. This waterfall is named Bays Mountain Falls. We showed it in a previous post--but wanted to show it one more time.







It was a cold afternoon ---and this girl was freezing --while getting her picture taken beside that 'weird' tree..... Is that tree PREGNANT????? ha ha







George did what he always does when we visit waterfalls... He got 'up close and personal'...


We truly had one of the nicest Thanksgiving Days we have ever had. I love doing things for others---and visiting Reida on this day was truly a blessing for US. After leaving her home that afternoon, we headed for Erwin, TN ---for a couple of fabulous days hiking and 'waterfalling'.


Hugs,