Christmases Past (2001-2008)

2001 Christmas Tree

I had some fun going through old Christmas pictures since George and I got married.... SO---today I thought I'd share with you a picture from each Christmas between 2001-2008.   Hope you enjoy them!!!!! (When I do this,  I always find out how much better photos are now than they were years ago... SO--some of the earlier pictures are not the best quality! Oh Well---hope you like them anyhow.  Some will enlarge--and some won't.)

The picture above is our first Christmas tree in 2001... The angel is almost as large as the tree... ha ha....  We were living in our little townhouse in Hendersonville that first year.  This little tree now sits on our front porch every Christmas.

2002

I couldn't find one single picture from our Christmas in 2002.... I know that we bought our new house that Fall---but didn't officially move here until the summer of 2003, when I retired from my job.  We visited the new house here alot on weekends ---and I loved to cuddle up near the fireplace!!!!!  SO---here's a picture taken sometime that winter.

First Christmas in our Home ---2003

That tiny tree (with its big angel tree-top) looked even smaller in our new Great Room...  BUT---we didn't buy the new tree until 2004.... SO---this was Christmas in our new home in 2003... NOTE that there was some snow outside... (We had more snow here during those years than we have had the last several.)

New Christmas Tree in 2004

We got the new tree in 2004----and have used it ever since.   You will have to go back and look at the first picture of this tree I posted in Monday's blog post.... There are TONS more ornaments on that tree in 2012... ha  (NOTE---there's snow outside!!!)

2005

Two silly people celebrating Christmas together------Who are those people??????

2006

Here's the ribbon (and garland) I used to use on the lamppost.... I loved that old ribbon ---but through the years, it turned orange in the sunlight.... SO---since it didn't look like Christmas anymore,  we got rid of it.  I bought a new one this year--but don't like it nearly as much... (Those are our winter Pansies in that bed.  We plant them every year.)

2007

This was the first year we bought our lighted garland and bows for the deck....

Another 2007 Purchase

Also in 2007,  we bought our first lighted wreath for the front of the house.  (We now have 3 out there.)

Treetop Angel---2008

Lastly,  in 2008,  I'll show you the angel which sits at the top of our tree --and has --every year since we bought the new tree in 2004.... I like her much better than the big one I used to use on the tiny tree... (The big one now joins the other angels in their area!)

Hope you enjoyed sharing Christmas Pasts with me today!!!!  Christmas is just so special to me ---in so many ways!  Praise be to God that Jesus Christ was BORN --and that we can celebrate this birth all month!!!!

Because it is December and since there is alot going on,  George and I are taking a week off from blogging.  Hope you have a fabulous week---and we'll see you on Monday,  December 19.  Don't be naughty.....  Someone is watching you!!!!!

Hugs,

Emoticons

Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina

This is my second post from our trip to Grandfather Mountain, North Carolina on November 8, 2012.  Be sure to check out Part I by clicking HERE.   Several people commented about it being cold there that day... To tell you the truth,  I cannot remember a time when I was any colder than I was that day on top of that mountain.... It was unbelievably cold.

Today I will show you more from that trip.  Above is a picture of the top of the mountain (where we went)---from below, as we were driving up there.

Be sure to click on the photos to see enlargements.

We stopped here to check out these interesting rocks.  This one is called a SPHINX.  Do you see the head?????  A Sphinx is an ancient Egyptian stone figure having a lion's body and a human or animal head....   See it???

This rock is called SPLIT ROCKS.... Appropriate name, wouldn't you say? Wanna stand under that cracked rock?????

I had to work hard to hold this rock up!!!! ha ha

No reason for this photo ---other than the fact that I think it was an interesting tree,  and of course,  I just HAD to snap a picture!!!   Nice view though!

We checked out the Animal Habitat at Grandfather Mountain ---but since it was SO cold that day,  most of the animals were HIDING ---probably trying to stay warm.  The picture above is one of two bears which we saw.   George took this one ---showing the long tongue on that bear.

Have you ever seen a CINNAMON BLACK BEAR before?  Here is one for you.   His name is Kodiak.  He is rare--born in 1999.  Less than 3% of the black bears on the east coast have this coloring.  Pretty,  isn't he?

We saw a couple of COUGARS ---but they were far away and wouldn't pay any attention to us... This is the best picture I could get --even with my long lens..

After walking around to see the animals,  we went inside the Visitor Center (Nature Museum) to WARM UP.... Did I mention how cold it was that day---especially the wind?????? Woooooooo.

I had to take this picture of George with "MILDRED" the Bear.  Mildred  came to the Grandfather Mountain area about 1968.   She loved it there --and raised her 'family' while there.  The bears there now are all descendents of Mildred....

There was also a Mildred Grill  and a FUDGE Shop..... We had our lunch in the car --so we didn't visit the grill,  AND I just couldn't get anywhere near that Fudge Shop.... TOO tempting!!!!! ha

After leaving the Visitor Center (Nature Museum),  we then continued up the mountain to see the Mile High Swinging Bridge (shown in Part I).

If you ever get to the mountains of North Carolina,  be sure and check out Grandfather Mountain.  We hope to go back sometime and do some hiking.  (All of the hiking trails were closed when we were there due to snow on the trails.)

Have a fabulous day.

Hugs,
Betsy