Sunday, December 25, 2016

Christmas stories bring traditional warm to the home

Christmas stories bring traditional warm to the home: Tonight, if you are like me, you will be reading to your children or grandchildren, or perhaps to yourself. My own readings will consist of the Bible story of Mary and Joseph, “A Child’s Christmas in Wales” by Dylan Thomas, poetry by Robert Frost and, of course, “A Visit from St. Nicholas” by Clement C. Moore.


I took this photo when Santa came to our town!


Dear Friends,

Above is the link to this week's column. Just click on and there it is. Enjoy! I always appreciate you reading the column. The only difference is that it was Aaron who read to his boys this year, not me. I said it was fine, and I listened with actual tears in my eyes as I passed the tradition down and let him read.

This was an interesting Christmas season for me. I loved every minute, and I enjoyed every minute. I do not think I missed anything from Santa coming to town to concerts to my open house to cookie baking to quiet time in my old house. This is my contented Christmas with life and with myself. 

Merry Christmas to all of you.

May joy find you wherever you are.

Love.

Thursday, December 22, 2016

And it's a wrap...

After the last show of the season.   




This has been a wonderful Christmas season for me with lots of stories and performances. I really do love them all. There is so much magic in the oral tradition. Thank you to everyone who hired me...listened to me...cheered me on!

But sometimes the best things are just what happens down the street! Last night was my last show for the year, and I got to tell stories with my musician friend, Gerry Ferrell. We sang and told stories to a lovely audience at Cahoots Cafe down at the end of my street.

Just as I was finishing up Twas the Night Before Christmas Santa and Mrs. Claus appeared as jolly as ever! The children were so delighted. Their eyes lit up like...well...like Christmas trees!

Oh, the magic of Christmas with children. It never fails to amaze me. 

We all need this magic from time to time. We need to learn from the children around us. Lucky me that I am often surrounded by them.

Happy day to you. May the blessings of this day guide you into the once-again darkness of winter.

Lou Ann

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

Happy Solstice!

The early winter morning sky.



Today is the Winter Solstice, and it is probably my favorite day of the year. I love winter...I love the early darkness...and I love the Solstice.

Last Sunday night my old house was full of folks. We started with a potluck and moved on to reading poetry: Tennyson, Frost, Burns, Thomas, Moore, Dickens and others. We lit the Christmas tree and sang O Christmas Tree in German...all the versus. 

We ate more and then played music til the wee hours of the morning. There is nothing more wonderful than a house full of friends and family celebrating the darkness of winter.

I woke at exactly the moment of Solstice this morning, 5:44. I guess I am definitely in tune with this world.

Happy Solstice! As Leonard Cohen said, "There is a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in."


My Christmas tree with the candles lit. The picture does not give justice to the beauty.




 https://www.facebook.com/annie.thomaseyster/videos/10207823235954607/

Give this link a try for a beautiful rendition of Silent Night around my Christmas tree.

Happy Solstice.

Sunday, December 18, 2016

Reliving an earlier Christmas


 I have a lovely old house.


This is a print of a painting of my old farmhouse. The original was painted by Tara Rinkle Homan. This lovely print was my Christmas gift from Adam and Tara. I love it so much.

Here is the link to this week's column. I was asked yesterday about the inspiration for the column. First of all I dearly love the old stories of my young children and our celebrations. Secondly, I met a young woman at the store this week who had that "deer in the headlights" look. I stopped to talk with her. She was so worried about Christmas with her children because she had so little to give them. I told her this story and other stories about what children really need. They need us, they need time, they need stories and, well, magic. Those qualities I gave to my children.

Enjoy the column. Just click on the top link or the title and it will take you to the KPC site. As always, a thank you to my editor, Mike, who makes me look like a good writer.

Until tomorrow.

Friday, December 09, 2016

Welcoming the Christmas season with quiet time...

Welcoming the Christmas season with quiet time: Before I have time to gather all the pumpkins up for the compost heap, I take advantage of this beautiful day and head out to Powers Church to welcome in the Christmas season. This is my first visit to the church, except for a wedding and an afternoon stroll through the old graveyard.


C
Dulcimer players entertaining folks as we wander in.

Powers Church on this beautiful afternoon.


Here is the link to last week's column on the Powers Church. It was a wonderful afternoon, and one I hope to repeat many times in the future.

Just click on the site above which will take you to the KPC website. As always, thank you for reading, and enjoy!

Lou Ann

Spring break in St. Pete...

  Adam and his pups! The late-night flight is full. Everyone is heading out for spring break. Students and teachers, moms and dads, kids and...