Holiday Season 2020 - Mom's Tree

Sunday, November 29, 2020

Mom moved to senior living over a year ago. Her new place is smaller than her former one and storage options are more limited. We’ve been storing things for her including her Christmas tree which she didn’t put up last year. I loaned her one of my mini trees which she used instead. This year she wanted to put up the big one so we hauled it over to her today. She’s only doing the lights for now and will add the decorations closer to Christmastime. 

Holiday Season 2020 - Holiday Shopping With Noel - Victory

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Noel and I made a point to stop by Victory today.

Very scaled back compared to last year but also compared to other small shops this season. 

Prices were quite high too. 

Holiday Season 2020 - Deb's Winter Greenery

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Our next door neighbor, Deb, did up her window box today and it makes mine look pretty sad. 

Holiday Season 2020 - Winter Greenery

Friday, November 27, 2020

The electric company was out the other week to deal with a downed power line for the neighbors across the alley. They decided to trim a decent sized branch from our backyard pine tree that was just a little too close to our power line for their comfort. I hacked some of it up to make this little arrangement for our front yard flower box. The fake berries are ones I had on hand. 

Holiday Season 2020 - Black Friday 2020

Friday, November 27, 2020

Exactly.

Holiday Season 2020 - A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving

Friday, November 27, 2020

A woman I follow on Instagram posted the above picture. She and her daughter put the plate together for Thanksgiving. I did a double take as I scrolled by it because I thought it looked somewhat familiar. Funny because Dale and I watched A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving just yesterday. 

Thanksgiving 2020 - A Very Pandemic Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Well, another familiar event has arrived that's  taken a very pandemic twist. We had planned on having Mom over today but Dale found out he had potentially been exposed to Covid through John C.'s personal care attendant. John's initial test came back negative but is waiting on a follow up test. Because of this Dale and I didn't feel comfortable having Mom over. When I called to tell her I felt terrible. It was like having to fire her from Thanksgiving. Although disappointed she handled it well. 

However, the holiday turned out nicely all things considered. We made a boatload of food and I appreciated the sense of familiarity that provided.  We were able to bring food over to Mom and John which felt good. Still, it all felt ever so slightly off due to not spending it with other folks.

Colored the turkey in the Strib.

Watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade...

Only a block long this year and much of it pre-recorded. 

A Little Decorating, Cocktails, and Music

Sunday, November 22, 2020

So the snowmen went up today...

...and the feather tree got some ornaments. All before Thanksgiving. 

Cocktail hour and music. I haven't had a Bloody Mary in a while.

Okay, so, I wouldn't want to do it this way every year, but starting early has been rather fun. 

Sign of the Season

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Yesterday as Noel and I were driving around near Summit Avenue and I saw the first tree tied to the top of a vehicle  (not pictured here) of the year. One of those signs of the season, ya know. 

Starting Early This Year

Sunday, November 22, 2020

Lots of folks seem to be willing to jumpstart the Christmas season a little early this year and get it going. It all makes sense as this has been a really dreary year. Between all the pandemic related stress, racial strife, and the 2020 election I think a lot of folks, including myself, are ready to get festive. 

I always wait until Thanksgiving before even thinking about setting out any tchotchkes or listening to holiday music. I always start with more secular themed stuff and then get a bit more religious as we get closer to Christmas. 

There's been so much loss this year and we're all grieving. We've lost the freedom to move about and gather with family and friends as easily as we're used to and the loneliness that accompanies that. Many have lost jobs and loved ones and even those two horrible things haven't happened to us, there's the worry that it could. However, decorating and listening to music is a safe way to lift our spirits. It also gives us a sense of control which feels really good when everything seems to be falling apart. 

Part of what's always appealed to me about Christmas is the anticipation. Looking at decorations is a cue to daydream of the excitement and great times ahead. 

Holiday Shopping with Noel & More

Saturday, November 21, 2020

More pre-holiday shopping with Noel in St. Paul today. We weren't able to do lunch. We haven't wanted to brave eating indoors during the pandemic but, even if we had, the governor has closed down restaurants again due to the troubling Covid surge of late. We bickered in the car a little bit on the way to our first stop but recognized we're on edge due to pandemic fatigue. I lifted my foot off the brake while waiting for a light to turn at an intersection and startled a grumpy old man trying to cross the street. He cussed me out. I stopped rolled down the window to say sorry. He cussed me out some more but I told him to have a nice day. He just shrugged his shoulders and kept walking so I may have diffused his anger a little bit. Anyway, we're all on edge. 

Both Noel and I were rather underwhelmed with the stores' offerings of holiday items which is consistent with what we've already experienced this season but also the last few years or more. I picked up some mercury glass ornaments from Marsha at Gypsy Moon. I need more of those like I need a hole in the head but I want to support small business more so this year than ever. 

During cocktail hour Dale and I snacked and listened to holiday music. Today I heard my first holiday song while shopping in Anthropologie. Sunshine by Sia came on as Noel and I looked at their vastly overpriced stuff. It's funny because last year the first holiday song I heard while shopping was Puppies are Forever also by Sia. Anyway we listened to the whole album tonight. I’ve been playing it the last few years and Dale, not caring for it initially, is starting to warm up to it. 

While on the topic of holiday music I'll mention that Dale and I also listened to new Christmas selections from Stacey Kent, one of our favorite artists. The songs on the 4 track EP are all overdone but, hey, it's Stacey Kent. She could sing the phone book and make it worth listening to. 

Feather Tree

Thursday, November 19, 2020

This past weekend I bought this feather tree at A Rare Bird Antiques. I've always wanted one so when I saw it I had to make it mine. I usually don't start setting Christmas things out until Thanksgiving weekend but I think this year of all years I can make an exception. I will, however, wait until just after Thanksgiving Day to put decorations on it. I think it looks good on this table which was also A Rare Bird find. 

Music and a Mixer

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Growing up we listened to The Wonderful Songs of Christmas by The Harry Simeone Chorale every year. It's one of my most favorite Christmas Albums. Over the last 30 years I've looked for it on CD and then eventually digital download but to no avail. Until today. I did a search for it on Apple Music on a lark this afternoon and it turned up. I had read a number of years ago that it never made it to CD due to licensing issues. Well, that must have all been worked out. I downloaded it immediately. Track 1 is Pat-a-Pan and I have vivid memories of Sam as a three year old jumping up when the whistling interlude came on and running circles around the living room. Not sure why he felt the need to do that but it sure was funny and awfully  endearing. 

In other news: Ok, so, Dale and I are pretty easily amused. We’ve had a clunky manual hand mixer for 25+ years. It takes forEVER to whip cream. After all this time we finally got an electric mixer and after one use our elation was so great you’d think we’d just purchased a castle in the Alps. 

Holiday Shopping with Noel

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Noel couldn't get together yesterday for our usual Saturday lunch and shopping expedition due to a workshop. We planned for today instead. We headed straight for 50th and Xerxes as we started to forgo lunch today. 

First stop, A Rare Bird Antiques. Kelly has been setting out a bunch of holiday stuff earlier than usual due to not knowing for sure whether the winter months will bring another shut down due to covid-19. Because of the current spike I wouldn't be surprised if it comes to that. 

I picked up a couple of little boxes.

And an ornament.

Kelly's got lots of vintage stuff that's always fun to look at. 

We also stopped by The Loft. I found these angels that are bigger versions of some ornaments I got as a kid in the early 70s at the old Lyndale Gardens in Richfield. 

We stopped by Victory next. We knew it was closed today but we thought we'd peek in the window to see what there might be. Noel was especially eager. 

Martinmas 2020 - Dinner

 Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Mid-week cocktail hour included martinis for me. Wine for Dale.

We had a simple dinner of salmon. Dove bars for dessert. Oh, and I had some Bailey's for 2nd dessert. 

And have I ever mentioned that life is just better with a dog in it? 

Martinmas 2020 - Evening

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

It was only yesterday I remembered Martinmas is today. 

For centuries this holiday signified the conclusion of the agricultural year; the harvest was complete, cattle were ready for butchering, wine was ready for consumption. For me Martinmas is becoming a specific date to look toward turning inward to not only my physical residence but also my person. 

It's looking like this year it won't just be the cold weather that keeps us at home but Covid-19 as well. Cases have spiked in just the last week at an alarming rate. Although the school district I'm a part of has been in distance learning since the beginning of the year, many that were doing hybrid will soon be returning to the distance model. It's looking quite possible that many indoor spaces that we turn to to escape cabin fever may be shuttered or at least turn to more severe restrictions. 

Above painting: The Wine of San Martin by Pieter Bruegel the Elder

Martinmas 2020 - Morning and Afternoon

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Another year gone by. Martinmas is upon us again. The sky as I walked Athena this morning was a steely silver blue. Wonderfully wintery. 

We had a rather substantial snow yesterday. As the weather drives me inside my thoughts turn more inward. It's a perfect time for reflection of the past year and for beginning to think of what lies ahead. 

The election this year went my way so it feels as if Christmas has come early. I'm ready to get in the holiday spirit but I hesitate to rush too much. It's not yet Thanksgiving. 

This has been a particularly rough year due to the pandemic. I've had to redo how I work and it's all been done with very little time to spare. Frustrating yet, at the same time, rewarding. I'm really going to work on staying positive throughout the season. I can't believe it's getting to be that time of year again. Here's to hearth and home.