Something I Got For Christmas

Santy Claus brought mme this three tiered beauty.  I am "Shopping the House" for items to make an arrangement.
So. What shall I look for next?

Before and After

 This is the brunch I made for us the day after Christmas.

The items below were our lunch the day before Christmas.  To those of you who don't have any In and Out Burgers?               So sorry.

Alas, Poor Yorick. He got tangled up with Mod Podge.

 This glass skull contained vodka.

 I drank it and then I decoupaged it.

He has a golden chicken bone hat.  I think he likes it

Christmas Happened! Hallelujah!

I am sure that everyone on the planet has seen that flash mob internet video
of people in a food court somewhere singing the Hallelujah Chorus. 
I wish I
had been there!  My alto part of the Chorus is as familiar to me as the
sound of my breath going in and out of my lungs.


Every year in December I participated in a community production of The
Messiah for all of the years I was “forming,” in Ada, Oklahoma.  The singers
included the high school  and the college choirs, and various church choirs,
along with anyone else who wanted to participate.  The orchestra was filled
with people from similar talented groups around the small town.


Year after year we would begin practicing before Thanksgiving and by the
time we performed we were a melodious and powerful group.  It stunned the
standing room only audience almost as much as it awed those of us who were
singing.  To me, it was the beginning of the magic that was Christmas.  Ada,
Oklahoma was a great place to spend one's formative years.


The first Christmas I spent as a married lady in Southern California, I
waited for the Christmas magic to appear.  It was balmy,   but there were
Christmas decorations in the stores.  There was no Messiah.  We were a
struggling young couple.  I realized I had to make Christmas happen in our
little apartment.  I remember sitting at the kitchen table making dough
ornaments to hang on the tree that had been given to us by the elementary
school where Richard worked.  I sang my heart out.  “All we like sheep...”
“...and he shall reign for ever and ever..Hallelujah!”  Alto part only. Oh,
and with a smidgen of soprano thrown in now and then.

The thing about religions is they have some beautiful music.
The thing about apartments is they have some thin walls.

My new California neighbors smiled cautiously at me after that.

Terra Cotta Soldier Guards Ranch

This is Gau Wei.  It is pronounced Go Way.
He guards and protects.

Keeping My Merry Carbon Footprint Small

After the Christmas season ended last year, I went to "Jo-Anne's Fabrics and Oodles of Other Stuff" and got this fabric. My plan was to have this project done by the end of last January.
My new plan is to make gift bags to use over and over beginning this Christmas.

Thus eliminating a bit of the mess and waste of paper.
I have made one so far. Fifteen minutes. This tells me that I shall probably run people down to retrieve the bags after they open their gifts. Guess the bags will have to go to family members only. They understand me.

Funny Looking Duck

This ducky looks like someone put one of those exploding cigar things in the back of his head. He can be found at Scarlet's Run.