Sunday Letter: 12.04.22

Dear Sunday Letter friends,

Oh my goodness, November was a complete blur for me. And now December is here, and I want time to slow so I can savor every moment of the most wonderful time of the year.

I don’t know when I’ve been so excited for Christmas. I think attending the Christmas parade and tree lightning in Littleton, Colorado, on the day after Thanksgiving really gave me a head start. Also, because my son and daughter-in-law will be with us this Christmas, I’m over-the-moon excited.

It has been several years since either of my kids came home for Christmas. Even though we all live within a short 1.5 hour flight from each other, that often feels way too far away.

Anyway, with only 28 days left in the year(!), I hope to appreciate every little sparkly bit.

O Christmas Tree

Two of the best days of the year just happened: the day we selected our Christmas tree and the day we decorated it. At our house these two exciting events happen one day after the next which makes the entire experience feel like a holiday.

Day One: off we go in search of our tree (usually to Lowe’s). We buy it, tie it to the top of the vehicle, and drive our precious cargo home watching it through the moon roof. Once home, we let it soak overnight in a bucket of water. After its journey, we believe it needs time to rejuvenate and rehydrate. Also, this gives the branches an opportunity to relax before taking on its all important job of anchoring the holiday inside our house.

Day Two: The tree is fitted in the stand (never perfectly straight but almost), and we welcome it into the house where (in the words of Bernice Hart and Marie Kondo), it will fill us with incredible joy for the next few weeks.

Then the decorating begins…🎄

O Happy Day!

What a treat it is to revisit all of our Christmas decorations each year. Each holds a vivid memory. From my childhood, our kids’ childhood, vacations and special places, gifts from friends—each one is a treasure to me.

The entire time we decorated the tree, Gracie sat quietly under the tree watching. She’s two now, and I wonder what she remembers of last Christmas.

Now our house is all Christmasy, and I want to nestle in and hibernate until spring, with Christmas movies and yummy snacks of course.

O Yum!

John made his fabulous lasagne a few days ago. About twice a year he makes two big batches, and we freeze both for special occasions.

It is quite the production to make. (I helped with assembly.)

I would share the recipe with you but it exists only in John’s head. So far, try as I might, I still haven’t cracked the code to read his mind.

Seriously, it is as great or better than any restaurant version I’ve had. (Sorry to tease you.) 😊

O Yay!

This may not look like much, but it is everything. I have a tiny sprout of a bloom on one of my orchids! Getting an orchid to re-bloom can be tricky, and every time it happens I feel like I’ve really accomplished something (even though mostly all I’ve done is exercised patience and consistency).

This is your reminder to celebrate the small things. Even the things so small you need a magnifying glass to fully admire them.

Things Momma Says:

Somehow I have no quote this week from Momma. BUT guess what? It’s her birthday week, and I know you’ll want to sing happy birthday to her:))

Yay for another trip around the sun.

***

Thanks for reading today’s Sunday Letter. I hope you find peace and happiness throughout the holiday season. Oh, and I hope you’ve been good this year too! 😉

Grace Grits and Gardening
Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

P.S. Two reminders:

• On the Bernice Fan Club Facebook Page, our on-line discussion of Bernice Runs Away has begun. Join us whenever you can. It’s super low key.
• I am completely sold out of Bernice hardbacks (waiting for my next shipment!), but if you order signed paperbacks by December 15, I’ll wrap and ship in time for Christmas delivery. (Or, of course, you can order hardbacks via Amazon and get them lickety split. They just won’t be signed.)