Santa Came Early This Year

It was a sunny week.  We are expected to get more snow soon, but for now, I enjoyed the warmth of the sun most of the week.

  You may have heard that California had an earthquake.  It was a 7.0, but it was about 4 hours from my area.  Thank you to those who checked in on me.  I wanted to do something festive last week, so I went into town and had a shopping day!  What better place to go than to A's home shop where it is Christmas all year 'round. 

The next stop was K's Boutique.  She was having a Christmas sale, 40% off on all sweaters.  I was so glad, cause I wanted to get another sweater like the pink one I have, only in grey.

I get one of these chocolate bars every Christmas because the chocolate really is tasty.

I found this glass plaque when I was out.

"You are the light of the world.  A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in Heaven." ~Matthew 5:14

My next stop was to drive by the church.  I wanted to see if there was any Christmas decorations out.  There was a pretty flower arrangement sitting next to St. Francis.

  I drove through and got some lunch.  Now, this isn't just any corn dog.  It's a jumbo crispy honey corn dog.  They are the best I've ever had. 

It is a tradition in our family to make Russian tea cookies every Christmas.  My son made a batch, and he added too much butter, so they flattened, but were still so good.

Have to put my elves out every year.  They just make me happy.

After a Chinese take-out of kung pao chicken, shrimp and cream cheese won tons, and foiled wrapped chicken, I loved what my fortune cookie said.

Charlotte is almost walking now, and her big sister always looks out for her.

I am a collector of snow globes, and when I noticed one of my snow globes was leaking, I had to toss it.  It was one that Jess gave me years ago, and a favorite of mine.  I still have three.

Found this box last year, and loved it.

I watched the Christmas movie, Haul Out the Holly.  It was a silly and lighthearted movie.  Lacey Chabert is one of my favorite actresses during the holiday season.

Santa came early this year.....

Meet Jax!  He's an 8 month old Australian Shepherd mix.  Nel rescued him from the shelter.  He's a super sweet pup, but definitely a little fearful of the world, being out on the streets.  Hopefully, he'll start feeling more and more secure as time goes on.  They already love him, and he's really taken to Mia.

And since it was sunny out, I wanted to get some fresh air and visited the creek.  Mount Shasta has an abundance of snow on it, and when I look up at our mountain, I sometimes feel it is just as pretty.  The rain has filled the area, and that was so good to see.

~Sheri

A Train Story

 I saw this picture on a friend's blog recently, and I absolutely loved it.  It spoke to me right away.  You see, I have always been drawn to trains.

My grandfather worked for the railroad.....and died on the railroad.  It was the year 1935, and there was a powerful storm that lasted three or four days.  The weather was so bad, you couldn't see in front of you.  Some men were working on the railroad, and fourteen workers were dispatched for repairs.  They were coming home in a pair of open railroad cars when they collided with a gravel-filled car coming the other way.  Eleven men died that day, one was my grandfather, and others were injured.  After that, my grandmother was left to raise five children on her own.  Difficult times for sure, but she managed to raise three girls and two boys, with my dad being the oldest son.  I still have those newspaper clippings from the monument they built to honor those men who died on that tragic day.  And it was a privilege to attend the ceremony with my mother that was held in my hometown.

  Interesting fact:  Railroad workers were making about 35 cents an hour back then.

I have always appreciated movies about trains, and just watched The Christmas Train.  The storyline is a bit of a mystery, and a favorite Christmas movie of mine.

On a lighter note, here is a little bit of my week.  The heaters in the bedrooms went out again, and it's been pretty cold.  The main heater is still working, which I'm thankful for.  Do you know how hard it is to get a hold of workers during the Thanksgiving weekend?  But my resourceful brother was able to find someone quickly.  My son cooked the turkey this year, and he made a lemon and pepper dressing that was delicious.  It was a wonderful meal with all the sides.  We'll start with the cozy blanket I've bundled up with the last few days that has kept me warm.

The Christmas season is upon us.  Enjoy it immensely. 🎄

~Sheri

Where Did All This Snow Come From

 We had our first snow Wednesday, and it was a big one!  I knew it was coming, but I had no idea we'd get so much!

I love the first snow.  It's so magical, and everything's white all around us.  I love when the neighbors gather outside and we talk and share stories.  The neighbors look out for one another up here, making sure we have what we need in this fierce weather.  If I ever have any questions, I tend to ask F.  He's lived here for 15 years, and has seen many seasons.  He's the one who told me that "everything becomes still with the first snow."  He told me that again on Wednesday.

First thing I did, was go outside and covered the pipes so they don't freeze.  They use these birdhouses for that.  Not very attractive, but they are efficient.

Thankfully, I just went to the store and had some groceries in the cupboard.  Sometimes with these snow storms, we can get outages, and we had one.  It lasted for half a day, and it was coooold.  PG&E is excellent at calling to alert us when the outages have come, and when the estimated time will be to fix the problem.  Me and my neighbor, Lisa, keep each other updated as well.  I heard that a big tree limb came down and hit a power line.  But they fixed it before the scheduled time.  You're never so thankful to have hot water than during a power outage on a snowy day, and I got my lantern out, and lit many candles in different places through the house.

There are so many things to do when the first snow comes, and my son helps out with that - make sure there's anti-freeze in the car, get the lanterns out, have all the home essentials, and then there's the shoveling!  I actually like to shovel and get out there in the nippy fresh air and touch and feel the white powder beneath my feet.

The women up here are what I call "sturdy women" because they have to prepare for a great deal when it snows.  S. at the grocery store was telling me that she had to go to work that morning, so she just bulldozed through the snow to get there.  I appreciate their stories so much.  They don't take things for granted, and they carry on, working through the hurdles that surface, and at the same time taking care of all that is necessary.  They have comforts, but they don't dwell on them, knowing each day may be different than the next.  This neighbor walks her dog every day, and she's even braving it in the snow.

My lovely flowering bush is even lovelier covered in snow.  I hope it survives through it all.

At the end of the day, my fence was towering with freshly fallen snow.

The next day, it rained, and it didn't stop for some time.  I thought it was Ok to drive to the store to get some things I needed - essentials, batteries, and some food.  But shoveling the driveway after a snow and rain can be tricky.  Have you ever shoveled thick, sloshy snow?

The drive made me nervous, cause there was a big truck on steroids behind me. 😱  Once I got into town, that was even scarier, cause the road workers plowed the snow, but there were piles and piles all over, and hardly any openings to get through to the store.  That in itself is tricky.  You often wonder, should I have done this?

Back home, and inside I made some hot meals all week to warm the bones.

My son made these croissants from scratch.  Oh my gosh, they tasted like they were from La Bou.  This is a bakery-cafe that I think only has locations in California.

And then there are these.....if I can't be with my dad at Christmas, he will remain with me in spirit.  He loved these.  They are sweet, so I can only eat one or two at a time.

I haven't tried the Hershey's hot chocolate bombs yet.  I think they would be cute stocking stuffers.

Where did all this snow come from?  I believe it's a blessing from above - it was a gentle reminder for me to stop for a while; stop the internet and tv, look beyond that, and notice and appreciate the gift that has been given to us.  It came at just the right time.

In other news.....Mia lost her first tooth, and the tooth fairy left a nice surprise under her pillow that night.

Remember the craft fair they were having in my town end of November?  Well, it was a huge one, with dozens of booths to look at.  I talked with a few of the ladies, and one of the first booths that caught my eye was of vintage jewelry and ornaments.  Turns out, I knew the lady who ran the booth - she has an antique shop in town, and I have gone in her shop before.  The vintage Christmas tree pin called out to me, and I will wear it with my black velvet sweater.

And there was another item that I had to get - a ceramic heart with a red rose in the middle.  I still have to get some ribbon to hang it.

Happy Thanksgiving. 

~Sheri