Short list gratitude

General or specific?

Family  (and there are specific ones!)

Friends (and there are specific ones!)

Care givers - same thing, keeping so many things in my life working

First responders, and second and third and non-profits here for the long haul

Home

Neighborhood

Town

Having food, shelter, clothing, transportation, heat, clean water, electricity.

Infrastructure (try living without water, electricity, internet, cell service! I know whereof I speak!)

Spiritual seekers, not those who just spout good ideas, those who live them and share with me, inspiration!

Gratitude for...

My own pessimistic optimism, a cautious way to look to the future somewhat realistically.

Climate change workers -unsung heroes and heroines who see the future and work to change it

My own health and welfare - comfortable at this time, oh so grateful!!

Grass roots groups accomplishing amazing things

Neighbors coming together to help one another!

Abilities/talents? - communication, sharing, back and forth information

Nature, Mother Earth, all life that exists including the recent disaster which changed our lives

Trust in those who work as representatives in each level of government to continue to serve the people within the law which established their positions

And my ability to understand when politicians play their necessary games of office, when money is the primary motivation, and to be patient when I fear the results might hurt me or those I care about.

Creativity - crafts-person-ship

Being a collector of crafts and art

Today's art:

Sika Deer and Red Crowned Cranes by Sean Weekly Photography

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Happy Hanukkah

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And for everyone who is partying in any way to welcome in the new year, Happy New Year for 2025.

Letting 2024 go is a good idea, but the term 2025 comes fraught with lots of baggage, thanks to a plan by the Republican Party to implement many restrictions on Americans.

But there are still some things to hope for in 2025. Let's think of those...

Today's quotes:

Common sense — while not always officially rewarded, has its own special genius.

I am not afraid of storms, for I am learning how to sail my ship.

LOUISA MAY ALCOTT

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Today on "Open Yesterday's Pages":

Daguerreotype

Oceanic changes, post-hurricane news & Hanukkah

I just signed up to (sigh) another newsletter, namely Earth DOT com news. It will remain to be seen if the articles are indeed scientifically based.

 Collapse of the Earth's Ocean currents 

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Here's a more immediate shot of how Hurricane Helene's flood waters tossed this semi-trailer on it's side in Swannanoa and the local citizens have decorated it to show their attitude toward survival.

Decorated-semi-trailer-in-Swannanoa on U.S. 70. Asheville Watchdog photo by John Boyle

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And from the Swannanoa newsletter Friends and Neighbors of Swannanoa (FANS)...there's some good information on who is doing what after the hurricane. 

SGA [Swannanoa Grassroots Alliance] will be an active participant in the Buncombe County Long Term Recovery Group (LTRG) that is currently being formed. The LTRG will be receiving federal assistance to support the needs of individual residents and families as we move through the recovery process.

With the support of the county, SGA is also partnering with MountainTrue and other nonprofits on a community-driven resilience planning process for Swannanoa. MountainTrue has assembled a volunteer team of designers, planners, architects, environmental consultants, and structural and civil engineers to help our community envision and plan for a future Swannanoa that will be safer, healthier and more resilient. This process, which will include a variety of opportunities for community participation, is expected to kick off in early 2025.

You can visit swannanoagrassrootsalliance.org to learn more about SGA, and to access helpful links to information and resources for individuals and businesses

The FANS newsletter group is more than just a distributor of information which has included Facebook postings. They list a few of their actions, but I was most impressed by this one:

• FANS is collecting donations for Hurricane Helene recovery through our website and social media. We're grateful to all those who've contributed. FANS recently donated $15,000 to be distributed through Swannanoa public schools to local families impacted by the storm. Plans are underway for another round of funding to support immediate relief needs in the community. If you'd like to make a tax-deductible donation, please visit www.swannanoafans.org, and click on "Donate Now" on the Home page.

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Sixth night of Hanukkah

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I want to say that's a cat in the tree!

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Today "On Yesterday's Pages" blog:

Kindertransport to Paddington Bear

and

Lives Lost to Helene in the Asheville Area

and

The first discovery of other galaxies!

Cherry Street fun

 Shopping day! I admit this was before Christmas. Cold outside and windy. But the sun was shining. And I was in good enough health to go out walking up and down Cherry Street in Black Mountain. The shops are mostly open again, and I wanted to do my holiday shopping to keep money going to support them.

The town's beautification committee must have helped with all the decorations along the street. Here the public restrooms even have swags along the railing.

These trees along the street had lights in them, getting ready for the evening shopping and town holly jolly on Fri. Dec.6.

The Chamber of Commerce came up with the slogan, The Town that Rocks a few years ago. Local artists paint the backs of these rockers, which are also for sale. Many weary shoppers also avail themselves of a place to rest. 

Today's art:

I love that a local artist painted these murals outside the public restrooms on Cherry Street

Today's quote:

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Today's quote:

Everything and everybody that enters your home creates energy and leaves a footprint.

On Yesterday's Pages:

Scots-Irish settlers in Appalachia

and today's news,

President Jimmy Carter has died at 100, what did he say on the Voyager 1 plaque?

Saturday's Critters after Christmas

 Some animals of the season, thanks to those sharing  on Facebook

Elephant mother, auntie and baby

-Lennart Helje, 1940 Yuletide

Mary Engelbreit art

Result of living with black bears...my parking spot and the trash bin

red-tailed-hawk-flying-hunting unknown photographer

by Rina Khatun

Unknown photographer

Today's quote:

Gratefulness brings joy to my life. How could I find joy in what I take for granted? The moment I stop ‘taking for granted,’ there is no end to the surprises I find.

BR. DAVID STEINDL-RAST Today's art: By Beatrix Potter More art:

Peace Dove by Jackie Morris

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 Hanukkah - a Menorah on a zebra?

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This year I've shared many simple meals with friends. And we've dealt with some of the ups and downs of our emotions as a result of both our lives being disrupted by a crisis in our environment, and the election which promises to bring many changes in the next few years. 

I share an old watercolor of mine, which hangs in my bedroom. I felt (and still do) that there is a source of light which creates all we have around us, including our innermost beings. This is depicted by the amorphous shapes linked to the central yellow light. Then there's the blue surrounding them, with chevron patterns, which for me represents the emotional beginning of artistic creativity. The surrounding green is the natural world that supports everything we know, but it's tied to more cords, a set of two kinds, which represent the whole beingness as the duality of a personal shield. 

A shield is that which tells a story, as well as offers protection from negative energies. I also hung a little dream catcher that was given to me by a dear friend who now walks in the spirit world. I welcome her laughter whenever I think of her and all the fun stunts we had together.

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Today on "Open Yesterday's Pages"

The Endangered Species Act of 1973

and

Chaco Canyon timbers

Christmas Past rewind

 Christmas Past, the title of a 2012 blog. I'm reposting it because it really shows my childhood Christmas in St. Louis MO in 1953

... to share some thoughts and pictures from my earlier life.  Can't post a picture of Christmas in the future anyway.  So lets enjoy the past.

In 1953 our tree was real (it may have been about the time artificial trees came out, but not for us)  I loved the colored lights (all different colors, big bulbs) and the tinsel which was strung carefully, one by one.
My gifts are on the right...and I don't know what the boxes contain, but there's definitely an orange in my stocking (lying next to my Betsy McCall doll).  I remember Betsy McCall paper dolls which I'd cut out of McCall's magazine.  The real doll was a disappointment, but I don't remember why, the capricious nature of a young girl of 11.  I did learn how to play a simple form of dominoes (right there in front).

This was taken a month before Christmas, our apartment is on the second floor, reached by the porch to the right.  I remember how snow was beautiful for about an hour in St. Louis in 1953, then the coal dust settled on it, making it all grey.  We had to be quick to enjoy playing in it.  Of course it was nice to have a coal furnace to keep us warm.  Our Texas blood (and probably clothes) made us cold easily.

The best place to sled was Art Museum Hill, though there was a lake at the bottom, and we always were scared we'd tumble into it at the end of the long hill (though it might have been iced over.)  My Dad was the pusher to get us going, I don't think he tried to ride down with us.  But he may have come and rescued us and pulled the sleigh back up the hill (probably).

And in 2016 I had another Christmas blog post HERE.

My friend, Teresa's decorations in 2016! The ceramic tree sitting on the table on the left was one I made. I wonder what happened to it...well, we can all guess!

 Goddesses of the Dark given by women at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Swannanoa Valley in 2016, choir and a play!

"Train Station at Christmas” by Norman Rockwell (1944)

I remembered train stations, but not the porters! Where did they all go?

Today's quote:

When we begin to hold our markers for success in concepts like interconnectedness and kindness, when we place our highest value on each other, our children and our relationships, then our human spirits soar.

JAMES ARANA

Reading;

"The Last Bookshop in London," by Madeline Martin.

I listened to the audio version, and it was an experience which worked for me, putting it aside when I was busy, then picking it up later...easy enough to catch what was happening. 

Why did I enjoy reading about the Blitz before and after when London was bombed and so many people and structures were lost? It hit a chord for all that has happened where I live, western North Carolina as a result of the catastrophic storms ending with Hurricane Helene.

For me, every day on Facebook are shots of people who have been un-homed receiving a tiny home, or a camper. There is so much gratitude being expressed, but these people have endured such destruction and trauma. They have gone through something that was an immediate catastrophe, while those 1940 Londoners had long months of being bombed by the Germans. But the survivors had a similar human experience...that of helping each other even by those who weren't expected to, that of looking out for others by everyone, that of going beyond what any human could be expected to do, and that of having a spirit of hope when faced with such doom.

Wonderful old Christmas Carols on a repeating cycle

Today on my other blog: Open Yesterday's Pages:

Frank Borman and Jim Lovel

and

Louis Pasteur

and

Radio City Music Hall