Update about blogCa

Who knew all this would happen afterwards! Looking over Lake Tomahawk towards the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Friday, December 26, 2025

St. Stephen's Day

While today the Brits apparently celebrate a very obscure holiday they call Boxing Day, much of the  rest of the world is just cleaning up from Christmas still. Or thinking of how to give away some of the loot they received from Great Auntie So-and-so...which either doesn't fit, is ugly, or makes one sneeze. Question, what do Canadians do?

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Often sung with Christmas Carols...

Good King Wenceslas

By John Mason Neale
Listen on YouTube Music (Loreena McKennit- below)

Good King Wenceslas looked out
On the feast of Stephen,
When the snow lay round about,
Deep and crisp and even.
Brightly shown the moon that night,
Though the frost was cruel,
When a poor man came in sight,
Gathering winter fuel.

Hither, page, and stand by me.
If thou knowst it telling:
Yonder peasant, who is he?
Where and what his dwelling?
Sire, he lives a good league hence,
Underneath the mountain,
Right against the forest fence
By Saint Agnes fountain.

Sire, the night is darker now,
And the wind blows stronger.
Fails my heart, I know not how.
I can go no longer.
Lark my footsteps my good page,
Tread thou in them boldly;
Thou shalt find the winter's rage
Freeze the blood less coldly.

In his master's step he trod,
Where the snow lay dented.
Heat was in the very sod
Which the saint had printed.
Therefore, Christian men, rejoice,
Wealth or rank possessing,
Ye who now will bless the poor
Shall yourselves find blessing.



 December 26 commemorates the life of St. Stephen, a Christian deacon in Jerusalem who is believed to have been the first Christian martyr (he was stoned to death in 36 ce)

SOURCE: Wikipedia

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CBS Sunday Morning on Nov. 31, 2025 published this information (the Sunday after American Thanksgiving)








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I support the World Central Kitchen with my pennies. I have so much more than many people in the world affected by climate disasters or wars. These volunteers are feeding those who are hungry. I saw them at work immediately in Black Mountain and Swannanoa with people lining up after Hurricane Helene came through and decimated so many homes in the western North Carolina mountains. The food was trucked in of course...donated through the organization started by Chef Jose' Andres in 2010. 

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And I am cautious about taking more food than I can eat when it is offered through our own food bank. Right now I am sorry that I've let some of it spoil (since it's mostly "day-old" when we get it) when I was hoping to have it for my meals this week. So when the truck came for the last time this year, I didn't go pick up anything. I've got a lot in my refrigerator and pantry! For this I'm very grateful.

Sharing with Thankful Thursday 




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Today's goddess:
Marble female figure
Source Jenny Mendes Ceramics

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They are so off...tamales are rolled, not tacos, or perhaps at a stretch enchiladas. Now those Mayan virgins might have been doing some rolling. Did I say that? I'm an Elderly Grand-Elf, remember?

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Open Yesterday's Pages tells of the woman who started Women's Studies in American colleges.










Thursday, December 25, 2025

Merry Christmas!

By Sarah Ly - Christmas Morning.....American quilt artist



Christmas in Locorotondo, Italy 2021


What every Christian is celebrating today!



Riverwalk in San Antonio TX


Sylva, NC, the Court House.



OK a bit of humor might seep in today. Joy to the World!


And more seriously to consider...


Christmas 1912





Children for 22 years didn't experience Christmas...but wait, they didn't have Santa then either, nor Christmas trees. But the story from the Bible? I just bet that was read and studied! The King James version too!





Oh the stories about Santa! How about one who rappels down the face of Chimney Rock, in North Carolina?

Somewhat sloppy boots there, so I hope his climbing boots are safer.


Neighbor David LaMotte plays his guitar, a peaceful sound!

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Today's quote:



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Today's "goddess"

Madonna and Child by Giovanni Battista Salvi da Sassoferrato, 1609-1685









Wednesday, December 24, 2025

Christmas Eve wishes

 Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky used his Christmas message to speak not only to Ukrainians, but to everyone living in free societies. He recalled an old Ukrainian belief — that on Christmas Eve the heavens open, and if you speak your deepest wish aloud, it may come true.




“This year,” he said, “many Ukrainians are not at home — and some no longer have a home. But Russia cannot bomb or occupy what matters most: our Ukrainian heart, our faith in one another, and our unity.”
Zelensky contrasted Christmas music with the sounds of drones and missiles — the “noise of evil” that authoritarian power brings when it tries to crush a democratic nation by force.
On Christmas Eve, Russia again launched mass attacks — waves of Shahed drones and missiles. Zelensky framed the assault as the work of a regime with “nothing in common with Christianity — or anything human.”
“But we endure,” he said. “We support one another. We pray for those on the front lines to return alive, for those in captivity to come home, for our fallen heroes, and for everyone forced into exile or occupation. We ask for peace for Ukraine. We fight for it. We pray for it. And we deserve it.”
Zelensky’s message was ultimately about more than Ukraine. It was about the moral core of democracy — community, dignity, solidarity — and about resisting a worldview in which power has the right to erase nations.
His Christmas wish was not only for peace — but for the survival of a free people choosing their own future.

Christmas Eve




Ole' Guacamole's Christmas Tree

I admit to having senior moments, or lack of memory hitting pretty hard. First time was when I started to put on my shoes only to notice I didn't have slacks on yet. That would have looked strange, but mainly my legs would have been cold.

Then I did the 'same old same old' of posting a January blog, only it ended up in December. I Know I'd found the January calendar, so how did it get posted that day?

No clue. But two bloggers commented on it, which let me know it had happened. I took it down, and reposted it for January Again! and included the two comments. Sorry folks!

 Here we come a-wassailing

Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a wand'ring,
So fair to be seen.

(Chorus)
Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too,
And God bless you and send you a happy new year,
And God send you a happy new year.

We are not daily beggars
That beg from door to door,
But we are neighbor's children
Whom you have seen before.

(Chorus)

Good master and good mistress,
As you sit beside the fire,
Pray think of us poor children,
Who wander in the mire.

(Chorus)

Call up the butler of the house,
Put on his golden ring,
Let him bring us all a glass of beer,
And better we shall sing.

Chorus

Repeat Chorus

Not the version that was in my hymnal!




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Today's goddess;



From Avdeevo, located on the Sejm River near the city of Kursk, Russia. Dated ca 21,000 BP (19,000 BC)
Thanks The Mother Goddess on FB

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And yes, that's all fake snow!



Ceramic creations at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts in the gallery









Dali's image of Three Wise Men


Arthur Rackham 1937 'Twas the Night Before Christmas

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Today's quotes:
Franklin Roosevelt said, "Remember you are just an extra in everyone else's play."


Practicing contentment is a radical act in a consumption-driven society.

ROBIN WALL KIMMERER










Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Norman Rockwell's Christmas paintings

There are many paintings by Norman Rockwell about Christmas. These are just some.



A Drum for Tommy (1921) by Norman Rockwell

The Christmas Party 1927

The Christmas Coach by Norman Rockwell 1930

Rocking Horse, 1933 by Norman Rockwell



Dicken's A Christmas Carol by Norman Rockwell, 1937




Train Station at Christmas by Norman Rockwell (1944)


Santa Looking at Two Sleeping Children 1952

Treasure homes

 

The Cotton Street house with all the lights. I mentioned it earlier, how it used to have several trees in the yard, then a tornado tore through the property. They were finally working on repairs (without any funding except insurance) when Hurricane Helene caused more damage. But a year later, here are beautiful decorations...just no trees to light up.



2023 version had a star in a tree as well as a fence (below)

Sharing with My Corner of the World

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McClure homes:

I was searching for the original post on FB for the McClure home which I'd been interested in - located in south west Virginia...kind of in my neck of the woods. And these other homes with the same title came up. So I'll share them as well! Some other McClures either built them or owned them!

From Preservation Oklahoma

"Built in 1909, the Nickel Ensor McClure House is a majestic example of Romanesque Revival Style in Alva, Oklahoma. I'm glad to see it in good shape with work continuing to take place by the current owner. It was listed on POK's Most Endangered Places in 2009 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2010."

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From Jimmy Lloyd of Natchez Mississippi


"The James McClure house built in 1850 located on North Union. The name McClure is associated with King's Tavern, which was built in 1789." (No mention on the Wikipedia article of Mr. McClure, however as an architect he might have had some input in renovations.)


King' s Tavern built 1769 Natchez Mississippi

The King's Tavern building in was built in 1769, making it the oldest structure in the old river port city of Natchez. When the British moved in and established the nearby Fort Panmure, the King's Tavern building was originally built to be a block house for the fort. As there was no saw mill near this frontier town, this building and other structures were constructed using beams taken from scrapped New Orleans sailing ships, which were brought to Natchez via mule. Another source of wood used in the King's Tavern building construction were barge boards from flat river boats, which were dismantled and sold after arriving in Natchez with their goods after traveling down the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Boatmen couldn't take their flat boats back up these rivers, so they just added to their profit by selling the boats as wood, which was needed to build Natchez. Besides the wood, sun-dried bricks also were used as building material. The result is a building which has an ambiance and decor of another era from the outside.

After the Revolutionary War in 1776, the British left the area, leaving the river port open for other interests. In 1789, a New Yorker by the name of Richard King moved his family to Natchez where he bought this block home and opened a combination tavern and inn, as well as the place where the town's mail was dropped off.  

...with the invention of the steamboat, which could travel down and up the river as well, the need for this dangerous travel along Natchez Trace ended with this form of modern transportation. This development cut down on the lucrative stage business significantly, dropping the economic activity taking place at the King's Tavern. Richard King sold the King's Tavern in 1817. The building was once again a private home, becoming the Postalwaith family home for several generations, a total of 150 years, beginning in 1823.

In 1973, the building was sold to a local investor and it eventually became a tavern and restaurant to serve both locals and visitors, taking the original name, the King's Tavern. Under new ownership as "The Tavern" it reopened in the fall of 2013. The owners used the farm-to-table concept using locally sourced quality ingredients.

It was for sale in 2022. It is also supposedly haunted.

Source: Wikipedia

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I don't remember having any McClure ancestors, actually. But there surely were a lot of them building houses! Yes, I found some more McClure homes...(coming soon!) My Ancestry search brought out Confederate Captain John McClure Biggs, husband of my first cousin four times removed. I don't know why his middle name was McClure, haven't gone back in his ancestry...but who knows...

Sharing with Tom's Tuesday's Treasures!

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A house blessing.


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Two more days until Christmas!

This and tomorrow are the biggest days men go shopping (at least in my having seen their quick and somewhat stressed presence in many stores through the years!) Gift wrapped things are highly popular.

Not all men of course.

Some just arrange for gift cards to be emailed around.

(If this sounds familiar, thanks for thinking of us who purchased presents (after thoughtful consideration of the traits of the receiving person) back in what, October? August?)

Actually I purchased or made my presents either this month, or over several years - but packed them and gave the pottery away last month. I do hope my Ohio relatives don't mind. They were busy looking at each other's phones to see what someone said they wanted was the right style or color! That was the 4 women. None of them asked me what I wanted for Christmas. There was no thought that I might like a present. I am positive if I'd presented a list there would have been dead silence from them. I was told however, that my daughter-in-law had already chosen my present.

I'll be grateful to receive anything. How thoughtful to be included in the family with busy lives.

I've said that for years.

But a little bit of the angry "Elderly Grand-Elf" has a bitch to share. No not toward male shoppers who procrastinate...they know who they are.

When do adult grandchildren acknowledge that they have the wherewithal to give gifts to their Elderly Grand-Elf?

My oldest grandson has done this several years. For which I'm very grateful. Of the other 5 grands...not so much.

So no excuses kids...you're grown ups now, and have incomes (except the 2 still in college)..probably much more than mine.

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Today's goddess:




Ceramic creation on display at the Black Mountain Center for the Arts, 2025