Day after Christmas

Babysitting here - enjoying tunes, and movies with the little Love Bird, "Brisbane".
He loves to watch "Little Bear." He loves Frank Sinatra. And there's something about the "Celtic Woman" that makes him want to sit on my laptop keyboard - up close and personal!? Here's a little song Brisbane and I would like to share...

Enjoy the day - cooking is on - making memories!

Busy in the dcrelief  kitchen this morning. Apple pie - macaroni & cheese casserole - pineapple pie.  Let's make some memories out there - ones you'll want to keep!

Three Magi following a star...

...arrive at the palace, where a king ought to be. They ask the current reigning King Herod about the new King. They have been following his star - Herod consults the scribes and scholars...

...the song - "I Saw Three Ships" - has long been associated with the Magi's camels... indeed, in that time, camels were the great carriers of goods - ships across the desert...

...when the Magi found him, they worshipped him...

...worship means, "to bow down" - which they did...

...and now a version of the song I hope you enjoy...

Company for Christmas

I decided to babysit the neighbor's Love Bird, named Brisbane, for the week of Christmas. That way the neighbor could go see his only grandchild -  two year old Mason. I helped him wrap this huge train set with track. (Two years old - good grief  - that train rivaled Southern Railways!) So off the neighbor went with the train, and I got the bird(smile).

It has taken two days to get Brisbane to have anything to do with me. The best I would get is a nasty bite. But pretty soon he was itching to come out of his little house. I had rules and in order to be out he would have to play nice. It only took three, maybe four times of putting him back in his house before he caught on. Quite exceptional really. I was proud of him, and my fingers were no longer getting chomped on.

I sat reading "Favorite Christmas Memories," on a recent blog-hop. Some were so sweet - some were quite funny - and then there was a category I call, "what?" It was so very quiet in my studio. Oh the occasional airplane would fly over, but other than that...quiet. That's when I remembered... bird. Bird is very quiet. Is bird asleep? I tipped toed over to his little house and NO BIRD!! Not inside of it. Not on top of it. (Oh why did I let him out?) He could be any where and with that coloring... oh my goodness, check the fireplace garland! Check the wreath with the country birds! Top of the windows? Egad, what if he got out of the studio? I opened the door and started to walk through the door when I felt a little nudge at my neck. He had been asleep on my shoulder the whole time. He was snuggled up in my shirt collar. Between my hair and the collar, he was completely covered up.

A moment later he flew to his house, tapped on his food dish and I figured he must be hungry. I got a teaspoon of seeds, then covered his cage halfway with his "blankie." He ate a sunflower seed, then proceeded with this little sad whistle. I explained in the best non-bird lingo I knew - "Daddy is with the grandchild. He will be back soon. You'll see him soon. Brisbane is a good bird." (Of course I asked the Creator to translate. I hate seeing the little bird sad.) A moment later, he ate another sunflower seed, hopped onto his favorite swing, and that was that.

Song of the Caged Bird... quiet and sweet. Enjoy!

"My Favorite Christmas Memory" Bloghop!!

Benjamin Bunny

It was a cold December that I remember. I was very young and stood on the stairs, watching my Mom. She was coming home after being in the hospital for four days! Behind her, through the door, snow was falling. It was so pretty. It was  Christmas! I really wasn't sure what Christmas was, but it didn't matter, my Mom was back. Then I noticed she was carrying something in a little pink satin bundle. Hmm? Once in a while a little hand would poke out, and she'd put it back. What did she have? Grandmother held the little bundle. Then Aunt Grace held the little bundle. Everyone was oohing and ahhing over this bundle. I had to see. (Hello, I'm only four years old - will somebody please pick me up or lower the bundle?) I wanted to have a look. Finally my Mom bent down and said, "Dixie, you have a new baby................

DOLL!! Oh my goodness... she got me a real doll for Christmas! I was so elated. I screamed and danced, ran up and down the stairs, jumped up and down, clapped my hands. I guess you could call it the, "Thank-you-Lord-happy-doll-dance!" But then Mom let me know he wasn't just for me. What?! I've got to share him? Why? He was so cute. Such a sweet smile. (And I had plans for him!)

I went and got my old doll stroller and really worked hard to convince them (Grandmother, Aunt Grace and my Mom), that I wouldn't hurt him. How could I hurt him? Look that at face!! And he had big blue eyes - just like me. Oh, what's his name? Mom said, his name is Benjamin, but we'll call him.............

BENJAMIN BUNNY!! Perfect, just like a favorite story Aunt Annette told me. What? We're calling him Benjie? Why? He doesn't look like a Benjie! Hey! Benjamin Bunny is perfect... I'm telling you. (No one listens to a four year old.)

Well the stroller ride went well, I thought. Yes, I almost dumped him twice but he giggled... so I didn't hurt him. I know I probably shouldn't have given him the candy cane. He really began to screech when Mom had to pry his tight-fisted little hand from around it... oops... yes ma'am... no more handing him anything. I promise. (Oh yes, he had a nice set of lungs. That's something that has never changed, even to this day.)

I showed him the pink flocked tree that Aunt Grace decorated. She was from New York. I figured they didn't have green trees up there. In fact she decorated Grandmother's entire beauty shop in pink, pastels, and snowy stuff. I guess they didn't have red and green Christmas stuff there either. The beauty shop looked like something from the nutcracker suite. It was lovely and the main focus of my attention, until Benjamin Bunny arrived.

They took turns taking me out in the snow. There must have been a total of three tea parties. I got to hang the star on the tree again. I don't know why they were all so concerned about me. What? I'm tired. I'm four years old. I like the baby - I'm not jealous... (and I really need a nap.)

Finally I climbed those stairs, two flights, separated by the landing. Of course I usually stopped at the stained-glass window with the window seat but...(I was dragging). Granddaddy scooped me up and placed me in the bed. That's all I remember. Christmas Eve was a blur.

Christmas morning, I got a doll but she was cold to the touch. It felt awful. Where was Benjamin Bunny? Mom laid out a blanket on the floor for me to sit on. Then she laid the pink bundle on my lap. My older brother was outside in the snow, but I didn't want to go. (Imagine that - the snow queen staying inside.) Slowly his little eyes opened and he looked right at me, and barfed. I laughed so hard, I wet myself. (I knew right then we'd be friends forever.) And that's my favorite Christmas memory!

 Thanks to Cherdo and Janie Junebug for this happy, happy blog hop!!