Jolly Holly-day

I love celebrating Christmas and feeling so jolly this time of year.

But sometimes I get concerned with my seeming to desacralize Christmas.  Consumerism is the biggest offense, but so too is the decreasing focus on the “religious” elements of Christmas.

Next this leads me to ask, do people worry too much about getting it (celebrating Christmas) right?  Christmas trees, Santa, lights, decorations, presents, etc. all make me feel so jolly.

I don't think my Holly Jolly approach is causing me to be less religious, or that I don't have the 'right' degree of spirituality.  I think that for most Christians, we really do recognize what “the reason for the season” is, and even if we choose to follow many practices that are not overtly tied to the remembrance of the birth of Jesus Christ, our engagement in those practices doesn’t eliminate in our minds or hearts the focus of the holiday.

I guess I approach Christmas like Snoopy, while also remembering the message to him from Linus.  Luke 2: 11 & 14  "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.  Glory to God in the highest, and on Earth peace, good will toward men."

No doubt, too much emphasis on material goods and not enough on deeper values does occur.  So we should guard our hearts against consumerism, gluttony, and any number of other sins that might occur during the Christmas season.  But Christmas doesn't have to be just about showing our piety.  The way we share our feelings of peace, love, hope, and joy can have many appearances.  We can all have a jolly holly-day however we celebrate during this Christmas season!

Saturday morning I stayed busy here finishing up my blog.  The house seemed cold, although when I stepped out to walk the dog, it was actually quite nice outside.  I still ended up having a third cup of tea and a few more Christmas cookies.  Two of my favorite things.











After an early lunch I walked Maggie on the front nine of Stonehenge.  It was soon off with my sweat shirt and I even rolled up my sleeves.  Maggie got cooled with a dip and drink from the pond.

Once home I got to work in the yard, trimming bushes and cutting back the mostly dead growth of the peonies, iris, and asparagus.

About the time I got word from Joe, I was off to a few stores on Peavine to exchange one item and get more of another I had bought on Thursday.  I also got a few groceries.





Joe had spent the day hiking with Jean and visiting Katy at her ranch.  These are Katy's Icelandic ponies. 














They had lunch together and then before dark and snow arrived, Joe headed back over the mountain to Thunder Valley Casino Resort where he was staying for the World Poker Tour, Deep Stacks World Championship tournament.

My evening food intake was a beer and popcorn while watching Designated Survivor. 

While reading, before lights out, Monita was playing on a pillow that I take off our bed and put on the chair during the night.

Sunday was another beautiful day.  I was hoping Courtney was coming for a visit, but got word mid-morning that she was just too tired and stressed from work.  Knowing from experience, I worry about she, Britney, and even Daniel working too hard.

I managed to waste the morning, a lot of it playing games on my computer.  But I did go for a nice ride.  I didn't have Tom put shoes back on Amiga's hind hooves, so planned to stay off rocks to let her back feet toughen up.  This meant I needed to stay close to Wildwood.  Seen right, the edge of the field I rode in for awhile.  And below, the tall, green winter wheat can be seen.

I took three videos.  The (1st video) taken just after the left photo, as Amiga walked toward the power line.  The (2nd video) was taken as she cantered back toward the ghost town at the other end of the field.  I rode her back and forth and around the field, working on gait speed and direction.  I also let her stop and graze several times.  While riding from the old west town to the bean field where the barrels and weave poles are I took this (3rd video).  The trail goes off to the right just before the bean field and Amiga rushed through the "intersection" as usual.  Just about anytime there is a "fork in the trail" she runs in the direction she wants to go, which is towards the barn.  
I have to always be on my toes to direct her where I want to go and to slow her down.  I wasn't paying attention to this matter while videoing.  She is a little stinker, you can hear me tell her.

During an evening walk, I got a photo of the super moon coming up behind the art sculpture.

Joe reported in at 7:30.  "The dream is over, but it has been a good ride."  He had played six hours, lasting eight levels, but at the end was beaten by a guy who got lucky with the flop cards.

Monday I spotted the super moon (can you see it) dropping to the west as I returned home from my first morning walk with Maggie.






I didn't stay here at my computer long because the day was to be warm and sunny.  The rest of the week was forecasted to be rainy and then cold with very little sunshine.  

The day's ride was very much like the day before, except I was bareback.  

I had met Kayla and her husband on the trail while going out.  Then Deana, Cheryl, Jean and Pat rode by while I was working Amiga on the weave poles.  After finishing and turning Amiga back out, the four ladies returned to the barn and were untacking.  It was a busy place because we were all taking advantage of one last beautiful December day to ride.

I enjoyed a snack on the back porch, it was still warm enough to sit out there.  And the pets enjoyed the sun and a view of nature (birds and squirrels).

Then, while out watering all the newly transplanted trees and shrubs, I noticed the buck had been back.  According to the U of Idaho, In early fall bucks rub their antlers against small trees to remove the velvet that has been growing on the antlers throughout the summer. Rubbing intensifies during the rut, which is the time of year when bucks compete with each other to "win" does.  This Leland Cypress was badly damaged two years ago.  When I replaced it in the bed between us and Brian, rather than toss it out, I moved it to this spot in the woods.  There was evidence of damage to a few other trees so I gave everything a good spraying with Deer Off.

At 3:45, I left with Maggie and drove to Stonehenge.  We walked the back nine this time.  Coming over a hill, we spotted this herd, who soon moved off the #11 fairway and into the woods.

#13 green under construction.

Looking back at #14 green.

We got good exercise coming back up the hill to #15.  Stonehenge is closed all winter, and a great place to walk.



Joe wasn't flying into Nashville until Tuesday.  He reported that during some of his time off, he went to Top Golf to play (seen right).

I was exhausted, so put final Christmas decorations and Christmas cards on hold.  I did do a good stretch workout on the floor with cats and dog getting in the way.

High winds came before I went to sleep and by Tuesday morning it was raining.

At one point in the morning, I noticed movement in the back.  A buck was chasing a doe and her youngster away from the corn while another doe moved in to get a bite.  Then he chased her off.  That's no way to get a date.  Probably the does are both already pregnant.  Can you see him running in this photo?



Monita sleeping on my left arm meant I had to work with just one hand.  At least it was my right (mouse) hand I had use of.


Another larger group of deer came to the back about 10 am.  But then the buck (or one like him) chasing a smaller buck ran through.  They went off up the hill toward the 18th tee and the six doe hung around in back for quite awhile.  They fed at the corn and had fun running up and down the creek (video).  They probably enjoy the fact that no golfers, walkers, or dogs were out and about.

This doe was nibbling at the new juniper I had just planted.  Ugh.  I didn't think they ate juniper.  You can see deer running in the creek beyond her.  Even the squirrels were running around in the rain (video).

It rained all day and I got wet during every dog walk, especially a couple of them when Maggie would not get down to business right away.

For nearly three hours I sat by the fire with Christmas music playing, and worked on Christmas cards.  Tea and Christmas cookies were enjoyed at one point, after a particularly wet dog walk.




I completed about 2/3rds of the cards and then switched from loungers to workout clothes and went to the gym.  I spent longer on weights than usual so only had 15 minutes on the elliptical before stretch class.  But I really pushed the cardio for ten of the minutes.

Finally, after dinner, it had stopped raining and I was willing to walk Maggie a little longer, even though it was cold and dark.

I was in bed reading when Joe got home at 10:30.

Wednesday I was off to Ladies Club at 10:00.  This time Shirley and I sat at Cheryl (seen in photo) and Jean's (took photo) table.  It was fun meeting other ladies sitting with us.  The program consisted of two singers, singing a variety of Christmas songs.  The performance made me feel both jolly and spiritual (depending on the song).





I worked on Christmas cards when I got home and Joe finished up our yearly news letter that I proof read and okayed for printing.

Knowing we were out of orange juice and a trip to Food City was necessary, I decided to also get their salad bar for dinner.  But first, since I was out and about, I took the Christmas letter to the Conference Center to get copies.  I had grabbed Joe's new WPT championship jacket that was sitting on a chair near the door.

I decided the jacket fit me better than him and should be mine.  When I sent him this photo, he graciously deemed it mine for Christmas.  It was the least he could do for his "poker widow" as I refer to myself when he is gone.  I had Lisa take some photos of me in it, to send him while he was off yet again, playing poker with the locals. 

After eating, I worked at coloring a little design on each letter and stuffing envelopes.  Once the Jolly was out of the Holly and I was too tired to continue, I watched a new episode of Fixer Upper and then went to bed.

It was cold and gloomy Thursday morning.  The white and gray feral cat was in the back, sitting and waiting to catch a chipmunk.  I have decided it needs a name, so I will call it Hobo, not knowing its gender.  I have seen it in the woods, six lots down, so it is kind of the neighborhood cat.  I spot it all hours of the day, pre-dawn, and late at night, so don't think it has a home, yet it looks quite fat.

Look at this!
Maggie isn't sure what I have spotted.
It's a holly and a pine growing in a
dirt filled cranny in this oak tree.

I spent several hours here on my computer, including blogging, gaming, chatting, watching videos, and reading others' posts.  Then I worked on more Christmas cards.  Because Joe was leaving again, we watched Survivor right after lunch.  The sun had come out and it warmed to the upper 40s so I took Maggie on a walk.  We were going to do the back nine of the Brae, but it is a half mile walk just to the first (#10) tee.









This course is also closed during the winter because the Bermuda grass they use turns brown and looks dead this time of year. 

Also, there aren't enough golfers to justify leaving all five courses open.  The #10 green is right by Lake Dartmoor.  Very picturesque.  Number 14 tee and 16 green converge at the same restroom, so I cut off three holes and went from 13 to 17.  The six holes we walked still took an hour, but I stopped to enjoy the lake and take photos.

Shortly after our walk, Joe left for his next poker adventure, driving to Knoxville airport for an evening flight to Ft. Lauderdale.  More on that later.  I finished up my (75) Christmas cards, watched Fixer Upper, and read in bed with two kitties to keep be company and warm.

Friday morning while sitting here at my computer, I wondered why all the birds left my feeders.  And then this dropped in.  I believe it is either a Sharp shinned hawk or a Cooper's hawk.

Monita tends to follow me around if she isn't sleeping.  While I am in the kitchen, she loves to lie on the floor by the heat vent if warm air is coming out of it.

Right after lunch I headed into town to do more shopping.  Primarily I was looking to buy Christmas gifts, but also had items I had seen, and wanted to go back and purchase for me.  Seen left, this was at Cracker Barrel.  I didn't buy it, but it fits the jolly holly day idea of this blog.  I had plenty of time and wanted to peruse the stores for gift ideas, but for some reason I got very irritated by slow drivers, people sitting in cars in the parking lots blocking traffic as they waited for a parking space close to the store entrance, folks standing around in the middle of the aisles with their carts blocking traffic in both directions, lines everywhere, heavy traffic, cars parked in the middle of two spaces, etc.

By the time I got home (5:20), I was ready for a stiff drink.  Shirley and I had planed to check out DJ's new two man band at Legends, so I hustled to take care of evening chores, including eating dinner and getting ready for the 6:15 pick-up time.





The band was enjoyable, but the crowd small and more interested in eating and talking.  I had a second beer to constitute a 'stiff' drink, and we also loved the pretzel rolls the waitress brought us.  We even got up and danced to a few songs, but were the only two doing the line dance.  We will have a jolly holly-day even if others are less enthusiastic.