Christmas Eve

This year, no cut tree for us.  Instead, last weekend we picked out this little incense cedar in a ten gallon pot to decorate for the holidays and then plant.  It's a Charlie Brown sort of tree -- slightly atilt, and quite scraggly and bare in places.  But still, in its own way, it's a pretty little thing.

Tonight it was a blaze of twinkle lights (all two strands), garlanded with red wooden beads and hung with straw stars.  It stands right outside the double doors to our livingroom, so it's almost inside.

This year is a very different sort of Christmas for us.  However, it still has it's magic.  We had a quiet dinner and then Bruce and I went for a walk around what would be our pond if it had water in it.  No moon at all and the stars shone bright in the cold sky.  Up at the house, we could see our little cedar twinkling away.  We only tripped a few times over the two cats and two dogs who came along with us.  

The events of the past two days are weighing on me, but this special night holds something in it that somehow comforts a sad heart.  I send out best wishes to all on this Christmas Eve.