
I know what I really want for Christmas.
I want my childhood back.
Nobody is going to give me that. I might give at least the memory of it to myself if I try. I know it doesn’t make sense, but since when is Christmas about sense, anyway? It is about a child, of long ago and far away, and it is about the child of now. In you and me. Waiting behind the door of our hearts for something wonderful to happen. A child who is impractical, unrealistic, simpleminded and terribly vulnerable to joy.
~ Robert Fulghum, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten

There will be no white Christmas for us here on the Eastern Shore this year. We have been socked in with fog and rain for a few days. It is nearly 70 degrees and more rain is on the way. I don’t mind. We need the rain, and M and I will be doing some traveling soon. Better rain than snow, although it looks like we’ll have neither. They say we’ll see the sun again tomorrow.

Besides, who needs snow when you have sand?

The raindrops have provided some beautiful outdoor decorations with or without sunlight to make them shine.

Put on your wellies. There are puddles to splash around in. Or maybe you just want to peer into them and find out what the ripples are trying to say.

Colored lights blink on and off, racing across the green boughs. Their reflections dance across exquisite glass globes and splinter into shards against tinsel thread and garlands of metallic filaments that disappear underneath the other ornaments and finery.
Shadows follow, joyful, laughing sprites.
The tree is rich with potential wonder.
All it needs is a glance from you to come alive.
~ Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration
Yesterday I grew younger. I went to town and had my hair cut. I also had it colored. Not just a few streaks of color, although there are some beautiful purples peeking out from behind the front pieces of my hair, but a full-out coloring. Shades of blonde that my stylist recommended. You might remember that I gave up having my hair colored so I could use the money to buy a new camera. It has been well over a year now, the camera has been more than paid for, and I decided it was time to treat myself to color.

I have tried to appreciate the wiry metallic grays, the tinsel-like silvers, and the soft whites that have streaked my hair, but it appears I am not quite ready embrace these signs of growing older. Vanity? Maybe. All I know is that this one small change made me feel better. Perhaps in a few years I’ll be better able to approach my aging in a graceful way.

That’s it from the Wabi-Sabi Ranch on this gentle and quiet Christmas Eve. Well, okay. It’s not quiet and gentle outside. It’s pouring rain and the wind is gusting. But indoors all is calm, all is bright. I might hike out to the Woodland Trail to see if it’s flooding in the woods, but there is no point in gathering on the dock for a sunset that we won’t see through the heavy cloud cover and rain. Sunset these days is now at 4:48 PM. Little by little, the days are growing longer.

Thank you so much for all your visits, your likes, and your comments. I hope your holidays are filled with love and magic.

Be good, be kind, be loving. Just Be. 🙂

Once upon a time, the Reindeer took a running leap and jumped over the Northern Lights.
But he jumped too low, and the long fur of his beautiful flowing tail got singed by the rainbow fires of the aurora.
To this day the reindeer has no tail to speak of. But he is too busy pulling the Important Sleigh to notice what is lost. And he certainly doesn’t complain.
What’s your excuse?
~ Vera Nazarian, The Perpetual Calendar of Inspiration
Hi. I too would like my childhood back, just for a few minutes and to see people I have lost once again. Your spangly photos are beautiful. Nice ‘do’! Merry Christmas!
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Ah yes, there is that aspect of returning to childhood, too. It would be nice, especially at Christmastime, to see some of them again.
Thank you, Jane! 🙂
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Perfect Christmas decorations!! Happy Christmas, Robin. Wishing you also loving and magical holidays. 🙂
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Thank you, Marina! 🙂
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Brava for treating yourself, Robin! We ought to consider doing that throughout the year. 🙂 Enjoyed your self-photo; thanks for sharing it. Blessed and peaceful Christmas wishes your way.
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Thank you so much, Eric. 🙂
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I’m glad you colored your hair and it looks very nice! Thanks for the selfie so we can see you. I enjoyed the pictures and tour (as always). We drove to Atlanta in the rain and fog – the fog only let up for small portions of the day and got worse again after dark. Still, we’re here and they’re having fun with a really violent movie. I’ve got my head phones on and getting ready to play with some pictures. My movie will be next 🙂
Nancy
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Thank you, Nancy. Hope you had (or are still having) a lot of fun in Atlanta! 🙂
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We had a good time but were happy to pull in the driveway tonight to sleep in our own bed 🙂
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Lovely pictures Robin! I want my childhood back too…Merry Christmas to you and your family!
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Thank you, Michael. 🙂
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Merry Christmas, Robin! You look beautiful in your portrait today. I enjoyed all of your quotations, especially the first about our inner child. Christmas is definitely the time to let ourselves out a while to play! I love your theme for the new year. I hope you and M have a wonderful time together this year. WG
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Thank you so much, WG. 🙂
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😉
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Sweetie… you still look like a kid to me! That new hairdo must have worked! 😉
Hoping this holiday season has been a happy and wonder-full one!
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Thank you, Gunta. Especially for the part about looking like a kid. 😀
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I love your holiday self portrait! You look so happy! I colored my hair last night. Oh think I look about five years younger, our more with my dark hair instead of the all over gray so I know you’re happy! Merry Christmas!
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Thank you, Corina. 🙂
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Love the haircut! I am not someone who will rationalize much money-spending, but I have always had good reasons for a good haircut! Rightly or wrongly, it affects the way I feel every day. Merry Christmas!
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Thank you, BATR. 🙂
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Hope you had a wonderful Christmas. It was warmish and green here as well rather than white. That’s okay with me. Less of the white stuff the better. Love the hairdo! As someone who started getting gray hair around 30 years old, I’m with you on the color! 15 years later I am not ready to embrace those wirey strands and I regularly color them away. I love the way you captured the water droplets and found these natural decorations.
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Thank you, Karma. 🙂
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Stay safe in your holiday travels. I too want my childhood back. I think I’d savor it more now. But that’s not the way it goes, is it. Memories are good too!
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Thank you, Dawn. 🙂 Yep, memories are good too!
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