A Little Beebopping and an Award

After a chilly start to the week, our Wednesday was sunny and in the mid-70s. So, after my Wednesday Chinese Buffet day, I came home and changed into my bee-bopping clothes, grabbed my cellphone and my sturdy walking stick, and off the dogs and I went to visit the little creek that lives in my woods.

Since these woods are quite hilly, I figured the workout of walking them would help get rid off any excess calories from my meal. Besides, I hadn't been there since last Fall; it was time to find out if Spring had sprung yet along the little creek where little wildflowers like to grow.

It is just a tiny, meandering creek, but I love it and was glad to see that there were a few wildflowers already growing along the bank.
There were some white beauties there.

And some lovely blue ones.

And sparkling yellows, too.

And there was a turtle enjoying the sunshine on his bed of rocks.

Of course, Sid enjoyed a dip in the creek, before we headed back to the house, refreshed by the visit to the little creek, and thankful that there is still much beauty to enjoy in these woods, after our destructive ice storm. I'll be visiting the little creek again, very soon!

And blogging friend Linda of This and That Diary gave me this beautiful award recently. Thank you so much Linda. It is perfect for the Easter Season. And I would love to pass it on to all my dear blogging friends.

Happy Easter! Happy Passover ! Happy Spring, everyone!

Blessings from the woods!

Twenty Five Years in the Woods!

August 16th was my 25th year in these woods. I can't believe it has been 25 years, but it has. Now that I am getting on in years, the thought that one day I may have to leave here, saddens me. But I try not to let it get me down. They have been good years for someone who loves nature; loves the serenity of these woods, loves her disposition to solitude. But I also have a strong social side, and love the times spent with family and friends. I'm out there often, having lunch with friends, yakking with many that I run into, when I'm in town. For I am a champion yakker, according to Eileen! :-)

But after three or four hours of lunching, shopping and yakking, I look forward to coming home again, where the serenity of the trees, field and pond fill me with peace, and where the wild things, who consider me as one of them, wait for me. (As do the not so wild things, like my dogs and cats.) And one of them I am; as much a part of nature as they are.

So, I thought I'd post a few of my recent pictures. Images that are always a part of my life; always loved and enjoyed.

When I sit on my deck, this is my view to the East- my small field, where the deer like to congregate. There are some in this picture, though way up in the field. Can you see them?

I love this picture of a grazing doe, while the setting sun casts a small, magical glow on part of the woods, behind her.

This is Bucky, my favorite young buck. He comes close, hoping I'll give him a little treat. I have known him since he was a tiny fawn.

The wild turkeys, way on top of the field, are heading to the woods, to spend the night roosting in the sheltering branches of a huge oak tree.

This is my small, wildlife pond, in the north corner of the field, close to the house. When I sit at my lap top in the little sun room, this is my view. I love the little pond. It is used by birds and beasts, and insects, of course. Dragonflies cruise back and forth, and lay their eggs in the water, and the fish do a splash dance for me, when I feed them.

Sometimes, a Great Blue Heron comes to try his luck at a frog dinner as well. I have even seen a thirsty coyote on the far side, taking a drink. And at night in the warm months, frogs serenade me to sleep.

So, if and when the time comes for me to leave these woods, I may leave them physically, but they will always remain in my memory and heart. And I'm thankful to God for the happy years I got to spend here, because He blessed me with a wonderful daughter and two great sons, who not only understood (!), they helped to make it possible!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures and my little lament. Thank you for reading. Blessings from the woods!

Lets Think Spring!

On a cold February day, when freezing rain and sleet pelted us, on and off, what could be better than thinking of spring? Especially, since I noticed that my jonquils are poking out of the ground, not discouraged by the frigid weather, like me. It won't be long before they look like the ones in the picture I took of them in the past.

Jonquils bring joy to mind.

“Delight yourself in the Lord,
And he will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalm 37

It's pure joy seeing them open their dainty clusters of golden blossoms, after their green shoots had been above ground for some time. And when they're finally blooming, can spring be far behind?

When I see the jonquils, I’m immediately reminded of Wordsworth’s poem about daffodils:

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o’er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Those daffodils in Wordsworth’s poem, fluttering and dancing in the breeze are expressing joy! And although he called them daffodils, they were probably jonquils. Well, perhaps they were daffodils. But what's in a name?

Are jonquils daffodils? Or are daffodils a different flower? Well, both jonquils and daffodils are members of the Narcissus family. But the true jonquils (Narcissus jonquilla) have round, rush-like leaves and small, fragrant early blooming clusters of yellow blossoms. Daffodils, on the other hand, have large, normally yellow, single trumpet flowers. All jonquils are daffodils, but not all daffodils are jonquils!

Jonquils are the most fragrant of the Narcissus species. The cultivation of jonquils goes far back. Roman soldiers introduced the plant into England during the early years of the Christian era, while the Colonists introduced both the multiple-flowered jonquils and the single flowered daffodils to America. But Narcissus grows wild in southwestern Europe from Spain and Portugal up to France and Great Britain, over to Switzerland and Austria, and back down to Greece and Italy. And they are easy to grow. You just stick the bulbs in the ground, and they will come up in late winter, year after year after year. They seem to go on forever.

There is nothing more cheerful than the arrival of the early jonquils, growing like wildflowers, perfectly happy amidst the grass and weeds, or in the woods, bringing joy to the beholder who is lucky enough to see them dancing in the breeze! And if we think spring, we can see them dancing right now.

Jonquils inspire joy!

Ann (Ancient One) has a beautiful picture of some daffodils in her neighborhood that you might all enjoy seeing, to get into a joyful, spring mood.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

I hope many of you saw the beautiful full moon on Christmas Eve. I tried to take photographs of it that would do it some justice, but it was difficult, since I was leaning out the sun room window, and was hampered by some tree branches. I even saw, Mars, right below the moon, but it doesn't show up in the pictures.

I should have gone outside and stood in the middle of the field, to get some clear shots, but earlier I had heard a pack of coyotes howling near-by, and thought I'd better not chance it.

Christmas 2007 was merry and bright and blessed with family and good friends. Not all my family was here in person, but we were together in our hearts. And we spent some time visiting by telephone.

Oh, and there were presents galore; my kids and grand kids like to spoil me. I am very blessed, because at some time in our lives, there were difficult circumstances, but it has only strengthened us as a family, and I thank God for that.

Christmas morning church service was more beautiful than ever, and brought me to tears, as it always does. Joining the choir and the congregation in singing the beautiful Christmas Hymns, I thought back of Christmases when I was a child; Christmases when my children were small, and the celebration of the birth of our Lord, and as usual, I was overcome with mixed emotions: Nostalgia and Joy!

But Christmas 2007 is over, and now I'm looking forward to 2008. I hope everyone had a joyful Christmas, and may the New Year bring countless blessings and many good surprises to each and everyone of us!
(I love good surprises, don't you?)

Happy New Year, everyone!

Unexpected Gifts

When we arrived in the refugee camp in Austria, after fleeing our war-torn country Hungary
just a few weeks before Christmas of 1947, I was 11 and had become resigned to not having much.

The refugee camp, with its wooden barracks, and dusty lanes, was pretty drab. But we had a warm place to sleep, warm food to eat, and were outfitted with warm clothes donated towards the refugee effort from various generous-minded countries like the United States, Canada and Great Britain. So we considered ourselves pretty fortunate. Plus we had some of the most beautiful views available, free to anyone who wished to look, since the camp was located in one of the most scenic areas of Austria-Carinthia.

As Christmas approached, the refugee camp school I attended made plans to help us celebrate the holiday as a group. In the barracks where we lived, our private spaces were tiny cubicles, where we slept. There was no room for individual celebrations. But the school had a large auditorium, where a donated Christmas tree was set up. We children created hand made ornaments, which we used to decorate the tree. There were even candles on the tree, to be lit on Christmas Eve–just like in Hungary, before the war. We stayed busy rehearsing a school play that was to be presented on Christmas Eve. I had a small part as the angel who announces the birth of the Savior to the shepherds. I was very pleased and excited about the part.

On Christmas Eve afternoon, my grandparents and I decided to take a walk to the small town of Spittal, just a few miles away from the camp. Grandfather felt that even though we had no money to buy anything, taking in the Christmas sights and smells would be worth the walk. The town's cobbled streets, with its many small shops were decorated with fir branches, and small trees in shop windows glowed with lit candles. People were hustling and bustling, getting last-minute things for the holiday, and wishing each other "Froliche Weinachten."


We stopped in front of the bakery, and inhaled the delicious smells coming out of it each time someone opened the door. I gazed at the napoleons, displayed in the window, my mouth watering. "Oh, they must taste so delicious," I said wistfully.

"And that poppy-seed cake looks wonderful, too," Grandmother sighed.

"Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea," Grandfather said sadly. "Now everyone is hungry for something they can not have."

"But who is to say that you can not have a napoleon, or some of that poppy-seed cake?" a voice behind us asked. As I turned around, a woman in a fur coat and hat took my hand.

"Come on, let us all go into the bakery."

"Oh, no!" I protested, trying to pull my hand out of hers. But she wouldn’t let go, and inside the bakery, bought a large napoleon square and a horseshoe-shaped cake just for us.

"Froliche Weinachten," she called out merrily, then disappeared into a crowd of people. A Christmas angel in a fur coat!

On the way back to the refugee camp, as I sank my teeth into that delicious, custard-filled napoleon and got powdered sugar all over myself, I felt very blessed. Although we lived in a refugee camp, my grandparents and I had much to be thankful for.

That evening, Christmas Eve, the candles on the community Christmas tree were lit, and all the adults came to watch our Christmas play. Everyone remembered their lines, and the choir sang some beautiful, Hungarian Christmas songs. Many people had tears in their eyes. And if that wasn’t enough, each of the children were given a present from underneath the tree.

When I opened mine, I found a pair of pink, fuzzy mittens and matching scarf in the box, and inside one of the mittens, there was a little note, written in English: "Merry Christmas from Mary Anne in Buffalo, New York, United States of America." Imagine that! A gift from a girl all the way in America! I wondered how old she was, what she looked like, and what she liked to do. I couldn’t help but think of her as I drifted off to sleep that night.

When I awoke on Christmas morning, the sun was shining brightly. I heard noises coming through the thin wooden boards of the barrack.

"Good morning, sweetheart. Merry Christmas," Grandmother said cheerily.

"Why is there so much noise out there already?" I asked sleepily, rubbing my eyes.

"Well, I guess some early rising children are enjoying all the newly fallen snow."

"Oh, did it snow?" I asked, leaping from the cot and reaching for some warm clothes to put on. "How wonderful! Where is Grandfather?"

"He and some of the other men are shoveling some paths, so people can go for their breakfast, and then to church."

Within seconds, I was out there, too, marveling at nature’s power to turn a drab refugee camp into a pristine, winter wonderland!

Soon, the surrounding, snow-covered hills were filled with squealing Austrian children, sledding down those hills in their new Christmas sleds, or flying down on their new skis. Meanwhile, refugee camp children built snow men, had snowball fights, and made snow angels, squealing with just as much delight. Nature's gift of snow was free for everyone to enjoy!

As I stood there and gazed at the beautiful snow covered mountains, my heart filled with joy and I said a quick prayer of thanks. For those few days in 1947, it didn’t matter that we were in a refugee camp. From the angel in the fur coat who bought us pastries, to the candles on the Christmas tree, the joyful school play, the unexpected presents, and the fluffy white snow, God had made our holiday extra special.

...........

Have a Merry and Blessed Christmas, everyone! Thank you for visiting and reading my little story. God bless you!

"Unexpected Gifts" was first published in, Whispers from Heaven Magazine, in 2002. Copyright by Renie Burghardt

The picture of the snow covered mountains is of a mountain range in Carinthia, Austria, courtesy of FreeFoto.com

The Twelve Questions Of Christmas

Hootin'Anni is hosting a wonderful Christmas Meme. Here is what she said about this meme:

For the holiday season, I've started a meme. "The Twelve Questions of Christmas" If you'd like to participate, I'd be honored to have you join in the fun. If you'd like, you are welcomed to use the meme header graphic!

To get into the spirit of the season, I have decided to participate. Thank you, Anni ! So here are the questions and my answers:


1. Christmas is Joy. [fill in the blank with ONE WORD]


2. In memories, what was the best part of your Christmases past?

Seeing my children's faces on Christmas morning, going to church as a family, Christmas dinner with the family, were all a wonderful part of our Christmases.

3. Was Santa ever good to you? [describe how and what]

On my first Christmas in America in 1951, Santa brought me a very special gift, a tiny orange tabby kitten! Since I had lost my 19 year old cat on Christmas Day in 1945, I was overjoyed with this special gift in 1951.

4. Do you open gifts on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, or both?

We always opened gifts on Christmas Day morning, when my children were little, but these days, I often open mine on Christmas Eve, like I used to as a child in Hungary.

5. Is there something you make each and every year? [craft or recipe]

We used to bake lots of Christmas cookies and breads and cakes. But my kids' favorite were the Walnut Butterballs, or Snowballs, as they used to call them.

Walnut Butter Balls /Snow Balls
1 c. unsalted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. sifted flour
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 tasp. salt
1 c. finely chopped walnuts
powdered sugar

Cream butter, sugar and vanilla until fluffy. Sift together flour and salt and add to creamed mixture. Mix well to make a soft dough. Stir in walnuts. Shape into 1 inch balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 about 12 to 15 minutes until slightly brown. While cookies are still warm, roll in sifted powdered sugar. Makes 4 dozen cookies. Enjoy!


6. What is your favorite five[5] Christmas songs/hymns?

I love them all, so it's hard to chose, but the top five would be:

1. O Come All Yea Faithful (Adeste Fidelis) (It always moves me to tears.)

2. Silent Night

3. O Holy Night

4. What Child Is This

5. I'll Be Home for Christmas


7. Is there a new tradition for Christmas since your childhood days?

Christmas in Hungary was very different from here. So all the traditions we followed here, are different, except for always going to church on Christmas Day.

8. Describe one of your Christmas trips. [whether it's across town or across country]

When my children were young, we often spent Christmases in Florida, where they swam in the pool or ocean, while Christmas music played in the background. It was enjoyable, but we missed Christmases at home.


9. Do you have a special Christmas outfit to wear for the day?

Not really, except I try to wear something red and festive!


10. Have YOU or any of your family members sat on Santa's lap?

Oh, my yes! Santa's lap was a Christmas season tradition!

11. What is/or will be on your Christmas tree this year?

Old ornaments from years ago, along with some newer ones acquired more recently.

12. Do you/or have you decorated your yard for Christmas?

When the kids were young, we always decorated the yard, and had lights on the bushes around the house, but these days, I don't do any of it, except for the Merry Christmas sign. The colorful birds that come to the feeders, and the deer and wild turkeys around here are my wonderful live decorations. And I always have special treats for all of them on Christmas.

If you would like to participate in The Twelve Questions of Christmas Meme, just follow the link to Hootin'Anni's blog, and then follow her instructions.

Christmas Blessings to one and all!

Finding Joy

Early this morning, I was catching up with some of my favorite blogs. So there I was at Mary's Writing Nook, enjoying her always positive, family oriented posts, when I came upon a sweet comment made by Denise, that somehow touched me. Something prompted me to go and check out her blog.

I have felt a bit down lately. Concerns and worries sometimes get in the way of enjoying a beautiful day to the fullest. Then I sang along with Denise, "I've got joy, joy, joy, joy, here in my heart. Here in my heart. Here in my heart..." and pretty soon, joy did fill my heart.

I gazed at the beautiful sunrise, enjoyed the crisp fall air as I filled the bird feeders, and noticed the hickory trees in the field had turned all gold overnight, and were sparkling in the bright morning sun. And suddenly, I was thankful to be out there seeing and enjoying it all. And I thought, even in blog world "seek and you shall find" applies. Thank you, Lord!

Have a wonderful week, everyone!