Himself's Craft Project

 This long weekend has me not knowing what day of the week it is. I posted the usual Sunday How Does Your Garden Grow on Saturday, too. It just felt like Sunday to me. If you came here looking for How Does Your Garden Grow, you can find it here.

Anyway, I forgot to include this picture in the How Does Your Garden Grow (and home decorations)

While in a waiting room, Himself noticed a wreath made of baseballs. As a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan, he was quite taken with the idea and decided he could make one. 

Be my guest. I mean why bother to try to find one online when you can spend a couple of hundred dollars and man-hours making one? 😉🤣

I have to say, he did a great job and the addition of the ball with glove and crossed bats was his idea. He finished it in time for the Fourth of July so our house was patriotically decorated in style.

On the Front Door

With a few baubles and some hot glue, the swag went from this

to this. There. That's much better.

Whatcha Doin?

Himself bought this diamond swag from a fundraiser at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) where he is teaching. We liked the idea of the different shape for the front door. We picked the swag up on Monday.

I'm going to go through the Christmas box to find some baubles and a bright ribbon to make the swag look festive instead of the house is in mourning.

Whatcha doin?

T Stands for Bringing of the Wreath

 

From the day after Thanksgiving until the middle of January, wreaths are allowed to be placed at the grave sites. Because the first major storm of the season was predicted for the weekend, we decided we should make the trip before the snow. Not knowing how the rest of the month would shape up, we decided to make the hour or so trip sooner than later. 

The first stop we made was the grocery store to pick up a bunch of flowers for Ma. We always had to greet her first before a hug or a word to Dad. A Christmasy bunch of flowers to the Queen.  Since the wreath has to be placed at the front of the grave stone, she would view the wreath as being for Dad.

The wreath for their front door. I can’t decorate the wreath like I do for my own front door. Cemetery regulations are strict. A wreath with a single bow. I made a bow using the last of my favorite holly ribbon.

After Dad’s funeral as we were going home, the Eldest pointed out an eagle as we crossed the Connecticut River to get to the highway. A message from Dad.  

On this visit as I was getting the wreath in place, Himself pointed out a raptor riding the thermals overhead. We couldn’t tell if it was an eagle or a hawk, but it was a message from Dad that made me smile.

Usually after visiting the cemetery we stop for lunch at a nearby Italian restaurant we like. Michael’s Pasta in the Pan. All their dishes are served in a cast iron skillet. Sometimes we stop at The Cracker Barrel just before we get home.  On this trip because of Covid and dining and indoor restrictions seem to be changing hourly, we decided  to go home and have lunch.

With the weather to turn bad, it was also a good opportunity to get the outside decorations done, and some inside decorating, too.

Can you find the tea things?

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s blog to find out what the rest of the T gang is up to. If you want to play, include a beverage or beverage container in your post. Don’t forget to link your blog from Bleubeard and Elizabeth’s page.

T Stands for Wreath Making

Time to make the wreath. This year's theme turned out to be cardinals. While roaming through Target, I found a pair of birds and some other bits and bobs. Wreath making begins by laying things out on the wreath to see what, if any, story develops. Much of this time is spent by moving things around while sipping a cup of tea. Flavor for this afternoon: Vanilla Chai

Time is also spent rummaging through the Christmas bauble box to see if there are things that can be added and to pick out ribbon. I had planned on securing the birds to the left side of the wreath, but their shape just didn't lend themselves to that side. While foraging in the refrigerator, the Young One made a suggestion. Why not put them at the bottom of the wreath?

From there, the story emerged. Himself and Herself. They needed mistletoe, but I didn't feel like running out trying to find some. I found a free cut file for the scan and cut. Cut some mistletoe from some green paper and added a few pearl beads.

The first job I had at 16 years old was making artificial floral arrangements and I was taught how to make bows. I forgot how difficult making bows with wide, flocked ribbon is. Wreath on the front door.

And then the clean up. After another cup of tea.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

The Little Christmas Tree

Himself is having issues with his back so going up and down stairs and bringing up boxes of ornaments and the Christmas tree was a bit of a problem. We weren't sure the tree would be any good as we thought it was in its cardboard box under the stairs in the basement. The basement that flooded. The good news was the box was on top of plastic boxes that hold the bajillion lights Himself has amassed over the years. The bad news was it looks like a little critter that had come into the house over the Summer had made himself at home in the branches of the tree and possibly enjoyed snacking on the prelit Christmas tree lights. (Wouldn't have happened if Ink was still here.) We would have to get a new tree.

Now as much as I love the decorations and the Christmas tree, I'm not happy about the cleanup. You can always find an extra hand or two willing to decorate, but when it comes time to take down all the decorations and put them away, extra hands are no where to be found. Like rats leaving a sinking ship. I was all in favor of getting a small tree, maybe 4 to 5 feet tall that could fit on the tea table in front of the window. I wouldn't have to move furniture around to have the big tree in the front window. The tree and ornaments could be stored in a closet upstairs.

Himself was not thrilled with the idea of a small tree, but conceded. Searching online, the big box stores had some small trees, but ordering was not an option as the only time we had to do any decorating began on Monday, 18. December. And you really need to see the trees because lots of times they don't look anything like the picture. Off we went.

The only trees available were 9 feet tall. No small trees. No 7 foot trees like the one we had. A 9 foot tree would never fit in the dollhouse, not without cutting a hole in the ceiling. Not an option. We asked the customer service clerk if any of their other stores had small trees. Maybe at the Milford store.

Since there was a Target store next door, we stopped there. And there was a small tree. A white small tree like the nightmare of a tree from my childhood. No.

Everyone was out and about and rush hour traffic was getting heavy. Where else could we look? To be honest, I didn't really care.

 
I was perfectly happy with my Advent tree. It lives on a shelf in the living room closet. Easy to take down and put away.  As far as I was concerned, I was done decorating. My over the top Nativity had pride of place.

Himself wasn't buying into it. Even though I tried to pull a Linus by telling him Christmas wasn't all about the tree. Apparently, it is.

We were near The Christmas Tree Shop. Himself thought we would be able to find one there. I wasn't sure. I thought a Christmas tree was just the logo. Inside the store, we did find giant Christmas trees. We walked around and Himself found a white twig thing with lights. What about this? You balked when I suggested my Dr. Seuss tree (a tree made out of armature wire I used when I was selling personalized ornaments at craft fairs). No!

We searched through the boxes again. 9 ft. 9 ft. 7.5 ft 9fft. 9 and then almost hidden, a small box 4 ft. pre-lit porch tree. The tree skirt fit perfectly on the tea table, and I found some small ornaments from the ornament box.  The usual angel tree topper was too big, so I borrowed the star from the small tree in the bathroom. Ta- Da!

Though we be small, we are mighty.

 Santa, Frosty, and the NOEL Santa cocoa mugs are from Himself's childhood decorations. I'm not sure where the Baby Jesus came from. I found him in my parents' attic when I was cleaning out the house when they passed away. It's a life-size Baby Jesus used in the outdoor Nativities. We never had one of those.

A year or two before Dad went into the nursing home, I remember he told me something about hearing a baby crying. Baby was cold. Dad didn't know what to do. I thought it was just one of the memories Dad had. Maybe remembering when one of his siblings was born or of himself as a young father. He sometimes slipped through a wormhole going back in time. Never thought anything about it until I found Baby Jesus in the attic. A sinking feeling! Did Dad take home the baby after a wander around town? I never heard a news report that someone vandalized a church Nativity, and stole the Baby Jesus. So, if you're reading this, and your Nativity is missing its Baby Jesus, let me know. I have him. He's safe and warm. You can even have the gift crate, used as a manger, the undertaker sent for Christmas after my parents passed away. Sorry. Got carried away.

So, we are officially decorated for Christmas. 

The reindeer couple, Mary and Joe, named after my parents are sitting in the chair. Readers that follow The Throwback Thursday Notebook posts may be interested to know, Charlie's wife, Doris, gave my mother the dolls. My mother admired them when she visited Doris and Doris gifted her with them. I don't know whether Doris made them or where she had found them.

The elf legs I made last year to stick out of the tree, found their way into the Chinese vase. The large package is a gift for The Brother.

There's also a surprise addition to the decorations. I won this cute, Winter wreath in a raffle from Lady Caer Morganna from The Wiccan Life. I was feeling a little blue on the day the winner was announced so a wonderful pick me up. She also timed the mailing to arrive on the Winter Solstice. Perfect! I'm not a fan of Winter but this wreath makes me smile. Thank you, so much, my Lady, and thank Lady Tabitha, too. 😺

T Stands for Wreath

Time to decorate the wreath with the usual bits and bobs in the Christmas box. Some jingle bells, odd ornaments, red velvet ribbon just didn't seem exciting. Maybe it was a touch of sadness to only decorate one wreath as I used to make a wreath for my parents and my elderly neighbor, Prissy. But I blame this guy.

We had gone to the big, orange, box store to look at a lighted, 6 foot Nutcracker for outdoors. He was going to be a Christmas gift for Himself . The Nutcracker was magnificent, but looked a bit too delicate for New England winters, and his base was too wide to put him in our little, front porch. We did bring home his little brother for the front porch.

This guy takes the blame, too. I found him along with two of his brothers while puttering in Michael's for some cardstock for Christmas cards.The Nutcrackers were in a clearance bin, and I had a 20% off my entire purchase coupon. That's my story. Don't judge me.

With visions of Nutcrackers dancing in my head, nothing in the Christmas box fit. So against the frugal rule an expedition to WallyWorld to see what could be found.

I had ribbon, and white and silver snowflakes. In the cat toy aisle, I found the Rat King. A Barbie Fairy ornament would make a good Sugar Plum Fairy. There were ornaments shaped like wrapped candies. A child's tea set for the coffee and tea dances. Himself thought a wooden nutcracker emblazoned with his beloved Red Sox would make a good addition. Um, no. A doll for Clara, though she turned out to be not quite right. And since this is a T Day post, there's my cup of tea I sipped while I worked.

 The Young One and I liked the Nutcracker with the crooked smile, too, but his white uniform didn't really stand out.

The Rat King needed a crown. When the girlies were young teens, we found some princess rings in the party store, and we each got one. I had mine on a key chain with my old car keys. Perfect.

 I didn't realize Barbie's pose was so sassy and sexy as I was blinded by the butterfly wings.

Everything laid on the wreath and spaces were filled in with stars and ornaments from the Christmas box. Oh, I found Christmas tree earrings for Clara's Christmas tree.

 The mess that was left after all the moving, gluing, wiring, and cutting. If I had managed to score Robby the Robot, he would have cleaned up my mess. But Robby's not here with me . Deep sigh.

 

My tablemate, L, had sent me this little, knitted mushroom. That's the cosmic psychic connection I mentioned the other day. The little mushroom would be an homage to the tea dance from Disney's Fantasia. A perfect addition to the wreath.

The completed wreath festively hanging on the front door.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

The Friday Five Good Things

Me 1967

Five good things that happened this week.

1. Saturday morning was chilly so the ride to the last Reggie class was made pleasant by heated car seats.

2.  With my Reggie year done, I'm so fortunate to have been able to study with him.

3. My 45th high school class reunion is on the horizon. While reading posts from the class Facebook page, I saw a familiar name. A girl that was in the same Cadet and Senior Girl Scout troop. Made contact and had a lunch date.

4. Finished the Christmas shopping.

5.Decorated the wreath for the front door.

How was your week?

T Stands for Laying The Wreath

We had planned on going to the cemetery to bring the Christmas wreath in mid-December. Himself would have a day or two off between exams. With the thought of December fast approaching and unknown weather, we decided on a change of plan. We would travel the Friday after Thanksgiving. And then on Wednesday, the doctor's office called Himself. He had an appointment scheduled for the week after Thanksgiving, but someone called and cancelled their appointment on Friday so Himself thought he'd rather push up the appointment so the trip to the cemetery was moved to Saturday.

Lots of people were leaving Grandma's house after the Thanksgiving break at the same time we decided to leave for the cemetery (10:30 AM). We were barely to the next exit on the Pike (I-90 westbound) when traffic came to a grinding halt. The Pike would be backed up from Exit 9, the junction of I-90 and I-84, the major roadway to Hartford, Connecticut, and New York. The drive to the cemetery would normally take an hour and 10 or 15 minutes, but at this rate, we wouldn't get there until February.

The Pike is a toll road, and I thought most of the problems at this stretch were caused by all the cars trying to get through the tolls. The Commonwealth (Massachusetts is a Commonwealth, not a state) went to electronic tolling last year. That still hasn't helped the congestion at busy travel times of the year.

So, we got off the Pike at the next exit to take Route 20 West as an alternate route. Traffic was busy in places like Charlton and Sturbridge, but the traffic was moving. Once we got past the shopping areas, we pretty much had the road to ourselves.

We traveled to Palmer where we would pick up the Pike again. While we were waiting at a traffic light to make the turn to the Pike exit. We were across from a cemetery. There was a man at the corner holding a sign which read Open House. I found it amusing as I wondered if the cemetery was advertising.

We finally reached our destination. The Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Agawam. 

This last section is filling in fast. 😿 On the drive up, lots of families had already left wreaths for their loved ones.

As always, the first thing is flowers for Ma. Some beautiful red roses to look Christmasy and a sprig of baby's breath to let her know she'll be a great-grandmother in the Spring. Ma and Dad would be thrilled to be great-grandparents.

I was so glad we didn't have to go crazy looking for a wreath stand. Earlier in the morning, I found some sheer red and gold ribbon to make a pretty bow to replace the cheap flocked bow that came with the wreath. I wish I could decorate the wreath as I used to do for their front door at home, but the only decoration allowed at the cemetery is a single bow. Deep sigh. Forlorn look.

After our visit, we usually stop for lunch at Michael's Pasta in the Pan, a small nearby restaurant. To our surprise, the restaurant wasn't open for lunch. Note to self: On Saturday, the restaurant doesn't open until 4 PM. With the help of Siri, we found another restaurant close by

We had never been here. It was a small place, but lots of cars. We figured that was a good sign.

The restaurant consisted of a bar, tall pub tables, and we found the only empty regular size table at the back. Tall pub tables are a challenge for a Hobbit.

Our view at the back entrance. On the way to the restaurant, I had told Himself other T for Tuesday husbands were good sports and posed for the picture of the meal. He said that was nice.

"Don't eat, I need a picture."

And being a good sport, he posed for the picture with his lunch choice of steak tips, fries (chips), sauted vegetables, and a Coke.

I had beer battered fish and chips (I substituted sweet potato fries), Irish slaw, and a Coke.

Madge (short for Magellan), the GPS decided to send us home through the city of Springfield. We think Madge was upset with us on the trip down as we disregarded all her directions for the alternate route.

Springfield is the largest city in Western Massachusetts, the third largest city in Massachusetts, fourth largest city in New England, home of the Basketball Hall of Fame (the sport was invented here), and home of Dr. Seuss, famed children's' author.

For a big city, not much going on.

Stop and Go, an aptly name convenience store. Next door is the packie. A packie is what is known as a liquor store in other parts of the country.

Finally, back on the I-91 North which will take us to the Mass Pike. (I-90)

Traffic was backed up from Exit 9 (I-84 and I-90 interchange) on the Westbound side.

We weren't going anywhere fast on the Eastbound side.

Good thing I had some provisions with me.

And finally home, sweet home.

Drop by hosts, Bleubeard and Elizabeth's blog to find out what the rest of the T Stands For gang is up to. If you want to play, include in your Tuesday post a beverage or container for a beverage. Don't forget to link your blog to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's page.

On The Front Door

Wreath making time. Himself found inexpensive wreaths at the big, orange box store. I'm not sure my heart was really into the project. Only one wreath to make for our door instead of a wreath for my parents' door and for Prissy's door.

But The Eldest brought a huge bunch of holly from the town Christmas fair. Would have been a shame to let it go to waste. Rummaging through the Christmas box I found some large bells, cardinals, and the holly bow I've been using for the past several years. Put it all together and hung it on the door. Didn't feel like decorating the wreaths that we hang on the front windows. No one can see the decorations from the street. Himself hung them with the red outdoor bows that came attached.

A trip to the Oakwood Christmas Barn in Spencer inspired me to add to the wreath after I saw some gorgeous wreaths there. Another rummage in the bauble box for some pinecones, and I remembered a bag of nuts in the shells languishing somewhere in the pantry.

Ta-da!

Cemetery Wreath

We took the annual trip to the cemetery to lay a wreath at my parents' grave. I thought the trip would have been quicker now that the Pike has gone to electronic tolls, but no dice. Everyone decided to leave Grandma's house at the same time in the afternoon to return to their homes after Thanksgiving. An accident along the way didn't help matters. We weren't in any rush and even with the delay would make it to the cemetery before dusk when the cemetery closes.

We were the only ones in the cemetery. Cool and eerie at the same time. The nearby amusemnt park is closed for the season so there was no sounds at all. Just stillness.

The cemetery allows the wreath to be placed on a wreath stand. The stands aren't easy to find. The florist at the nearby grocery store didn't have any stands, but called another store which had some. Himself stopped on the way home and picked up one. The florist only had 2 left. On the to do list is to find a source for the stand for next year.

The wreath looks sad to me. I was so used to making a wreath for the folks with all sorts of colorful beads and shiny baubles. The cemetery only allows a plain wreath with a bow. I didn't like the flat bow that came with the wreath so made a bow with some wide, red velvet ribbon I found in the Christmas bauble box.

We also brought flowers for Ma. Otherwise, she would think the wreath was just for Dad.

When I've visited at other cemeteries, I've left a small stone on the headstone to mark my visit. I'm pretty sure that gesture would be verboten here as everything is clean and uniform at the veterans' cemetery. The headstones are all the same size and color. Planting is not allowed. Cut flowers may be left at any time, and potted plants and wreaths left at certain times of the year. I did think of a way I could leave a token that wouldn't be permanent. My little secret.