“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It Goes On.”
Robert Frost

Friday, December 30, 2016

A New Year Soon Begins





The moving song below was performed on one of the Christmas specials I recently watched.  I was first drawn in by the beautiful melody and then the lyrics.  

I was unable to locate a recording to post, but I hope you enjoy the lovely, but bittersweet lyrics. They reflect my feelings about this past year and the new one that is almost upon us.  It's a nod to the past and a glance towards the future. Let's hope there are more bright moments and fewer dark days ahead. So while our futures are still unknown, perhaps if we all hold strong together we'll get through it.





Thou Gracious God


Thou gracious God, whose mercy lends
the light of home, the smile of friends,
our gathered flock thine arms enfold
as in the peaceful days of old.

Wilt thou not hear us while we raise
in sweet accord of solemn praise
the voices that have mingled long
in joyous flow of mirth and song?

For all the blessings life has brought,
for all its sorrowing hours have taught,
for all we mourn, for all we keep,
the hands we clasp, the loved that sleep.

The noontide sunshine of the past,
these brief, bright moments fading fast,
the stars that gild our darkening years,
the twilight ray from holier spheres.

We thank thee, Father; let thy grace
our loving circle still embrace,
thy mercy shed its heavenly store,
thy peace be with us evermore.


Words/lyrics - American Poet - Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. 1869 
Music/English Folk Tune - Wareham


Saturday, December 24, 2016

Surreal Christmas

 

We visited Duluth again this year and took in the Bentleyville lights in Canal Park. It was a nice break for me, just to get away for a couple of days.
 
We arrived mid afternoon and stopped for a warm beverage and snack at the Pickwick restaurant. This old place has a nice warm ambience and more wood than I've seen in awhile!


 


What can I say, these last couple of months have been nothing if not surreal.  Apparently that has been one of the most googled words in Minnesota lately.

sur·re·al
səˈrēəl/
adjective
adjective: surreal
having the qualities of surrealism; bizarre.
"a surreal mix of fact and fantasy"
synonyms: unreal, bizarre, unusual, weird, strange, freakish, unearthly, uncanny, dreamlike, phantasmagorical

So nothing like getting back to earth by visiting an awe inspiring place like Lake Superior. Thank goodness there was no sailing this time! I would much rather stay on shore and look at the lake than be on it!



As the sun sank quickly we made our way over to the light show and were greeted by these amazing light tunnels....





I loved this one, done up as a wreath! So pretty!










There was just about 3 inches of snow on the ground, not even as much as we had at home, but still enough to bounce the light around. Look how the snow glows under those Christmas lights!







Here's our own state icon, Paul Bunyan with Babe the Blue Ox!




There was a bit of a cold breeze coming off of lake Superior, but here I was able to get a nice picture of the Ariel Lift Bridge.





 
A new attraction this year were characters dressed up as reindeer, this happens to be Prancer and some very cute but unknown child.



 





 

Getting towards the end and a bit cold, I moved when I took this pic, but I kind of like the blurred effect. Talk about surreal!!



 

It was a fun night and it took us about an hour to walk the entire display. It was in the mid 20's degree wise, but a bit of a chilly wind next to the lake helped us quicken our pace and by the end we were ready to go warm up with some hot chocolate back at our room.


The next morning looking out our room window, I captured this shot of the sun trying to break through the morning fog.






I hope all of your holiday and seasonal celebrations are merry and bright and that you are able to spend them with people you care for.  Sometimes the simple things are the best. Thank you for sticking with me through the years.
      
May your holly be jolly 
and your tinsel be bright
May the stars shine above you
and guide you at night
May your wishes come true
and you find your delight
Merry Christmas to all,
and to all a good night.
Oh and don't forget to turn off the light.

Merry Christmas
~~Diane~~

 

 

Thursday, December 1, 2016

Oh December!

December, you've crept up on me and I'm not ready for you so soon. I know I said I wouldn't post until mid December, but when I started putting my Christmas header and images on the sidebar, I just had to add some kind of cute holiday image.





This is an old image I've jazzed up using my Pixlr app. I think it's added a bit more depth to this lively image of cats and dogs dancing 'round the Christmas tree.  I'm going to try and stay in a Christmasy mood by not watching the news any more, it's just more than I can stand.

I'll be here dancing with my cats 'round my own Christmas tree! 
~~ Diane ~~