A Memory at Holiday Time

Once upon a time... over half a century ago... I was just about out of my parents' home for good when they bought a property that had been, in part, a Christmas tree farm, and a lot of the trees were still perfect or good enough for the holiday season -- even though they had not been trimmed for a while.  So...   my dad thought of the idea of putting an old mailbox and hanging a few tree cutting saws on the fence -- where someone looking for a  tree could put  - I think it was two dollars inside the box - grab a saw and head out into the pasture to find the perfect one -- on the honor system. It was so fun.  When I got home from school for the holidays, I would watch families come, grab a saw hanging next to the mailbox and head out into the pasture to cut a tree, drag it out through the snow, tie it on top of the car and head home to decorate -- to give the season a start with a fresh cut, wonderful smelling tree and more importantly -- a family together memory.  

It was also fun to go out to the mailbox at the end of the day and remove all the one dollar bills. There were a lot of them.  I think my Dad quietly donated the money to a local church that made it their mission to provide food to those who were on hard times.  My Dad could not stand the idea of children going hungry.  It made me wonder if his growing up years didn't have some going to bed hungry memories. After all, he grew up in the era of The Great Depression. The experiences of those times became a heavy, damp, and itchy cloak over entire generations that came to save everything from rubber bands  and "good" pieces of string to bread bags and old shoes -- just in case you might need them. (I still have that tendency - one that was instilled in me when I was very young.)  Anyway -- I also remember that my Dad told me one time about hooking up the team of work horses and driving the buckboard from the family farm into the village of Findley Lake, NY where he sold fresh produce to the city people who were there for the summer.  He showed me the one cottage where people from Erie, PA stayed every summer and mentioned that if it had not been for their generosity in hand-me-downs from their boys, he and his two brothers would not have had clothing or shoes to go to school the following year. Times were not easy.

We have come a long way in a generation or two.  Central heating,  indoor plumbing, enough food and clothing... a tractor to replace a team of horses.... When I think about memories like this one, I am deeply thankful for the life that my parents provided for me growing up and thankful that I could do so for my children as well.  At least I hope I did.  Any parent always wonders if he or she could have done better.  If my kids are any indication  --  we did well together.  They are the best...the absolute best ever. 

Merry Christmas everyone.  Count your Blessings.  Make some memories... the good kind... the kind that you can look back on and smile. Time goes by so quickly....

Note... 55 years ago the average cost of a live Christmas tree was between $12 and $15 unless you wanted a fancy Douglas Fir -- which sold for way more around here.  The current average cost of a live Christmas tree today is between $80 and $100. Further -- I now own most of what used to be that Christmas tree farm.  My Dad gave the land to me about 25 years ago now.  Almost all the Christmas trees were long gone by then. I did have to have 33 huge and sickly pines cut in order have a lawn in front the home I had built in 2001. Maybe they were the last of the Christmas trees -- all grown up by then and on their way out. End of an era tree wise. Then again -- I noticed just the other day that there are two small Scotch pines growing now near the pond in the pasture behind my home.  I am not going to cut them down - ever. I so hope that whatever the combination of insects and fungal blights that killed all the other large pines around here doesn't find them. Anyway -- i am thinking of them as the pasture's Christmas trees -- both of them...a double bonus. 

 Again... Merry Christmas ....🎄

Message to Me at Holiday Time...

What's up with the generation gap?  Does it still exist?  It used to be a big deal back in the 60's.  Are we two generations away from that now?  Or ... is the generation gap just a thing that always is there between one generation and another? There are a lot of questions for which I simply do not have an answer.  

A couple of weeks ago, I asked my brilliant granddaughter for advice on a tricky and awkward situation.  She laughed out loud at the mere thought that I was asking her, an almost 15 year old for advice, but... I was most serious.  Not only is she smart, but she is also an old soul, if you know what I mean, and her advice was not only smart -- it was hysterically funny.  I will go to her again if need be. Her "take on things" and  laughter are a constant joy to me.

Anyway -- the exchange got me to thinking about gaps between generations. I am certain that some are unavoidable but others can be avoided -- at least I hope so. I am trying.  First -- let me be clear on this.  My kids and grandkids are great with me.  I can always ask them who some "famous" person is, or what something means and they are excellent and kind in the way they bring me up to date. That is just one of the things that I love about them.  I sometimes have a hard time keeping up with this world ... maybe because I don't always pay attention. Having said that ...The following is what I tell myself, or try to remember to tell myself, when interacting with my kids and grandkids or people of their ages... when trying to bridge the gap... if there is one.  Message to me...

• First and foremost is listen. Be curious. There is a lot that you don't know. This goes along with always remember that you don't know everything and it may even be fun to learn a few new things. I am getting old.  So what?  It could be just the latest adventure. I so want to be good at it. 
• Don't offer advice unless asked and even then be very careful. Be curious rather than judgmental.  Today's world is a whole lot different than it used to be. Some things never change ... but a lot of things do. 
• Be positive even if you are cranky or ache somewhere.  Don't overshare physical challenges or health complaints. I know you know what I mean when I say that.  A wise person once said -- "You are responsible for the energy you bring into a room." Who was that who said that? I would like to invite them over for coffee.  We could laugh about "stuff".
• Try not to be an obstacle. Be aware of others' space.  i.e. Don't stop suddenly in front of other people or block the way just because you need to put your boots on or are doing something like trying not to fall down.  Figure it out.
• Don't be afraid to laugh at yourself. You do funny things even when you don't mean to. If you laugh first, it takes the pressure off of others who find you amusing for whatever reason.  Laughter is good medicine.
• Don't act helpless just because you feel lazy.  It's annoying to busy people and it's dangerous to surrender your independence even in small ways. It could become a habit and it's not good for you.
• Remember that it's totally okay to take a nap once in a while -- no matter how old you are.  Even young people need a nap now and then.  A perk of naps is also that they are a remedy for cranky.  Cranky is not a good thing. It is especially nasty in older people who should know better.
• Take some pride in your appearance.  No one wants to look at or be around an unkempt person in clothes that they may or may not have slept in.
• And finally... I often tell myself -- because I sometimes enjoy being dramatic -- remember my wonderful Mom's advice to never, ever make old lady noises, like moans and groans, when you are trying to get into a pickup truck or out of a chair. It's not necessary and uses up energy that could be put to better use.  

Anyway -- these are the things I tell myself or try to remember to tell myself.  It keeps me going.... I think that trying counts. Writing them all down helps me to remember. 😊 The holidays are here and I want to do a good job of it.  

Meh ...

 When I think about social media -- Facebook, Twitchy, TikTok, X, etc.,  my reaction is sort of summed up in the word Meh... a word I learned on social media, by the way.  It is a word that always makes me smile (in my head) when I read it.  I have never even heard anyone use it in conversation.  I am not even sure how to pronounce it.  Meh.

Along with this M word is another M word -- the word Meme.  I have come to relish meme time ... and reels... but today the focus is memes.  I don't know why they are called that and apparently the term has been around since the mid 1970's, but I fell in love with them as my son began to text more and more of them over time and they always make me laugh -- sometimes out loud when alone.  Now that (the laughing out loud when alone) proves they are or can be funny; right?  Anyway -- I have come to the conclusion that Memes are one of the best parts of social media - perhaps second only to keeping up with family and friends...

The other day I encountered a meme that caught me off guard.  Unfortunately I had just taken a large swig of coffee when I ran across it on Facebook during that particular morning's browsing. Facebook is often the source of funny memes -- in my humble opinion. I sometimes take a photo of them to text later on to family and friends -- or just to look at later for fun.  Anyway --  I follow The Laughing Librarian because I appreciate his/her sense of humor. This particular day The LL was sharing this "WordNerd" meme that included this little known fact in a list of little known facts:

            "The word 'testify' (is) derived from a time when men were required to swear                 on their testicles."

Fun Fact.  I can't help but wonder ...   perhaps if men still had to swear on their testicles, if there would be less lying among politicians or in general.  That might be worth bringing back.  That is my thought for the day.   For what it is worth... meh....

Seriously ... Thanks for putting up with me.  Now it is time, perhaps, to start thinking about Christmas....