Thanks everyone for the kind thoughts. You all are so great! I did talk to Kenzie yesterday and will get to see her when the weather lets up. The snowplow hasn't been past in 3 days. We are still hoping to have our Christmas gathering tonight with Rick's kids but we'll have to see. If the plow doesn't come by he plans to blow snow all the way to the highway. I'm doubtful as there is an 80% chance of more snow for today. Tomorrow looks promising. So I hope to go to Walmart and buy more gifts for Kenzie before we pick her up. Since SIL didn't tell anyone that he was going to bring Kenzie to IA, I had sent all her gifts to FL. The crustless cranberry pie and real whip cream was our dessert yesterday. I also made it earlier with the blueberries and it was fabulous too. Chelone, the decorations are wonderful and suit your house so well. V, the insane tree made me smile. Your nativity looks like the same figures that I have from my grandma. My mom has them too. She bought her's one at a time at the dime store. I have a few that say 29 cents on the bottom. What fun it must be to watch Misty unwrap presents. Kathy, Mr. Baby is just as cute as can be. I'm sure you have a fabulous Christmas with him around. Christmas is just so much fun through the eyes of a child. Eden, love all the Bella and Kate pictures both here and FB. I also enjoyed Brad's song. So lovely to have Ei stop in for the holidays. I love the way you decorated your porch and Scout sitting in the middle is perfect. Deanne, gorgeous card - the picture is fabulous and the border perfect. Our electricity has blinked on and off for the last 2 days so computer time is brief. My computer is old and takes so long to come back on. I did get a little time to print 3 8 x 10 garden pictures yesterday that I intend to frame and hang above my sofa. I had the local news on in the background and just heard a report from Jeremy's girlfriend about the weather where they are. She was calling in reporting. I guess I don't need to call and ask him when his GF is a reporter. She mentioned that they spent part of the day yesterday helping people who were stuck. Well, I guess I'd better get the house in order in case things do happen today. The food is all last minute stuff so I will wait to see what the weather does. Michelle

Best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most joyous traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, but with respect for the religious persuasion of others who choose to practice their own religion as well as those who choose not to practice a religion at all.

Thanks, all. It's good to see ribaldry is alive and well at the WS Forum. I'm taking a holiday break from door and window staining, so I have time for the forum for awhile. Last summer's (phase one) remodel brought me 18 new windows and 9 new doors, and I have to stain them all this winter. After that, bank account willing, I have to buy the wood and tools so I can cut, stain and install all the trim molding in the new foyer, living room, powder room and master bed/bath suite. I doubt if I'll do much perennial sowing this season. I have so many plants in the nursery beds I think I can go another year without starting new ones. Plenty of existing things to divide. I'm definitely doing 'Maters and Peppers, though, and as many other veggies as I can find room for. Nice to see y'all again!

I am happy to find this thread, I and my family will do a Solstice in remembrance of our daughter who God rose from this life Christmas eve 2003. She was 9 and taught us about God. She went into a coma on the 21st, this will be a great tribute to her. Thank you for the post. Remembrance- Daisies she picked these one day for Virgin Mary to pray for her protection and she received protection. Life: Lily Bulb, I have a picture of her with the tree of life cross on her fore head and a white lily over her chest. I am unsure what the lily mean, but it is there and it was not taken in the winter picture, nor did I own a white lily, nor is the cross a man made cross, this is a very ornated cross with detail in it of light. Sorry I don't spell great. Nature, Dogwood tree, Legend has it that this tree grew as a large strong tree and was used for the cross that Jesus died for our sins on. He then altered the tree to grow has a small twisted tree, with a flower in the shape of a cross, with four rust spots, with red in the middle to resemble the nails in his flesh. A thorning center as a reminder of the mockery of him being king. Faith, Burgandy Gaillardia and fairy snow ballon flower. I really would love to plant seeds of Ashley Nicole Scott Day Lily seed because the red and white is in one flower and maybe a baby would have the the color, but I am sure I will not be able to get them this quick. The colors are important to me because they are colors of a little Girl Saint that showed up to me in a night of terrible term oil and announced "Do not be afraid, God sent me, I am St. Philamena and I will protect her though the night and Arch Angel Micheal will be over seeing your child also, though out the night. God sent her, St. Philamena, to let me know he is real and we have an afterlife, some are here a short time some here for a long time. All are gifts from him. I was pretty much on the fence, if God was real, up to this point. This was a conversion in faith for me. Any one have a flower that blooms red and white on the same flower and would send to me seeds, expec. a lily, I will gladly pay for postage. This is my experience in a very short form, of many blessings God gave me, my husband and children. This is a happy season for us, we know where she is, miss her but know with out a dought she is in a much better world than we are. This will be great activity for the whole family, I know some will pick out plants other with listen to the history of the my plantings. Merry Chrismas to All Tammy