We did not do much in the way of gifts this year but we did go to my neighbors home for Christmas dinner and we always exchange gifts. She has no family to buy for other than her husband and her dogs so she has started showering us with Christmas gifts because she enjoys it so much. I try to reciprocate. She is an avid gardener and works in my yard all the time. She often gets into poison ivy. I got her the very best quality leather gauntlet gardening gloves I could find in her tiny hand size. She was so thrilled. She said oh my God no more poison ivy on my wrist. I also bought them a Cajun pork Tenderloin wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cream cheese and jalapeños. She cooked it for their new years eve meal last night and said it might be the best thing they have had. That made me happy.

Out on a country road there was a pig farmer who every year would put up a huge Xmas display on the roof of 1 or 2 of the hog house(s) of pigs pulling Santa and his sleigh. Apparently the place changed hands (been a LONG time now) and the display isn't put up anymore. Bummed about it, but it's really creative. I really got a chuckle from the flamingos. And didn't even notice until I looked at the pictures that they had the santa hats.

This story really choked me up. Absolutely beautiful, and truly a sign of intervention from above. Something to remember, share and a message to mimic. Thank you for sharing this.

The only worry with baked goods, e.g, mincemeat tarts, any viruses inside having been cooked, would be with what might have contaminated the surfaces, later. If you're worried, give 'em a quick blast to the surface in the regular oven or microwave. If I get any, I plan to string 'em on a board hung from the clothesline, to outfox the foxes, coons, skunks, bunnies and rats. But I may have to put'em in a plastic box against the birds and deer ... but will have to leave 'em for several days, due to the plastic reducing the power of the sunlight. Probably bring 'em in overnight, for deer can access the clothesline. So accept any gifts graciously, quarantine'em if you feel it necessary, and perform cleansing operations in order to make them a part of joyfully welcoming in the New Year! ole joyfuelled ... who enjoys fuelling help to body and spirit from cookies, tarts, etc. gifts