Tag Archives: Christmas decorations

I’ve Got That Holiday Feeling

Posted on September 9, 2017 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes, it’s Lame Post Friday.  As regular readers know, however many foolish posts I make during the week, I always feel free to enjoy Lame Post Friday.  I am sitting on my couch in Halloween pajama bottoms, bra off (don’t you DARE say TMI!), glass of wine beside me.  There is an episode of 20/20 on the television that I would like to crochet and watch, but blog posts must be made (at least mine, by me).  So where shall I start…

You can’t tell, but I really do have pretty good legs for a woman my age.

Since I had mentioned my Halloween pajama pants, I thought I’d grab my Tablet and take a quick picture.  As we all know, the Halloween season begins the day after Labor Day.  However, I like to celebrate the holiday all year long.  To that end, we leave a few favored decorations out.

He was a Christmas present from my dearest husband, Steven.

Steven bought me this lovely vampire at Aubuchon in Herkimer, now sadly closed.  He is holding a Christmas ball in one hand and a bag of skulls in the other (I purchased the skulls for another purpose; he’s holding them for me).  We also put the little stocking around his neck to make him even more appropriate as a Christmas decoration.  I wonder if we ought to add a couple of accessories for Thanksgiving, Easter and the Fourth of July.  Points to ponder.

The frog is her friend, not a former prince.

This is one of our loveliest witches.  We have quite a collection  If we put them all out this year, perhaps I could make a witchy blog post with pictures.  She did not come with the frog; he is part of Steven’s extensive collection of such amphibians.

It looks as if Scrooge grumpily thrust Marley in the back in order to dominate the photo.

Just to show you we are not complete Halloween maniacs, I include a picture of a couple of our year-round Christmas decorations.  This is a Buyer’s Choice Caroler of Jacob Marley, which I purchased for Steven in 1989, after he had played the part of Jacob Marley in a production of A Christmas Carol.  My, that WAS a long time ago!  I cannot remember who gave Steven the nutcracker of Scrooge, but I believe it was my mother.  That is a kaleidoscope in the foreground.  We have a pretty cluttered knick-knack shelf.

 

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Looking a Little More Like Christmas

Posted on December 9, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

Steven spent his day off making our house look beautiful for Christmas.  I thought in lieu of a Non-Sequitur Thursday, I would share a few pictures.  First a few Santas.  We love Santa Claus.

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There are stories behind each Santa on the stairs, but I’d like to tell you about our new Santa, or rather half Santa.  Recently when I was at the Herkimer County Historical Society to talk about a murder mystery, I noticed the top half of a plastic Santa.

“He’s yours,” said one of the ladies I was there to meet.  The Santa had been rescued from the middle of the street during a wind storm last winter.  They put his picture on Facebook, so the owner could claim him.  Steven commented that if nobody did, we could offer the Santa a home.  Since he lacks a bottom half, we put him behind our fireplace screen (a Christmas present from my parents a few years ago), so he could look as if he is emerging from the chimney.

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Another favorite feature of our holiday decorations is Steven’s nutcracker collection.  This isn’t the whole thing, but a nice selection to cover our buffet.

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Oh, how I love Christmas.   Soon I must finish my Christmas shopping, start my Christmas baking, address my Christmas cards and commence my Christmas wrapping.  It is the time of year when I cease to be the Evil Woman CinCin and become… wait for it… Cindy Claus!

 

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Running Out of November

Posted on December 1, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I started writing a real post while at work today (YES, I was on a break, don’t go running to my boss!).   Then I got home and went running, and I’d like to do a Running Commentary instead.

I was thinking when I left work that it would be a good idea to run. For one reason, I haven’t run for the last two days (judge me if you must). For another reason, it was almost warm out.  As I walked to my vehicle I pondered whether I should run in shorts or leggings.  When I got home I noted that our thermostat said it was 50 degrees outside. That is definitely shorts weather for me, although it had seemed like legging weather as I left work.  Spunky wanted to go for a walk, so I had another chance to think about it.

Spunky went down the driveway as far as the neighbors’ front yard and pee’d, while their dog, Piper, barked at him from their front window.  Then Spunky  led me firmly back to our house.  He is definitely not the walker Tabby was.  That was all right, though, because I had to get out and running before I ran out of ambition.  I went with the thermostat and put on shorts and short sleeves.  I chose an ARMY t-shirt with a reflective decal on the back, because it was grey and gloomy.

I did not feel too bad as I started down the sidewalk.  I admired the grey sky and dark atmosphere.  I felt it was a very November day for the last day of the month (although I think my blog post will be dated December 1; just go with it).  I turned right onto German Street.  I had it in mind to run by the HARC building at the end of the street.  I noticed when I drove by there the other day that they seem to be building a playground in back of it.  I wanted to take a closer look.

However, as I approached Main Street, I re-thought my plans.  It is a busy corner with a four-way stop.  I wondered if I would be able to cross it easily.  If so, then I would have to cross back later.  I would see how traffic was.  Several cars were there. I turned right down Main Street.  Main Street was busy, too.  Should I run all the way down it?  There is usually a lot of pedestrian traffic as well, especially as you get closer to State Street.  I decided to turn right on Church Street, at the Historic Four Corners.  When I got there, a car stopped at the stop sign actually pulled back a little to let me across the street.  I tried to wave, “Thanks but don’t bother, I’m turning.”  I hope the driver got that.

It did not seem especially warm to me.  My legs didn’t feel too bad, but my arms were cold.  I put my headband over my ears.  I looked around at houses to distract myself.  I noted a few Christmas decorations here and there.  I’d like to take a walk after dark and look at houses with lights.  I wish Spunky was into taking longer walks but I do not want to force him to go farther than his inclination.

Soon I had to admit that I felt tired.  Now I have realized that when I run I can pretty much keep going for just about as long as I decide to (I do NOT need anybody to tell me that this is painfully obvious and true for almost anything).  That said, OH, did I want to stop!  Or at least walk!  I could feel that I was running slowly.  A brisk walk might even be faster than I was moving.  However, I persevered.  Then I felt bad for not enjoying my run more.  Don’t I run because I like to run, I asked myself.  Never mind, I answered.  Sometimes you have to put up with the runs that are not so fun in order to get to the runs that are.

As I ran up my street, the end in sight, I saw a pedestrian on the sidewalk up ahead.  I had already gone around several pedestrians on the run, as well as changing direction a couple of times to avoid others.  I would go around this one.  Then I saw that the pedestrian had a dog.  I like to pet a dog.  Could it be my friend Rocky?  As I got closer, I saw that it was Rocky and his mom.  She was talking to another person I hadn’t seen at first.  Rocky saw me coming and pulled at his leash a little bit.

“He knows he’s going to get pets from me,” I said.  “Hi, good boy!  Good to see you!”  His mom and the guy she was talking to laughed.  I gave them a wave and ran on.  I was almost home.  Yay!

It felt GREAT to walk my cool down.  For about half a block, then the wind picked up and I was cold.  I had sensibly put a sweatshirt on my back deck with my water bottle, so now my arms felt OK and my legs were cold.  No matter.  I ran. I was glad.  I would write a blog post about it.

 

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It’s Beginning to Look a Little Like Christmas

Posted on November 29, 2016 by mohawkvalleygirl

I said once before,  when in doubt, take a couple of pictures.   Or words to that effect.  So tonight after staring are the blank screen for a while, I decided to follow my own advice.  Um, just as a side note, I did write today, just not a blog post.  I worked on the murder mystery I am writing as a fundraiser for the Herkimer County Historical Society.  Ooh, I should write a blog post about that.  Maybe tomorrow.  Tonight, I went out and took a couple of pictures.

My husband, Steven, had decorated the front porch today.  I thought a couple of pictures of that might be nice.  The main problem I had, other than not yet being particularly adept at using our Tablet, is that there is a weird-looking tree in our front lawn, and it kind of obscures the porch.  As you can see:

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I moved closer to get better shots of our Santa Clauses.  This is our new one, who is actually kind of old.  My parents got him for us at a second hand store.

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I couldn’t get a good picture of our other Santa, who I purchased at a boring big-box store in 2005, our first Christmas in this house (you know, we ought to give our house a name, so I could refer to it by that in such a case).  I couldn’t get a good picture of our angel, either, but I thought the bad one I got might look kind of cool.  What do you think?

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Oh well, maybe not.  In any case, here is my post for today.  My usual nonsense with a few pictures thrown in.  I think they class it up a little, but perhaps I flatter myself.  I guess I’ll call it a Mental Meanderings Monday and drive on.  Hope to see you on Tired Tuesday.

 

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Still Keeping that Post-Christmas Letdown at Bay

Posted on December 29, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Kind of a long headline, isn’t it? Who cares? (That was a rhetorical question, dafthead!)

I actually thought I felt the Post-Christmas Letdown encroaching earlier today. Steven and I were taking our lovely schnoodle Tabby for a walk (we usually say “perambulation” in case she recognizes “the W word” and gets all crazy before we’re ready to leave). I was noticing how many houses had their lights down and even their trees out waiting for garbage pick up.

It was a grey, gloomy day, which normally cheers me up somewhat (we all know I’m perverse; that does not need further comment). In fact, the walk was our second attempt, because the first attempt got rained out. The temperature was warmer when it started to rain, but I did not repine. We enjoyed our walk.

While we walked, we discussed our itinerary for the rest of the day. I have this thing that I like to go to Waterfront Grille in Herkimer, NY (you know, where we live), sit at the bar and order drinks and appetizers. We don’t often do this, but I thought, being he holidays and all… We were torn. After all, we had already watched one movie and had (have) many more to watch. There are also episodes of Castle and the Blacklist on DVR as well as of Snapped currently airing on Oxygen. There are sweats to put on and bras to take off, for heavens’ sake! What’s a girl to do? (I say “girl” instead of my usual “blogger,” because not all bloggers have bras to take off).

As we walked and debated, Steven at last said, “Well, if it’ll help you get over your post-Christmas letdown, let’s go.”

What can I say? The man is a genius and the best husband ever. We went and had a glass or two of wine and an excellent lunch. Now we are back at home, in sweats (one of us has our bra off, I think you know who) (and anybody who says TMI has earned my enmity), watching a Christmas movie (easing out of Christmas is another method for alleviating post-Christmas letdown), and I was kind of waiting for Wrist to Forehead Sunday to kick in. Incidentally, it hasn’t.

So, anyways, this is my blog post. Kind of slice of life, I guess. I’m in a dandy mood and hope you are too. May your post-Christmas be letdown free!

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Running from Post-Christmas Letdown

Posted on December 27, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

Yes! Yes! On my last chance before 2015, I have returned to Saturday Running Commentary! I am the woman!

How’s that for not having a post-Christmas letdown (yet)? Well, when you are feeling down, there is nothing like physical activity. And if you get to the physical activity before the blues really kick in, so much the better.

Steven and I got up at a ridiculous hour this morning, because he had to work at 6:30. The weather report promised mid to upper 40s later in the day, but I wanted to get my run done so left shortly after Steven did, 6:27 by my watch.

My thermostat said it was 34 degrees, so I had on leggings, long-sleeved ARMY t-shirt, winter running socks, a hat and mittens. Also my reflective vest, because it was still dark out. That had the advantage of having a zipper pocket in which I placed two tissues and my house key. I reminded myself to be careful of the key when I took the tissues out to blow my nose. Losing the house key that way is just the sort of thing I would do.

I had thought that by running while it was dark out I might see some Christmas lights still up. I knew I might not see many. For one reason, some people around here seem to feel the need to puritanically haul down all lights and decorations immediately their calendar turns to December 26. For another reason, some people turn their lights off at bedtime and might not turn them back on in the morning. Steven turns our lights off but we turn them back on in the morning till the sun comes up.

Regular readers may have noticed that I have not been running since November. I know, how dreadfully remiss of me. It was with some trepidation that I set out. However, a few steps down the street and I was thinking, “This is EASY! I can do this!” I quickly noticed some lights on houses on German Street, which made me feel even better.

I ran to the hill by Valley Health. Normally at my first run after a long pause I do not require hills of myself. However, I felt I should make an effort. As I ran by the hill up to Herkimer County Community College, the streetlights mocked me. It will be a while before I am ready to take that hill again, but I vowed to myself that it will happen (I’ll probably write a blog post about it).

I stopped feeling that running was easy by the time I reached to the top of the hill I did run. Now my legs felt like macaroni, breathing was less than fun, and I wanted to stop. However, I persevered. The Christmas tree I could see in the lobby of Valley Health cheered my up.

Back down the hill and into the residential streets, I began looking also for lights that would indicate other people were awake thus early on a Saturday. I saw a few. After all, it wasn’t four in the morning. Between 6:30 and 7 is a perfectly normal time to be up, even on a weekend. I saw several houses with Christmas lights on but no other lights. A couple of houses with lights but no Christmas lights. How depressing. One house had only the basement lights on. Probably a mad scientist’s laboratory. The flowered curtains were a dead giveaway.

There was just a little bit of light appearing in the sky as I approached the end of my run. I only require 20 minutes of myself when returning to running but thought I might possibly manage a little more this morning. My body had returned to the “I can rock this” stage, but I didn’t want to push too hard. After all, I do have the rest of the day to get through.

I ended up going for 24 minutes, which is how long I went the last time I ran. As Tabby walked my cool down with me the sky lightened even more. I admired the bare trees against the blue grey. When Steve, Tabby and I took a walk yesterday, I kept saying how much I love to walk. However, I don’t know if anything really feels as good to my legs as the cool down walk after a good run. So it looks as if I’ve kept that post-Christmas letdown at bay for a little longer.

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Back on the Tabby Track

Posted on January 6, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

It has been too cold for the last few days to take Tabby for a walk. This is not my selfish, wimpy decision: I saw on the news that you should not have your dogs out in the cold for more than five minutes or so. We do not want a case of doggy hypothermia or doggy frost bite to deal with (yes, I KNOW those are the same thing as regular hypothermia and frost bite; I like to put “doggy” in front of these things).

Today the my thermostat told me it was 21 degrees out, so we ventured on a short stroll. To celebrate, I thought I’d write a pedestrian post about it.

I put Tabby’s coat on her. She is good-natured about letting me maneuver her paws through the sleeves. I wore my warmest coat, hat, scarf and mittens (the ones that are beginning to wear out; they’re still pretty warm). I wish I had little doggy boots for Tabby’s paws but am doubtful about her continuing good-nature if I attempted such a thing.

At the last minute I thought of my prescription sunglasses. The sun was high in the sky and bright. Let’s hear it for polarization!

We set off down the sidewalk, thankful for the neighbors who had shoveled or snow-blowed their sidewalks (Steven did ours). I had forgotten how much snow had fallen since our last stroll. That’s right, I reminded myself, the first day it was too cold for a walk there was also a blizzard. It had not snowed since, so unshoveled stretches of sidewalk usually had a path worn by several pairs of boots.

We also came to parts the sidewalk plow had gone through. While I am grateful for the sidewalk plow, it often leaves a layer of snow. Then again, maybe there was still ice at the bottom and the layer of snow protected me from it. In any case, it takes more effort to walk through, so I burned a few more calories. Bonus!

I sadly noticed the lack of Christmas decorations on many houses I had admired last month. There were two white metal deer with wreaths around their necks. I liked them but was soon depressed at the sight of Christmas trees at the curb. Oh well, life does go on. I must get over my post-Christmas letdown and on with January.

It was only a short walk, because 21 degrees is really only comparatively warm. Of course there is the possibility for another stroll before the freezing rain is predicted to start (really, never a dull moment). I was glad I had walked. Tabby seemed pleased, too.

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Cold New Year’s Walk

Posted on January 2, 2014 by mohawkvalleygirl

This New Year’s I learned a valuable lesson: Party anyways. I have spent the day feeling as tired and useless as if I had tied one on last night, and I really did not. Then again, I didn’t have a headache or upset stomach, so perhaps I am onto something with this moderation and early bedtime. Still, I thought some people would like it if I began my post with “party anyways.”

I deem it acceptable to do one more vacationish post (I am, after all, the arbiter of these things in my own blog). I could wax philosophical about New Years, as many people do (half-baked for me, of course) (I’ll save it for Lame Post Friday). Instead, I offer another pedestrian post.

The cold snap continues in the Mohawk Valley. The next two days are going to be even worse, so we were determined to take our beloved schnoodle, Tabby, for at least a short walk today. We bundled up. Scarves, hats, mittens. I did not put Tabby’s coat on her. I thought to save it for the even colder days to come.

It had snowed. Snow has the advantage of offering some traction, so I thought it would be a less dangerous walk. Then again, it was so cold the snow didn’t pack down at all, and ice lurked treacherously underneath. I kept warning Steven to be careful. Then I worried a little about myself, because just about the time I’m warning somebody else is when I get into difficulties.

The sun was still up, but behind rather extensive cloud cover. We admired the eerie grey light which bathed the neighborhood. I especially enjoyed the sight of bare trees against the sky. I pointed out that if we had waited till after dark for our walk, we could have noticed who still had their Christmas lights on and been disappointed at those who did not.

I don’t understand this passion for taking decorations down so soon after the celebration. Traditionally aren’t we supposed to leave them up till January 6th? The sight of a few lights still up helps ease my post-Christmas letdown. We saw one tree still lit in somebody’s window, and a fox lawn ornament with a New Year’s hat and Santa socks.

Some Christmas trees were already out by the curb. One had almost no needles left on it.

“Didn’t they water it?” I asked in a disapproving tone of voice.

We did not go for a long walk. I was grateful when we were almost home, because my nose was running. I had provided myself with scarf, hat, mittens and poop bags, but had neglected a handkerchief. Then I noticed my mittens were beginning to wear out. Oh dear. I called Steven’s attention to this, but pointed out that as I had stolen them from my sister sometime in the late ’80s, I really had no room for complaint.

Well, that seems to me not too bad a post for a tired New Year’s Day (on Wuss-out Wednesday, I might add). Or do I flatter myself? No matter. It is time to get on with 2014. Happy New Year, everybody.

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Picture This

Posted on December 25, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

My place of employment considers both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to be paid holidays. Therefore I shall feel free to make another silly post, in addition to yesterday’s bit of whimsy (do you think that is a nicer word than “nonsense”? Discuss amongst yourselves).

The Mohawk Valley has gotten a dusting of snow for Christmas. Isn’t that delightful? The look without the pain of shoveling. As I write this I am aware that in other parts of the country people are sitting around in their shorts by barbecue pits thinking of our White Christmas with scornful pity. Well, to each his own, as the old lady said when she kissed the cow.

I am in Rome, NY for the holidays (thieves, don’t take note; there is really nothing in my house worth stealing) (I do this joke every time, but if you go to rob my house anyways, please clean the bathroom, it needs it again). Perhaps by next year I will get the proper camera or smart phone and be able to post pictures to this blog. That would be a good thing, because the city of Rome has some of the nicest Christmas lights around.

Some of the display came from a large, fancy restaurant called Trinkaus Manor, which tragically burned down some years ago. Many people from Rome cherish memories of driving out to Trinkaus at Christmastime to walk around and see the lights. After the restaurant burned down, the city ended up with them. What a great Christmas gift. I hope later on tonight to take a drive downtown and see the sights.

I see now where this would have been a better post with pictures. Oh well, one does what one can. It is Wuss-out Wednesday after all. Once again, Merry Christmas.

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The Most Wonderful Scooping Time of the Year

Posted on December 17, 2013 by mohawkvalleygirl

In my defense, I wrote two pages on my novel while at work today (MUST I always specify that it was while on break?) (I suppose so). I have no blog post written, and I can’t come up with any last-minute Monday Middle-aged Musings. Well, maybe I can. I’ll just keep typing and see what comes up.

I took Tabby for a walk just now. I only intended to go one block, because it is below 20 degrees out (anybody who does not find that chilly for walking with a dog that likes to stop and sniff, please be advised that you are not normal). I was glad I had worn a scarf and only wished it covered more of me. My jacket felt warm to begin with, but eventually the wind pierced it, too. I persevered. Dogs must be walked, after all.

This really is a wonderful month of the year to go for a walk after sundown, at least in Herkimer, NY. Many people have lights or at least put their Christmas tree in the window.

When I had walked a little way down German Street, I saw God’s own light show: the full moon (according to the calendar, it is actually full tomorrow, the 17th, but it looked pretty full to me). It was behind a tree at first, but revealed itself and I walked. It was big, it was round, it was silver, it was as bright as the streetlights. I loved it.

A few feet further on, a house imposed itself between me and my new love. I briefly considered continuing down German till I could see it again, but I figured it would continue to rise and I could probably see it through a window from inside my nice warm house.

When Tabby did her business, I blessed the snow. You scoop a little snow with the poop, and it doesn’t stink so much. Ooh, it was so cold the snow was powdery, not a smidgen of packing quality. No matter, I scooped up what I could.

I began to wonder if anybody would see me and think I was cruel for bringing my dog out on a night like this, but Tabby seemed to enjoy it. A dog on a back porch barked at us as we went by. Oh, I hope they only let him out to do his business and will soon let him back in! I’m thinking probably they will, or we would usually be hearing a lot more barking from that house.

So that is my pedestrian post for the day. Sorry to write about walking my dog twice within three days, but sometimes a blogger’s gotta do what a blogger’s gotta do.

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