Well, I don’t have a picture because I left my camera in my pocket . . . and, gee, that’s too much for AmeliaJake to remember. The wreath was completed in situ, sort of like the Sistine Chapel. Hey, that’s an accurate statement as far as how it was worked on. I don’t think that people will throng to see the wooden Pilgrim girl smack dab in the center of the wreath though . . . but I consider it inspired.

Here’s the back story: Last year at Thanksgiving I took over a crafted, wooden figure of a Pilgrim girl that was, oh, eight or nine inches high and we sat her on a table among Thanksgiving gourdy things and “be thankful” things. It was a nice display, but then Thanksgiving was over and it was time to bring in some Christmas stuff and just like at home, I had trouble stuffing the Pilgrim person (being politically correct here) into a box and saying, “See you next year as I closed the lid.”

I told Kathryn I thought it would be all right if Pilgrim Person just sat around watching the holiday season and she agreed. And, then we figured she would enjoy watching out the window during winter as birds came to the feeder and then, of course, watching spring come was cool. Yes, she has been standing over there all year and yesterday I looked at the wreath on the door and the pile of raffia I had brought over and I thought I knew a good place our Pilgrim. Right in the center of the wreath. So I managed to tie her in there. The tying in part isn’t as bad as it seems; it is more of a securing tactic since nurses and attendants walk in and out all the time and we don’t want her to kiss the floor in one big smack.

I think it looked it looks really good  . . . and I had a really enjoyable time doing it. ( I guess you REALLY get the idea) People went by and looked out from other rooms as I stood fussing with it, getting it just the way I wanted it and obviously being in a good mood doing it. It came to mind that maybe they weren’t just seeing the best damn Thanksgiving wreath being made right before their eyes, but that they appreciated the act of a participation in life. And I thought well maybe they see that Kathryn is the kind of person who inspires it; her example nudges people to be better.

I don’t know, but I felt involved and I felt Kathryn was involved, grinning as she joined in AmeliaJake antics.

Now we have to think about how we are going to incorporate Pilgrim girl into a Christmas display.  Maybe I can manage to portray her as celebrating Christmas. I will think on it. Holding her own miniature wreath? Holding a candle? Holding a plucked goose? Okay, nix the last thought. But we’ll get there – as long as I have raffia, duct tape and my no-holds-barred-imagination.