A couple of days ago I posted two pictures of the warm and glowing color on one of my trees. The day I did so, the leaves that were on the ground were dry and light and would have been easy to rake. I did not do so and that night it rained; it rained yesterday as well and the ground looks mucky now.
We had some wind yesterday evening and this morning, more of the trees are again the winter sticks that insist on remaining that way until usually late April or early May. It can get depressing; and, in fact, it’s depressing right now because the leaves that fell off those sticks are now on top of the wet ones that were there before.
It is in the 30’s. Gee, a real vacation resort here. However, when I checked the forecast I found out that the wind I see moving my bushes is expected to last all day and right now the sky is blue. It is blowing out of the WSW. Trying to rake to the east would be counter-productive and raking to the west would only help put more leaves in neighboring yards. So I am waiting to see what happens. It is supposed to be a strong wind. And, by gosh, I think I already feel uplifted – amazing, no?
Having achieved this state, I am delaying walking into the kitchen where I know people have left stuff that needs to be cleaned up and into the laundry room where clothes are waiting. Perhaps if I opened the windows, the mess would all just blow away in that WSW wind. Of course, having identifiably clothes and dishes and so forth splatting against neighboring houses could incur retribution – and with Halloween right around the corner, it could be chalked up to hooligan activity. There are times it is best to think things through.
Today is the Grand Opening of the newly-remodeled Kroger store in town; there are streamers on the parking lots lights and pennants at the very top of each pole. Of course, they are dancing in the wind. However, they have mounted this tiny little Grand Opening sign; odd, but then it’s their business . . . literally. I am guessing that they will be trying to attract shoppers with bargain prices and I’m betting that if they are encouraging lots of people to come, they won’t be crowding the aisles with samples. I think companies will want Sample Day (of the Holiday Season Kind) to not be overshadowed bargain-hunters overruning the tables they set up in the aisles.
It makes sense: sample day is to entice people to spend a little extra for that that special touch for a meal or to introduce a new snack or holiday-themed item of the eggnog category. I may be wrong, but since I am on a diet, I don’t have much riding on my analysis. Now, if Quentin were here, we would make a fun time of Sample Day and I certainly would not want to miss it. Comparing impressions of what tastes good and plotting strategic multiple passes of the best booths.
Now, we are not the type of people who take advantage of such things, but we like to pretend that we are espionage experts, snarfing up important information hidden in crab meat concoctions. And, more often than not, we would buy what was being offered for out taste buds to sample. It is such a minor thing, I suppose, but I dearly miss those times of light-hearted sly moves and laughter.
And I miss going to the store with my parents, who would never, ever consider entering a business in anything other than very presentable dress, who would be very polite to all the workers and, especially Daddy – strike up a conversation with anyone from a sample lady to a fellow mopping up a spill. I wish I were more like them, and I wonder why I wish that instead of actually trying to be that way. Am I so got up in my selfish concerns that I can’t put a bit of effort into treating the daily things of life with some respect?
This is a time of an overwhelming sense of loss for me and I’d like to let that wind I mentioned carry off some feelings and emotions and just get in step with the ending of A Christmas Carol and have some good will and keep the holidays well.
Instead of packing things away, I want to be digging into boxes and pulling out decorations for fall and Thanksgiving and Christmas traditional items and the warmth of memories that reach across the years and build with each season. I’d like to imagine someone pulling out something decades from now and saying, “My grandmother always loved this little Santa – she said it was on her tree when her grandmother was alive.” Or to put out a tree stand cover and point out the fact it was made over weeks of time at the LaGrange House. Sequins, embroidery, gold braid making reindeer and sleighs and Santa’s – all coming together on the big oak table that had been her grandfather’s.
Well, I’m supposed to have some creativity so maybe I should actually show a little of it. I should start by making a huge batch of pixie dust to throw on the Scrooges I encounter – and I guess I could sprinkle some on myself as well.
I think if I could be granted one wish, it would be to have those around me open to being in good spirits – no humbugers.
