Wordless Wednesday - Snow

Ashley Rennie Photography

Gingerbread White House

Made of 150 pounds of gingerbread dough and 250 pounds of white chocolate, the Gingerbread White House is truly a culinary work of art.  Just in case you haven't seen it, click here to view this holiday masterpiece. 

Merry Christmas From Our House to Yours

Felix, Our Christmas Cat

Merry Christmas To The Little Ones and To the Children in All of Us.....

Original Artwork by Tracy Harpe Branch
OohWeeDesigns

Holiday Wishes to Our Service Men and Women

This photo shows my youngest son near a checkpoint at Bagram Air Strip, now Bagram Air Force Base, in Afghanistan.  Taken on December 3, 2003, the photo brings to mind that 2003 was one of only a handful of times in his entire life that he has not spent Christmas Day with his family. Unlike so many others who served in wars, declared and undeclared, throughout the history of this country, my son made it home safely.  And I am truly thankful for that. During this Holiday Season, my heart goes out to all of our service men and women, and to their families, who will be spending Christmas Day apart.  Merry Christmas, and thank you for what you do.

Advent Calendar of Memories - Day 21 - Christmas Music

I  absolutely love music. My taste is broad, running from classical to rock, to pop, and even some country. But Christmas music has always been pure magic for my soul. My first memories of Christmas music were from church where traditional Christmas carols were part of the worship service. Since my family regularly attended church, as a child I recall hearing Christmas carols such Silent Night, Hark the Herald Angels Sing, Joy to the World, Away in a Manger, We Three Kings. When I grew older and started school, I remember singing carols that included Jingle Bells, Silver Bells, Frosty the Snowman, Deck the Halls. I don't recall our family listening to or singing Christmas carols at home.We did not own Christmas records.  In fact, we didn't own either a phonograph or records of any kind until I was in junior high. It is possible, however, that my parents and grandparents listened to Christmas music on the radio, but I don't remember it. After we became the proud owners of a 17-inch black and white television in 1951, I do recall that my entire family enjoyed watching performances of Christmas music on television.


When I began junior high school, my love of music caused me to join the school band, where I learned to play the oboe and the bell lyre. By ninth grade, I played the oboe well enough to try out for and to be selected to play in the city's junior symphony orchestra.  And it was through my junior high and high school bands, and and my hometown's Junior Symphony Orchestra that my love of music, all kinds of it, continued to grow and flourish.  Our high school band and the Junior Symphony Orchestra had annual Christmas concerts that included a variety of music, including classical and pop versions of many traditional carols. Practicing for and performing in those concerts were memorable times of my life. My love of music may have influenced two of my children to play musical instruments.  Two began taking piano lessons in elementary school.  My oldest daughter began playing the flute in sixth grade, and she continued playing throughout high school.  Now her own son is learning to play the violin in elementary school.  One of my sons also played trumpet in high school.  One of our favorite experiences at Christmastime was enjoying the hand bell choir at church. I can truthfully say that we all love music, and our tastes are quite broad.


As I grew into an adult, I began collecting record albums and CDs that included many genres of music, performed by a variety of artists. Many of these performances were of Christmas music. Some of my favorites include selections by a number of large symphony orchestras, music by Mannheim Steamroller, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and Elvis Presley's Blue Christmas.  Some of my other favorites include Christmas music by Josh Groban and Andrea Bocelli. The list goes on and on, and my love of music does, too.

Fredrick's Christmas List - 1973

Source:  Digital Photo Collection privately owned by J. Tracy

Fredrick Jamison Padget
Christmas 1973

This 1973 photo of my son reviewing his Christmas list with Santa causes me to smile. He was barely old enough to write, but he had carefully made that list, and as you can see in the photo, was seriously discussing it with jolly old Santa Claus. The photo also brings tears to my eyes, because Fredrick passed away on September 14th of this year. Only 43 years old, he was much too young to die.  And he left a widow and four children. My heart, and the collective hearts of the rest of Fredrick's immediate and extended family still ache. There were so many things about Fredrick, as a child and as a man, that made him special.  But among those things were the statements of many of those who knew him best, including his wife and children, about what a good husband, father, friend, and employee he was. He was also my oldest child and my parents's oldest grandchild. In addition to his wife and children, Fredrick is survived by two brothers and two sisters, three aunts, three uncles, fifteen cousins, and numerous nieces and nephews. We miss him so much.