Glimpses of winters past, when I had health and hope - - blissfully unaware of the future's cruel plans.
Today "hope" to me is merely an indiscernible ray of sunlight, frozen somewhere in the illusion of time.
The past is our only certainty. A tangible reason for fond reflection.
Warm wishes, Jon
Some of my favorite photos of past winters, all taken on my property here in Tennessee
Front yard
Back yard
These tall trees are only a few feet from the house. A storm knocked some of them down, only inches from my bedroom (that happened a few years ago)
Back yard again
Dramatic morning
The fireplace in my Texas house
.JPG)
Winters are cold on the high plains of West Texas. My hat can attest to that.
I don't have a fireplace in Tennessee so I use candles.
Long ago and far away in New Jersey
I was one year old here
.jpg)
My father took this photo on Christmas Eve
With my cousins Maryann and Dianne. I don't know how old I was.
zzzzxxx.jpg)
I was almost three years old. I looked older because I was tall.
I looked cranky on Christmas morning, but I'm always cranky in the morning.
I was raised in the Sierra Mountains and I do miss the snow here in Texas!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful pictures and thanks for sharing!
Merry Christmas and I hope you have a healthy new year!! Pat/Central Texas
The Sierra Mountains sounds wonderful. Texas is so huge and diverse. Some of those winters around Amarillo can be frigid! Have a wonderful holiday!
DeleteMerry Christmas wishes to you and thank you for your blogging! Very glad you're in my life.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Liz for being so caring and compassionate. Have a great Christmas!
DeleteMerry Christmas, Jon. Wishing you a healthy and happy New Year with several kitties to brighten your days. The pictures were great. Snow at Christmas seems like only a memory these days. It's to be 60 here in Ohio tomorrow. A tropical Christmas, indeed. Take care.
ReplyDeleteParanormal John
It's the same thing here, John. It will be in the 60s on Christmas with rain. The snow usually doesn't come until January or Feb.
DeleteHappy (warm) holidays!
Lovely photos and memories, Jon. Merry Christmas to you.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sandra. I was hoping for a white Christmas this year but Mother Nature fooled me. It's as warm as California! Have a peaceful and pleasant holiday!
Delete"The past is our only certainty." Amen! For some reason, the word "Temporary" has been residing in my head; everything is temporary. I don't know quite what to make of it, except to appreciate what's now.
ReplyDeleteAs ever, I'm enjoy your Winter photographs -- particularly that scene of your snow crusted hat. That looks like it belongs in an art gallery.
I can no longer view the future as I once envisioned it. "Temporary" is very apt. We only have what is here at the moment and what we treasured in the past..
DeleteI'm no philosopher - - these are merely humble thoughts.
The snowy hat is one of my favorites. It was snowing in the back yard and I took off my hat and quickly photographed it.
It is brown here but we are looking at rain, ice, snow, then rain, ice, and snow again for the next two days with high winds. I love the snow, but the ice--not fond of, shall we say.
ReplyDeleteHave a peaceful Christmas back home. :)
The weather seems to be strange this year. It is predicted to be 65 degrees on Christmas with rain. Well at least I won't be freezing - that will come in January.
DeleteWishing you and your family a blessed Christmas! (that includes Allie, of course!).
The tree fell inches from your bedroom. A lot of miracles in your life, Jon. So many times you were thisclose, but here you are. Why?
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas
I could hardly believe it when I saw it. If it fell a few inches closer, I would have been toast.
DeleteI'm here.....but I don't know why....Have blessed Christmas, Sandi.
It's nearing Christmas here, I hope yours is blessed with hope and joy, Jon. I'm enjoying the difference in cultures, and though I don't think it's as great as the locals...currywurst. How to ruin a perfectly good weisswurst....lol.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas.
I just noticed the time on the post...I guess, even though my computer here says it's 10:19, it's still on west coast time. I guess it's a chromebook thing...gotta get a new pc I guess.
DeleteComputers and cultures confound me - - but I do like learning about other cultures and traditions. I've never heard of currywurst.
DeleteHave a beautiful Christmas, Mike - - no matter what time it is *smile*
A beautiful and nostalgic collection of Christmases past. Your property looks like a winter wonderland in the snow, not exactly a white Christmas this year, but rain instead....I'll take it, it will remind me of home.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas John, despite your ongoing struggles, you have been dearly blessed.
Hugs,
~Jo
I had so many photos that it was difficult to choose favorites. No white Christmas this year. It's going to be in the 60s with rain.
DeleteBest wishes for a wonderful Christmas to you and your family. Hugs!
Sorry (sp) Jon. xx
ReplyDeleteMy name was originally John (after my father) but I had it legally changed to Jonathan when I was sixteen.
DeleteEnjoyed this photo collection, Jon, and smiled at the photo of yourself as a child in NJ, my home state, and where we will be visiting later this week. Hope you enjoyed a great Christmas in your home even though it wasn't a white one, same here in NH, a wet one with rain and fog.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment on my post today, much appreciated. So glad you have stayed in blog land, my friend.
I used to have an enormous amount of relatives in New Jersey - - unfortunately our once-large-family has now dwindled drastically.
DeleteMy Christmas was quiet and pleasant with mild temperatures and rain.
I'm glad you enjoyed the photos.
Hope you and Patrick have a great trip to NJ!