§ Bring Up the House Lights!

I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.

~ Og Mandino

No, the photo is not rotated...the elf is lying on its side on the fireplace hearth.


My holiday night light.


Santa's Helpers


Santa brings presents by canoe in the Texas Bayous!

Because Isaiah is still a curious cat, we opted out of the idea of our large 7 foot tree again this year with all the fragile glass ornaments.  Instead we unpacked the fiber optic tree.  Let it shine!!  It's safer and unbreakable. 

Another reclining elf


Fiber optics in the darkness of the night on each side of the Jolly O' Elf himself...

I Believe...

And, below...Santa lights, a reindeer, fairy lights on the room divider, and my holiday wax warmer with cardinal/frosted glass.  It's new this year, and I placed pine scented wax in the holder.

Lights shine in the darkness  on earth and in the heavens...
...awe and wonderment each Christmas season.
Holy night, the stars are shining brightly...
...it is the night; His birth is the reason.

~ Hootin' Anni

§ Everywhere You Go...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas around Hootin' Anni's place!!!

...and by the week's end, there is a cold front moving into our area....predicted lows will be in the 30 degree range with rain. Ummmmm, maybe spitting snow? With those temps, snow is possible. Just a pipe dream probably. It DID snow here on Christmas Eve 2004....We'll see.

§ Post Christmas Season

I'm back. Erik left this evening. It's been a whirlwind week. Lots of fun and games. The weather was iffy many days, really dense fog one day [and we walked...I should say I WALKED...Erik jogged]. We drove to a small historical town [to see part of the history of the Texas Revolution [battles, missions, etc.]. The three of us went out to a movie and dinner one night [Rogue One; which I enjoyed]. We actually went birding a few times. Oh, and eat? Boy did we eat!!

Anyway, one evening we drove to Candy Cane Lane. It's a 10 block area in town near one of the country clubs that have the entire neighborhood lighted for the holidays. It's been a decades-long tradition...and I'd estimate between the 2nd week of December thru the first week of the new year, there are probably 150,000 visitors either doing a drive-thru or a walk-about!! Walking is the logical option in my opinion. You can really look at the lighting displays without having to heed the slow-traffic and foot traffic!! Here are just some of what we saw: