Merry Christmas Post

Years ago I had a cat. Her name was Happy (one day I’ll have to tell her story). She loved climbing the Christmas Tree. One year, I think it was the year before her death; she got tangled in wires and jumped from the top of the tree. This was at 3 AM. I woke to a fierce growl, and then a bang as the tree hit the floor, breaking ornaments. Happy screeched and ran, dragging the light cord across the living room. I don’t think she ever toured the tree again. For this Christmas day, in honor of Happy, I’ll take you on a tour of Sage’s tree, telling you about some of my favorite ornaments. Maybe later (or next year), I’ll show pictures and tell stories of all the ornaments my mother made and/or purchased for me. That’s another whole collection and an era that has now gone by.


The Boot: This ornament was a gift from a man that I met in Pennsylvania while hiking the Appalachian Trail. He had retired to Florida but was spending time day hiking on the AT. He had been carving one of these boots and told me that if I made it to Katadhin in Maine and sent him a post card with my address, he’s send me one of his carved boots. This ornament has been on Sage’s tree for twenty years.







The Canoe: I was given this ornament six or seven years ago. If you’ve read much of my blog, you’ll know why it’s on the tree.


Lighthouses: I have a number of lighthouses on the tree. I’ve tried to limit the lighthouses to ones I’ve actually climbed which include both the Cape Hatteras and the Bald Head Island Lighthouses in eastern North Carolina.


Bald Head is the island at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. I also have some Michigan lighthouses on the tree.


Boy Scout Ornaments: I used to receive a Boy Scout ornament every year from a former boss and long time friend. Ron was the Scout Executive for the National Capital Council in Washington, DC and the council would produce an ornament every year. This is the last in the series, one done by the council after his death and shows a picture of the cottage named after him. Ron died of brain tumor in 2005.


Violin: This is my daughter’s. She has been playing the violin since she was four and now has a “Hannah Montana” guitar to learn how to play.








Vacation Ornaments: There are many different bells from various places. The first bell I purchased in Yellowstone National Park back in 1989.

The Chateau Lake Louise ornament came from a stay there in the fall of 1995.


There are also a set of tropical birds from Honduras. These are glass and it seems that there is one fewer every year!

Another set of ornaments are from places I’ve lived: Ellicottville, New York.

Cedar City, Utah is home of the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

And now, thanks to a wrong turn off the Indiana turnpike, I’m in Michigan (that’s a mitt carved out of a Petoskey stone, which has some special meaning to the folks in this state—maybe Murf or Karen can you explain)


My sister has given me a set of sand dollars ornaments she’s made.

Merry Christmas to all of you!