Day 20 | Old Fashioned Joy

I stayed up late last evening, wrapping presents and hiding their form. Wanting the surprise to linger till the longest breathe of ah-ha!
Keeping the pace, I finished decorating our Legacy Tree.
You can see my Legacy Tree video on Instagram. Also Featured on Day 2 of our Advent Calendar.
Narrow and quaint, just the right size to take up a small corner in our bedroom. Our "Legacy of Love" tree, decorated with photos and family memorabilia.
Prompting, the Old Fashioned memories I share with you for today.

Day 19...

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...Day 21

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Digging around my under-the-bed photo box, cherishing days that have quickly gone by, kids grown, nieces, and nephews sprouted with their own families. Stumbling across photos, "when photographs were print," beloved days on the farm.
My younger brother is one of three. In his strapping and viral days, Matt's chosen profession was naturalist logging with a team of Belgian workhorses. Ted and Bill. Hired to log and remove trees, to thin and gingerly protect the environment of the forest. Pictures below: My Mom holding her brothers first grandchild in the field admiring the massive pair. Notice a true horsewoman, so confident around horses she had sandals on! And Look at the size of their clod-hoppers.

Happy Hanukkah Featuring Day 3

Day 6 shares the beautiful story. 

Below, husband Don, My Mom, and Dad, the picture that inspired today's poetry.
Inviting friends to fill the wagon, we bundled up, took a four-mile hayride to town, days before Christmas. I can hear in my minds-eye the weighted clop of the team, the jingle of the brass bells, as our breath hung in the frozen air. Neighbors stuck their heads out the door. Small-town traffic slowed as this Old Fashioned team stopped the last-minute bustle in the best of holiday cheer. We played challenge games at who knew, Christmas Song by Verse, Verse three, and the never sung verse five, until our voices were tired and horse.

The best of distractions:

• photos of days gone by
• sharing, talking, or decorating your tree with memorabilia
• catching the photo of your children under the tree, remembering
• Sharing this with you.

Happy Christmas

In the photo below is my Grandmother, Eloyce Anderson. I am her namesake, walking next to a team of Clydesdale turning over the sod of a farmer's field.
I think she has done this a time or two... look at that smile!

Change Happens with Intent

Old Fashioned Joy,
I can hear it in my memories

It was cold & clear, friends gathered round here.
The horse's lead strong, bells rang, the wagon pulled along.
We cover'd our heads, bundle our necks, and nestled close in the hay.
My thoughts kindle quick, the stride and the kick,
of an OLD FASHIONED horse drawn day.  —K. Wambach

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