It's Christmas.

[Tess (Tassie D)]

I'm exhausted and these tights are killing me! Shujen, you are on my list!

Margie

Mary your decorations are absolutely gorgeous. We hope you have a wonderful Christmas. :hug:

[glennab]

Mary, your decorations are so lovely.  Another choice for the holiday spread in "Better Homes Than Ours!"  I can't imagine how wonderful it must be to put up all that beautiful trim and know a 12-unit demolition team won't make it into debris overnight.  (Not that I'd give up the wrecking crew for a moment, but what a pleasant dream to have a house that isn't a dozen cats' artistic project!)

Enjoy the holidays!

Hugs!

GK

[schen]

The Art Institute





The Wrigley Building





The magnificent Mile

[Tess (Tassie D)]

They are beautiful Schen.

This is the webcam for our ABC Giving tree. It's in the state headquarters of our national tv station and every year you can watch the presents grow as people donate gifts for those that have none. http://www.abc.net.au/webcam/givingtree-webcam.jpg

[glennab]

Shujen, your photos are beautiful.  Wonderful night shots!

Tess, I love the giving tree.  That's what the season is about.

I worked for a printing company that every year had an "Angel Tree," from which we each took an envelope with a needy family's wishes.  I've never seen people have so much fun as we did rushing around to find the right gifts and anything extra we could afford.  When all the gifts were gathered in the lobby, I'd get weepy, because it's inspiring when people show so much generosity and get such joy from giving to others.  (Hmmmmmm!  Puts me in mind of a familiar group of photo restorers!  And don't tell the others, but OPR really IS my favorite!)

Hugs!

GK

[cmpentecost]

There is a holiday song that's been playing in my mind all day today.  It's titled "Baby, It's Cold Outside".   The pictures below will explain why!



And as I'm driving into town this morning, I see these horses standing near the road, with frost all over their faces:



Brrrrrrrrr!  Our high today was about zero, and the rest of the week will be the same.

Christine

[Candice]

 :) It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!! 

[Tess (Tassie D)]

Wow, those poor horses need some blankets! Thats darn cold Chris.

[hoodman3]

Happy Holidays to all!

I'm will be in Santa Barbara, CA with my wife's family. Christmas on the beach?!?
Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and happy new year!

Pete

[schen]

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas, Just like the ones I used to know.

[Candice]

Makes me thankful for a 2 car garage!   :-*

[cmpentecost]

Nice photo Shujen.  I like the background lighting of the house behind the car.

We warmed up to a balmy 5 degrees today.

Chris

[glennab]

Makes me thankful I live in Florida!  I'd rather be a wuss that deal with all that snow!

The only time I've driven in snow was once in Maine when I was taking care of my mother.  I had to go out to get her meds, so I climbed in the car, got a few miles up the road, couldn't see very well, so I turned on the window washer.  Brilliant! (That wasn't what I was calling myself as I stood at the side of the road, freezing my butt off and scraping ice off the windshield!)  Sheesh, how was I to know that one can't use a stream of water to clean ANYTHING in freezing weather?  I left for work today in short sleeves for cryin' out loud!

The Florida Wuss
GK

[cmpentecost]

Dearest FL Wuss....

You shall never know the beauty of "the moon on the breast of the new fallen snow, gave a luster of daylight to objects below".  And, instead of "his cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry", you just see Santa covered in sweat!  And...how can you tell when Santa was at your house?  At our house, his reindeer and sleigh leave tracks in our yard in the snow!

Perhaps you need to come to Montana to learn about winter and how to wash your windshield!!

Please don't give me too hard of a time on this Glenna.  I know you'll be slinging it back to me in April, when it's 80 degrees in FL and we're still getting snow!

Chris

[Tess (Tassie D)]

Hmmm, well it's 72F here at the moment and we will definitely be spending Christmas at the beach. Santa wears board shorts and sandals while delivering here.

That said, it would be wonderful to experience a white Christmas. Schen is that your car there?