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We really didn’t have chestnuts roasting on this fire, but we did still have a wood-burning fireplace when this picture was taken. (We switched to propane when the Old Man got too old to keep cutting and splitting the firewood).
But even if these weren’t any chestnuts, I like the peaceful setting of this scene in our home on a cold December night.
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I realize that the holiday season is long gone, but I was so happy with these photos that I just had to share them with you.
Betsy and I went to the Candlelight Christmas event at Biltmore last December. We didn’t take our big cameras, but I used my iPhone to take pictures as we approached and then toured the house. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the outdoor night photos, but I think they came out pretty well. The picture above is of the big lighted tree on the lawn in from of the Biltmore house.
We were early for our entrance to the house, so when we got off the bus from the parking area we walked away from the house so we could see both the tree and the house. The lights gave a nice, warm glow to the scene.
There was some snow on the ground, but there had been a couple of days of warm weather so there was not much left. We walked on the lawn to get closer to the tree, but were happy to get back to the walkway as we got closer to the house.
We got a good look at the front of the house as we approached the line to get in. Our candlelight visit to Biltmore had gotten off to a very good start.
Scripture at the Opryland’s Nativity Scene. December 19, 2013.
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This is my post for the Our World meme. This meme is a second generation of My World Tuesday created by Klaus Peter and is hosted by five wonderful ladies. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
Yesterday was the last of the twelve days of Christmas, but today is the Day of Epiphany, commemorating the visit of the Wise Men to the Baby Jesus in Bethlehem. So I think one more Christmas-themed post is appropriate.
Mary and Joseph on the way to Bethlehem. Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 19, 2013.
On December 19 Betsy and I visited the Opryland Hotel in Nashville with my daughter Kelly and her husband Chuck. One of the attractions at the hotel this time of year is a Nativity Scene with life-sized figurines.
Wise men, angels and shepherds gathered around the manger. Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 19, 2013.
When we first saw this display many years ago, it was set up in a courtyard between two wings of the hotel. Now it’s set up in front of the hotel. While that gave more room for a large stable and manger, it definitely tied up traffic. Fortunately there were officers to direct traffic.
Another look at the manger. Opryland Hotel, Nashville, Tennessee. December 19, 2013.
If you’re ever in Nashville during the holiday season, I think you’ll enjoy seeing the Opryland Hotel, especially at night.
There are many other beautiful decorations at the hotel, but I’ll probably save those for another holiday season.
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On our first Christmas after we got married, Betsy and I took some pictures which we used in Christmas cards the following Christmas. That led to our habit of taking ‘formal’ pictures each Christmas morning.
Our routine is to set up the tripod, get dressed in nice clothes, and take many pictures, hoping that at least one is a ‘keeper’.
The whole process can take a fair amount of time, which can lead to some silly pictures as well as good ones.
Santa gave me a post-Christmas present of a neat collage maker. The collage in this post is my first attempt to make a collage from scratch.
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We’ve tried to be good all year,
and have decorated the outside of the house with symbols of Christmas cheer.
Inside the fire in the fireplace casts a warm glow.
The tree is up with room for presents below.
There’s only one thing for my Beautiful Bride and I to do —
That’s to wish a Merry Christmas to each and every one of you.
Our Christmas Tree, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. December 25, 2009.
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Betsy and I would like to wish each and every one of you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy and Blessed New Year. We hope that Santa is good to you, and all of your memories are happy ones. We’ll see you in 2012.
Our deck and back yard, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. December 25, 2010.
This is my post for the My World meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
White Christmases are rare here in Tennessee, but this is what our deck and back yard looked like on Christmas Day. We actually got much more snow Christmas Night and Sunday morning, but we were glad to see white on the ground Christmas Day.
Our Christmas Tree and Fireplace. December 25, 2010.
We were cozy and warm in the house, with a fire in the fireplace to take out the chill. Of course, those goodies under the tree helped us feel good as well.
The front of our house in the early evening. December 10, 2010.
This is my post for the My World meme. It is hosted by Klaus, Ivar, Sandy, Wren, and Fishing Guy. To learn more about our world or to join and share your part of the world, click HERE.
Our house is now decked out for Christmas. Not only on the inside but on the outside. As night falls the lights come on. The picture above is taken from the road in front of the house just after the sun went down.
Our house after dark, Fairfield Glade, Tennessee. December 10, 2010.
Betsy is the designer of our decorations. My job is to carry things and put them where she tells me to, and to reach the high places she can’t reach. She’s added the wreaths in the front over the past three years.
Our Christmas tree from the back yard. December 9, 2010.
Our house opens to the back, where we have three sliding glass doors opening to a large deck. Betsy has decorated the deck with lighted garlands (you can see some of them in the picture above). We put the tree in front of one of the doors and keep the curtains open so that the tree can be seen from the back yard.
Pictures don’t do justice to the way the house looks. You’ll just have to stop by to see how it looks in person.
Betsy and George on Christmas Day.
First of all, I hope you all had a Christmas as wonderful as the one Betsy and I shared. Every Christmas is special, but this one seemed to be extra wonderful. I think part of the reason was that this was the first Christmas for a while on which we didn’t travel. People came to us this year.
One of our Christmas traditions is to take a Christmas photo. This year’s photo (above) was more informal than most have been. Thanks to a roaring fire in the fireplace we wore T-shirts from Santa Claus, Indiana, given us by our good friends Judy and Charlie.
The mailman actually brought these on the day before Christmas, but we put the package under the Christmas tree unopened. These beautiful mats came from Mary at Faith, Fabric and Photos. They are absolutely beautiful and the rose patterns are perfect for us.
It’s another tradition at our house that Betsy comes up with a gift that is completely unexpected. She did it again this year with this baseball cap. The cap says ‘Don’t Forget My Senior Discount! (I Know I Look Too Young For It)’ I’m sure there’s a message there, but I’m not sure exactly what it is!
No, Betsy didn’t pose for this angel figurine, but she easily could have. She has short blond hair, big blue eyes and an angelic face. During and after college Betsy sang in choirs and in theatrical productions. When we first met, Betsy was the Associate Minister at my parent’s church in Hendersonville. So for all of these reasons, and others that will be evident shortly, I’ve considered this angel to be very representative of my angel.
It wasn’t very long after we began dating that I was convinced that I had found an angel. Don’t get me wrong — I still feel that way — but the feeling was new and exciting back in 2001. I realize I’m showing my age, but in my mind I had all the questions that were asked in the lyrics of the big-band era song “When Did You Leave Heaven?”.
But back to the figurine. The first time I saw it I just knew that it just had to represent Betsy. Betsy did have another side to her personality — a side that was shown by the twinkle in her eyes at times and an almost impish grin. As I got to know her better — and as I met her sons and heard their stories — I realized that impishness was indeed a part of her character.
What does all this have to do with the angel figurine? Take a look at the back of this angelic figurine.
That’s a sling shot sticking out of her pocket.
That’s my angel!!!
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Betsy and I will be taking a long weekend from blogging to have time to celebrate Christmas with family and friends. We’ll be back Monday, but in the meantime we want to wish you and your family a very merry and blessed Christmas.
Senior Moments 