My chance to wish a Merry Christmas and a happy holiday season to all of my readers. And to express some of what the season means to me at this stage in my life.
I don’t have many photos that express the flavor of the holiday season very well but this one of a Song Sparrow on a sparkly, icy perch comes close. It was taken in January at Farmington Bay WMA on a magical morning when the entire universe seemed to be covered in thick hoarfrost that sparkled in the sunlight. The puffed up sparrow was picking seeds out of the encrusted ice and ‘he’ was just as content as he could be as he warmed up in the morning sun while he was eating.
On this Christmas morning I hope each and every one of my readers is as happy and content as this bird seemed to be. But I hope you’re a little warmer than he was.
At my age, when not much of my family is left and those who are still with us live out of state, Christmas is as much about memories as is it is about anything. As I often do on Christmas Eve I spent part of last night going through old family photos – many of them taken during the holiday season. The following photos are two of them that I reminisced about as they related to Christmas.
When we were little kids, Christmas was a huge deal for me and my younger sisters, Mona and Sheila. I was a bit of a hellion about trying to find my Christmas presents early that weren’t even wrapped yet that my parents had stashed away somewhere in the house. And sometimes I succeeded, including the year before this photo was taken when I found my Lone Ranger outfit, complete with cowboy hat, vest, mask, holster, cap pistol and ‘silver’ bullets that my parents had hidden deep within a back closet. To say that Mona, Sheila and I were excited about approaching Christmas is an understatement.
One of the things mom used to do with us to keep our Christmas excitement under control was let us look at old family photos that my parents always stored in old Roi-Tan cigar boxes. We thought that was great fun, something special because mom was very protective of those family photos so we weren’t allowed to go through them very often.
I have a clear memory of this particular photo. Mom was kneeling in front of us with the camera aimed our way and trying to get us both to smile. Finally she resorted to singing the old Christmas song “All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth” and given the fact that my two front teeth were missing Mona and I (Sheila was just a baby) thought that song was hilarious so we broke out laughing. And mom snapped the photo.
So many warm memories in this photo, not all of them related to Christmas – including that old green sofa that was in our family for years and the iron-on patches on the knees of my jeans that mom continually had to replace. And of course Mona, who we lost to cancer when she was still a relatively young woman.
This is what my mom wrote on the back of the photo.
Our family tried to be together for most Christmases of my adult life, whether it be in Montana, California, Utah or Colorado. And it was always our tradition for me and my dad to wrap our presents for the rest of the family on Christmas Eve in his wood shop or mine or Mona’s or Sheila’s garage. My parents lived with me for the last five years of their lives and this photo was taken on Christmas Eve in my garage/wood shop while we were doing exactly that.
Dad took the photo. My dog Tommy (not my choice of name, he was already named when I got him) was so excited he wouldn’t stay up on my paint/gluing table so I had to resort to devious methods. I had him trained to “stay” even when I’d put food in front of him until I said “get it” so for this photo I’d put a treat next to the green bow on the package in front of him. As you can see he was absolutely ‘glued’ to that biscuit until dad took the photo and I said ‘get it’.
Oh, and by the way – see that old, very old, air compressor tank at the lower right? I rescued it from the Montana farm years after we sold it. It belonged to my dad and before that possibly to my grandfather who originally bought the farm in 1930. Not a Christmas memory but certainly a meaningful one for me.
Sorry, I’ve rattled on for too long, much longer than I intended to. But as you can see my Christmas memories mean a lot to me. I hope that you have as many of those memories as I do and that you’re building on them this holiday season.
Merry Christmas everyone!
Ron
I love the memories you share. They both build and reaffirm what I know of you, my friend.
❤
Merry Christmas Ron. We enjoy your blog very much. Todays entry is very inspiring and thought provoking. Thank you very much.
A very Merry Christmas to you too!
Merry Christmas Ron and thank you for your wonderful post today and posts through the year. Family and memories are precious to us as well and we really appreciate hearing others’ stories.
Ron I don’t comment often but I do enjoy your pictures and blog very much, we did the same thing last night looking at old pictures, so much fun!
Merry Christmas 🎄
Love these walks down memory lane, Ron. I especially enjoy the photograph of you and your sister looking at photographs.
Wishing you and your readers a very happy day.
Thank you, Marty.
Ron, another first-time commenter here, but have so enjoyed your photos and comments daily for the last year. Your childhood photo today especially resonated, I’m from the same era and have similar photos with my sisters. I look forward each day to see what you have chosen to share with your readers. Also an amateur bird photographer and short term high school biology teacher (first career – 7 years in Boise, then “changed directions”), I have learned so much this year from your posts. I enjoy both the photo information and the ornithological tidbits. Thank you so much, and best wishes for another happy and healthy new year and lots of birds. Merry Christmas!
What a nice comment, Quentin. It sounds like you and I have a lot in common.
They are wonderful memories. You and Jon are about the same age, he was born in 1945. His family had similar traditions, however they used slides and projector. His family Christmas get-togethers, til his mother died, included Jon setting the projector up and everyone watching, talking and laughing at the old slides. Jon still has them all and he was looking through them last night. Jon also has an old compressor similar style, it is at his shop but no longer works.
Haley was over Christmas eve and I asked her about Ruddy Duck behavior. She was mostly appalled at the lack of professionalism of a ornithologist ever calling a bird “stupid” in a publication. She felt is showed more the pompousness of the ornithologist rather than the characteristics of the bird. She did say ruddies are feisty and not many birds mess with them, if they do the other bird is sorry and avoids ruddies after the encounter. Hmm….. I always considered Haley more of a falcon but maybe she is a ruddie at heart? Lots of spirit and determination in my girl.
Merry Christmas, Ron and thank you for all your blog posts, beautiful photos, information and friendship over the years.
Yes, Jon’s family’s traditions sound very similar to those of my family. I couldn’t keep my old compressor running very well so eventually I junked it, even though I hated to, and bought a new one.
A wonderful reminisce – I loved it and of course the photos! What a great looking cocker spaniel!
Joanne, actually he was a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (how’s that name for pretentious… 🙂 ). But they do look a lot like cockers.
Ohhhhh, of course! Adorable either way😀
Merry Christmas Ron! I haven’t posted comments, but I look forward to your posts and your photos everyday! I learn so much! I hope you and your family have a peaceful Christmas and a happy, healthy (and ‘birdy’) New Year!
Thank you, Pat. And welcome to commenting.
A lovely post, right from the start with that beautiful Song Sparrow … and old family photos are the best, thanks for sharing those sweet memories. (As for Tommy — what a cute boy, regardless of name!)
Glad you got in a morning of photography and time with the birds—a great way to spend at least a part of Christmas Day! Enjoy the rest of it, warm, cozy and comfortable! 🎄☃️
Thanks, Chris. It was cloudy for most of the morning but at least we got out. And who knows, maybe I got a photo or two I like. Or maybe not…
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I look forward to your posts as a wonderful way to start each morning. And today’s post is especially beautiful.
I’ve been out shooting this morning (just got home) so I haven’t been able to respond to all of the comments like I usually do. But I want you all to know how much I appreciate your comments, seasonal greetings and friendship.
I really enjoyed reading them so thank you all.
Betty Ann and I wish you all the best during this Holiday season. Your reflections of Christmas in our youth were certainly appreciated and brought back many memories of our days in Cut Bank. And yes we are in the twilight of our years and are very lucky/blessed men.
Love You My Good Friend
Dennis
Dennis, here’s a Christmas memory for you that involves both you and Betty Ann.
When you and I were still in college (1969 I believe) Mary Lee and I spent part of the Christmas break with you and Betty Ann. We went to the liquor store to load up on “essentials” for celebrating the holidays but they were out of my favorite libation – Black Velvet if I remember correctly. You told me that Canadian Lord Calvert would be a good substitute so I bought some and liked it. I’ve been drinking it ever since – over 50 years now.
How’s that for a meaningful Christmas memory? 🙂 We go back a long ways my friend, all the way back to 1961 when we were freshmen in high school. Damn, we’re old.
I’m sitting here with a big smile after reading your post. However, in regards to liquid refreshments, I have now moved “up” to Crown Royal. However if you ever make it up here I will make sure I serve you your favorite Beverage.
Thank you for the pictures and memories. Christmas memories are truly the best. Merry Christmas Ron.
Merry Christmas. Much of my family has gone, and the rest of us are spread. I had a very low key day yesterday – but enjoyed it. As I hope that you and your readers do yours.
Today our shops are open for the Boxing Day sales. Suffice it to say I will not join the plague ridden, plague spreading throngs…
And that sparrow is perfect.
Merry Christmas, Ron, and a big thank you for your blog posts and wonderful photographs. I too always had to find hidden Christmas presents, but I was cured of that the year I found I was getting a set of bed sheets. I didn’t care so much after that, the joke was on me.
Luv it! 🙂
Christmas morning on the year I found my Lone Ranger outfit early wasn’t much fun for me either, Nancy. That outfit was my “main” present. The only other presents I got were clothes which didn’t excite me in the least at that age.
Ron, you talk about how special those old photos were that your mother coveted…We now have an entire generation of people who probably never used film. I remember a day when each of those 24 exposures on the roll were precious real estate and I think in some way that translated to how precious prints were later on. Memories that were captured on film were rare and special. We just didn’t have the ability to take a zillion pictures, essentially for free. I feel that technology has given us a gift of sorts, but also potentially taken something away. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and your readers.
I remember those film days too David, but not with much fondness.
Memories! Indeed the best part of a life well lived. May they bring you joy!
Ron, I don’t comment often, but I do read and view your posts regularly. I hear you about memories. Photographs are such wonderful conduits to those memories gone by. I’ll be blessed by spending Christmas p.m. with my daughter and family, but my son is out your way in Boise Idaho area.
Wishing you a very Merry Xmas, and continued happy memories.
Merry Christmas and many thanks for your photos and interesting kind words day after week after month to years!
Icy rain here onto ice covered ground. Short morning walk into ice incrusted forest…all animals laying low.
Come visit if you are ever East!
À bientôt!
So many warm memories with this post. My parents felt that photos should not include people, only landscape/objects so I have few photos from childhood. Thank goodness your mother took that one of you and Mona!
Love your Christmas post. Childhood memories are the best and both of yours smiles are proof😍
Merry Christmas Ron
I remember storing baseball cards in cigar boxes, but where the boxes came from I’ve no idea. No one but a distant uncle smoked cigars. . Still, they seemed to be available back in the day.
The pipe wrenches, ball peen hammer, and other tools look eerily like ones I inherited from my father and grandfather.
All of it sends me on a reverie of my childhood. Thanks for the memories. Christmas and otherwise.
“the pipe wrenches, ball peen hammer, and other tools look eerily like ones I inherited from my father”.
Lyle, you hit that nail square on the head.
Dad bought some of those tools in the winter of 1949-50 when we spent the winter down here in SLC while he was going to carpentry school at Trade Tech on the GI Bill (I wasn’t yet three years old). I inherited all of his old tools and some of them are pretty neat.
Rattling along on Christmas is allowed. Great memories Ron. Glad you took the time to share some of them with us. Memories and family are such a big part of Christmas.
What would you have called Tommy?
Hope you have a very nice Christmas day and weekend.
“What would you have called Tommy?”
I don’t know, Everett. I knew I was stuck with that name so I didn’t give it much thought. But it wouldn’t have been Tommy, although I did get used to it.
“Christmas is as much about memories as is it is about anything.” Ironically, I used those words yesterday! This morning, your post got me going again. As Bob Hope used to say, Thanks. For the memories.
It is a gift to wake up on Christmas morning to read your blog! Merry Christmas and thank you for taking us down memory lane with you. That song sparrow must have planned to guide you to that iconic winter capture!
Merry Christmas and a Happy and successful New Year to you and yours!
Love your photographs you are a true artist. Thank you for your images and your blog!
I love this post. It warmed my heart and also made me cry a little.
I wish you and yours a Merry Christmas.
Stay Safe,
Kaye
The same here. But good sweet tears
Another great post. I hope you continue to gather pleasant memories. Merry Christmas.
Thanks for sharing a sweet walk down memory lane, Ron. Merry Christmas to you!
Thank you, Diane.
Right back at you. Thanks for all you do for us.
Thanks, Sarah.
Thanks for the memories, Ron. May your holiday be peaceful and happy!
Thank you, Brett.
Enjoyed your memory stories! You’re blessed to have such happy good memories 🙂 And I guess it’s the DNA but you and your sister’s laugh look identical!
“I guess it’s the DNA but you and your sister’s laugh look identical”
Thanks for pointing that out, Terri. I’d never noticed it before but I think you’re right.
Merry Christmas, Ron, and thank you for the beauty you bring to our lives. May the New Year bring you many new and happy memories!
Thank you, Cathy.
Merry Christmas, Ron! Beautiful card with the sparrow and hoarfrost! Fun memories – getting a group of kids to all smile for a photo (6 in our case) WAS a challenge and rarely successful particularly given the technology of the day. 😉 I was the family “monkey” that was next to impossible to hide things from! I noticed the air compressor tank before you mentioned it…… Luv how you outwitted the dog – food IS often the best motivator. 🙂
4 and a skiff of snow – “White Christmas” sort of…… 😉
Judy, that old compressor was made of 3/8″ cast iron. I’m pretty sure it weighed at least 300 pounds, probably more. When I finally broke down and hauled it off to sell it for scrap metal I had a helluva time getting it into the back of my pickup.
Didn’t have to worry about them “walking” anywhere when in use! 🙂
Merry merry Christmas Ronnie! Love the photo of you and Tommy!
Ha, now you know, Sue.. You and Larry weren’t the only ones who called me Ronnie!
I’m disappointed that you didn’t post the photo of you in that Lone Ranger outfit! And I will always call you Ronnie.
Merry Christmas to you! I’m in a bit of the same situation, with no close relatives left save one aunt and three cousins in Kansas, so family gatherings are a thing of the past. No matter; they were fine ones when we still were able to have them — even when discussions of Truman vs. Roosevelt broke out at the Christmas table! And when there was only one piece of pie left, we children learned how to cope: one cuts, the other chooses. It’s a life lesson that’s served me well.
Those kinds of memories mean a lot, don’t they Shoreacres.