- Day 3 -

Day 3 of the new year.  I'm surrounded by snow, snow, and more snow.  The sun was shining today and the snow sparkled like diamonds all over the ground.  It was beautiful!  I don't remember if I already told you but when I moved into the new house, I had 20 trees removed from the property (and I still have plenty).  I now get lots of sunlight.

Spent the day taking down 2 Christmas trees.  My favorite part of the "up and down" trees is to touch every ornament, remember where it came from and when it came to live with us.  Don't you love your ornaments?  Quite a few people have posted photos of some of their ornaments on FB.  Ornaments all by themselves can tell the story of our lives.

Pots and pans can do the same thing.  Think about it.  How many pots and pans do you have that you've had since your first home?  And are those your favorites?  I have an iron skillet that belonged to my grandmother and I use it to make cornbread.  I have baking pans that belonged to HC's mother.  What about tools?  My father worked for Belknap Hardware all of his life.  When I was growing up, we had tools.  Then I married HC Baker and he had tools that had belonged to his grandfather, PawPaw.  Look in your jewelry box.  What stories can you tell about your rings, earrings, and bracelets?

There is so much "stuff" in our lives that define who we are.  And the more we touch the "stuff" the more it touches us.  It's those memories that sustain us.  This new year I want to go to that website advertised on TV, Ancestry.com. and work hard to write my families history.  (Maybe I can convince my sisters to help!!)  I want the pots and pans and tools and jewelry and quilts and ornaments to mean as much to my children and grandchildren as they do to me.  Since HC Baker died, I've already given the children and grandchildren lots of "stuff".  I hope they have it in a special place and when they see it or touch it, they have wonderful memories.  Won't that be grand?

What are your plans for 2012?

P.S. - I saw a cardinal at my bird feeder box today.  It made me happy!