Phoo-phoo juice and exotic cars

A gift idea - click to enlarge
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  If you hadn't noticed it will be Christmas this month, your friendly retailer has been telling you for the past six months.  Do you have your shopping done?
  There are sooo many gift ideas to cover, but I will give you a few:
   Exotic Automobiles:  It's the name that sell the machine, words like Coupe de Elegance (pronounced cooo-pay d ellie-gannance); you see a name like that adds big bucks to the price, but what the heck it's Christmas.
   Foo-foo juice:  You know parfume, eau de cologne and crap like that.  It is the amount of money divided by the tiny amount in the bottle that counts here, the equivalent of 1 ounce should costs about one thousand bucks (US).  Yes, yes even it it's made in China!

High fashion eye-glasses. click to enlarge
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  Of course there are many other (expensive) choices, here are but a few:

Rings, purses (clutches), and bracelets - click to enlarge
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Is your shopping done?  I hope I have been helpful.

Taking a break.....

....after Christmas is one thing that Santa does not have trouble with.  He has been known for a long, long time to simply lay down and take a nap, or two.   It has been rumored that he even has visited Hawaii after Christmas.  Hawaii would be a good choice warm sand, warm water, some shade and a good hotel should be in order.
  So, let's look in on the old elf and see what he's up to this year.

Norman Rockwell showed us this in 1935!

In Hawaii living it up!

...lest we forget....

...so get out in those stores, there's some sales today.  Go, go!

He's here....

...in a red Corvette!  Way to go, Santa!

  You never know how the Old Elf will arrive, or what will meet him.  Oh, sure, a plate of cookies and a glass of milk are okay, but what about some Vernor's Ginger Ale (don't think that's around any longer), or a Coke at least.
  As he speeds around the world he gets to see a lot of different ways to celebrate.  In the good ole' USA we have different things or ways to light stuff up.

Southwest

   In the desert Southwest there are Saguaro Cacti to light up, but somehow I think you could get your hands on a Christmas tree, US and Canadian farmers sell 37 million of them a year.

Dairy farms celebrate, this one's in Wisconsin

  Some farmers grow trees, and some produce the milk, actually that's the cows job, but you get the idea.  Decorate the silo but hope Santa aims for the chimney.

A seafaring Christmas.

  Some things used to celebrate, like chocolate, are shipped in from other countries on ships.  Or, this is Maine, eat lobster.  Gotta have them boats for that.

Merry Christmas everyone, no matter how you celebrate it.

So this is Christmas?...

Six truck drivers, three trucks and escorts,
chumming on Christmas as cohorts,
stuck in Maine with a mission to do,
but the rules of the road, won't let them thru.

But on Monday, after Christmas of course,
the permits are allowed, they can get on their horse,
going to Buffalo to load up a barge,
but the ice is now in, the plan needs a charge.

These trucks are loaded, 122 thousand pounds,
too heavy for the interstates, they're out of bounds,
so it's off through the country all across the state lines,
all permitted, of course, so there'll be no fines.

So truck through to Utah, with these heavy loads,
not on the interstate but using small roads;
the towers of windmills secure is the load,
the only danger is the condition of road.

So they were away this Christmas doing their work,
the rooms they rent are their only perk;
so it's missing the family on this holiday,
let us all hope that they've earned their pay!

My thanks and/or apologies to the Lewiston, Maine Sun Journal

A late note: Most of Maine is under a blizzard warning for Sunday night and Monday - there will be more delay, I expect.

Click on photos to enlarge, make it easier to read :)

Merry Christmas...

...from Maine, in the far eastern reaches,
where I reside, and nature teaches;
that Christmas is here, seen in the snow,
but it's warmer than eighteen below.

The trees are all up, decorations are done,
they are just waiting for the fresh morning sun,
examples of living in the natural world,
are all around us their glory unfurled.

Here's wishing you and your families too,
Merry Christmas from me and my family too.


Nubble Light, York Maine




A lobster trap tree in Cape Porpoise (Kennebunk) Maine




Potato barrel tree in Wallagrass, Aroostook County, Maine



Wether it's...

...here in our country or Norway by chance,
all of the world gets a good Christmas dance;
it's the same message, everywhere you may be,
Merry Christmas to you, for an old guy like me.

The traditions are different, the language is too,
but they'd like to see us, me and you;
they would accept us as one of their own,
you're always at home, wherever you roam.

God Jul means Merry Christmas in Norway

Christmas Eve in Norway



Store window decoration



The Christmas market in Trondheim, Norway

It's getting...

...close to Christmas, and I'm out of ideas,
maybe Santa will bring me, or I'm hoping he hears...
..my requests for material, or a whole new brain,
so I can keep going, or stop my brain drain.

So, here's what I offer for you today,
Christmas in Japan, on that I can say...
..I spent two there, in that eastern land,
where Christmas is different, break out the band.

Please understand that there aren't many Christians,
who celebrate the way we do here,
and trees then were rare, but you see them now,
45 years ago they'd just meet and bow.

The cards that I used to send folks back home,
featured bamboo drawn with ink with a pen (of bone?),
maybe a photo of Mt. Fuji for view,
but, as you'll see, Christmas there is now new.

メリークリスマス (Merīkurisumasu) - they do say Merry Christmas.
I think my good friend "Wilbur" spent a Christmas or two in Japan also.

A Christmas card



A display in Tokyo



Yours truly, on the roof of the building where I worked,
Navy Supply Depot, Yokosuka, Japan - 1963