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ardysez

~ surrender to yourself

ardysez

Tag Archives: Christmas

ode to joy…

22 Saturday Dec 2018

Posted by Ardys in Life

≈ 20 Comments

Tags

Christmas, humour, inner peace, joy, lessismore, thetappingsolution

Early Saturday morning, three days before Christmas, I decided to do my holiday grocery shopping, hoping that only a small top up here and there would be necessary for a week or so after. The produce section was the main focus of my effort, sourcing in season fruit and organic vegetables to the degree that I could. We live in a place where none of it is grown, so we never know what the gods of long haul delivery will bring us! One of the veggies on my list was broccoli. The organic version had been full of moth eggs earlier in the week when I bought it, so I went straight for the regular kind. I don’t care for extra protein in my broccoli and the tedium to clean the eggs and the moth damage out of the broccoli is just more trouble than it’s worth, given that it costs more than double the regular.

As I approached the broccoli bin, a strapping young Aussie man bent over it examining the choices carefully. He picked one up and put it back, then another, and finally chose one. But as he held the chosen one, his serious face dipped down, looking and inspecting more. Ever so carefully. Finally he chose a second one. As he stood up, towering over me (I’m very short on one end) and began to walk away, I quickly said to him “Oh, those are the two I wanted!” He looked at me and said very sweetly “Oh, really?” I laughed and said, “No, no, I’m just joking!” His face broke into a relieved, open-mouthed smile and he chuckled as he walked to his trolley…or maybe that was clucking at what a mad loser he’d just encountered…hard to say.

A lady and I nearly collided trolleys but we finally got our signals right and as we passed in the aisle I said to her, “These things need turn signals”. It’s an old joke, but it made us both laugh. I joked with another fellow that we were ‘doing the dance of the trolleys’ and he laughed as well.

By this stage I suppose I was in danger of being hauled off to the looney bin, or at the very least being pulled up for misdemeanour merriment. But, unbridled, my mirth knew no bounds.

There were numerous other people at whom I smiled warmly. Some mirrored the radiance, others looked stunned, as if they could not even consider a smile. Perhaps I did look a little out of place. Finally, at the checkout, the staff member who was looking after the self-check-out registers, and I, exchanged smiles and best wishes for the season. It occurred to me that what could have been a stressful shopping trip was made very fun because I could connect with people in a light hearted way. It may have even improved their day, who’s to say?

As I drove home, I realised I was genuinely relaxed. At Christmas!! And for the weeks leading up to it as well. This was unfamiliar territory. Some weeks ago I realised I was teetering on the edge of depression, as many people do this time of year. What is the saying ‘if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten’. I needed to make some changes. About the time I took that decision, or probably because I took that decision, some things came into my life to assist me. Have you ever noticed how that can happen? I discovered a new (to me) meditation technique which worked for me from the first time I tried it. I began my early morning walks again, though my foot is still quite sore. The walking is just so good for me mentally. We are all different. Because these things were good for me does not mean they would be good for everyone else, or anyone else.

Others may look forward to finding just the right gift for everyone on their list. They might revel in cooking foods that everyone looks forward to all year long, or writing that family newsletter to keep in touch with everyone. But for me, I knew I needed to say ‘no’. No to most of the gift giving, all the decorating, baking, card sending…so that I could say ‘yes’ to giving myself space to find my inner joy again.

We have had unprecedented high temperatures so far this summer, up to 43 and 44C (109+ F). The traditional Northern Christmas, celebrated with decorated pine trees, snowy landscapes and mountains of food hot from the oven just doesn’t translate well to this hot, arid zone climate. As I sit here, sipping my iced coffee in air conditioning, having gotten my chores out of the way before the day gets too hot, I’m thinking of those very sensible countries who practice ‘siesta’. I can see more serious relaxation in my future, and a little bit of celebration with close friends. I always have plenty to be grateful for, but this year I will add something else to the list. I will celebrate the gift I have given myself…the space to rekindle inner joy.

My warmest and very best wishes of the season to you all. I’m sending along my very favourite of all the season’s greetings…

IMG_6380

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what Christmas looks like at my house

18 Sunday Dec 2016

Posted by Ardys in Food, Life

≈ 23 Comments

Tags

baking, Christmas, stress, tradition

I have been particularly grumpy about Christmas this year. There is much hype and expectation, particularly heaped on women at this time of year, and it is hard to avoid. It has been said Christmas (as we currently celebrate it) would not happen were it not for women. Does that also mean we have the power to change it, if we want to? I think maybe it does.

One of the most annoying parts for me is, most of the tradition centres around Northern Hemisphere, and cold climate practices. In case you aren’t aware of it, it is 100F/38C here in my part of Australia at the moment. Aussies have done their best to move away from the hot cooked foods of our ancestors, but with other things we are not so evolved.

I understand why the tradition of Santa (Kris Kringle) has been perpetuated, but really, that hot, fur trimmed suit and the whole snow thing could take a rest, don’t you think?

Our family livelihood was growing Christmas trees. It was hard work for all of us. Sometimes we actually worked in the fields, trimming and harvesting them. Sometimes we were the support crew for those who did. I can tell you, the spindly, half dead tree I saw in the grocery store this week, presumably the last of a very small selection, bore no resemblance to a tree grown in Southern Ohio, where my brother still grows and sells trees.

In an effort to try and decipher the basis of my grumbles this year, I decided to see if doing things a bit differently might help. Traditions carried over from another life and another land, may just not be the most useful in current times.

img_3492

party lights amongst my natural treasures

Our daughter and her fiancé will be here for a few days and in an effort to keep my head from spinning right off my body, I asked her if she would mind if I didn’t put up a tree and decorations. She readily said it wasn’t necessary. Bless her. The next thing I did was put hubby on notice, that his useful presence would be required to help with various small chores, among them cooking on the grill.

What to do about the baking? Baking is a hot activity, even in an air conditioned house. I got a window of opportunity two weeks ago when we had a cool, rainy spell, so I quickly decided I would have enough time and energy for one thing and what would that be?? Our daughter always asks for the White Fruitcake and Pecan Sandies. Choose one. I can’t make the Sandies gluten free, but I can make the fruitcake gluten free, so that was the one I chose. Selfish of me, perhaps, but who needs the stress of cooking and being around food you can’t eat yourself?

img_3552

White Fruit Cake (Gluten free version)

As it happened, another gluten free recipe from my friend Francesca’s blog Almost Italian, came across my inbox in a very timely manner. It looked simple and like it would be the perfect replacement for Sandies. And it is.so.delicious. Baking only takes 15 minutes in a slow oven so even I could accommodate that on a 100F/38C day like yesterday.

img_3550

Almond, Cherry and Chocolate Biscotti

The whole sending cards thing was a no brainer, and a no-doer. That ship has sailed.

Gifts are minimal and either consumable, as in edible or use-up-able, or in the case of our daughter and her fiancé things that will help them in their life. Hubby and I have each other’s Presence and that is all we need.

So in a nutshell, here are my five changes toward a lower stress Christmas:

  • No Christmas decorations, only a small nod to festivity via some party lights and found objects from my morning walks
  • Ask for help and keep the cooking simple and on the grill, if possible
  • Bake less, enjoy it more
  • Don’t send Christmas cards unless you love doing it
  • Give gifts that will enhance the other person’s life, not to give you a thrill when they open it

Keeping things simpler has given me a lighter heart. There are no prizes for baking the most, shopping the most, sending the most cards, or having the biggest display of decorations. Presence is the best gift to give everyone, including yourself. Wishing you and yours the best of whatever you want for yourselves.

img_3590PS. Here is the proof I do own an apron, and a sense of humour as well! x

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one camel, no wise man

21 Saturday Dec 2013

Posted by Ardys in Animals, Uncategorized

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Alice Springs, art, Australia, Christmas, Merry Christmas

We are traveling again. I wanted to share some words and photos with you but thanks to WordPress, I cannot. Being the security conscious subscriber I did as suggested by WordPress and set up a two step security verification. It did not work and worse, when I tried to disable it, it has blocked me from my own account (except it seems for publishing?) as well as from commenting or ‘liking’ other blogs. They have not seen fit in over a week to answer my query for help so I can assume I’m on my own. This may very well be my final post on WordPress, but I do have another blog on tumblr called amosthemagicdog if you are inclined to have a look. Thank you all for a lovely time, all the best to you, and hopefully we will meet again. XXcards

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the Christmas tree farm

09 Monday Dec 2013

Posted by Ardys in Family, Life

≈ 16 Comments

Tags

Christmas, Christmas trees, Corsi Tree Farm, family, life, Ohio, old fashioned Christmas, southern Ohio

my 11yr old self in a field of young trees

my 11yr old self in a field of young trees

The traditions of Christmas are many and varied, depending on your cultural heritage and family practice.  In our family there was always a fresh cut tree to decorate at Christmas, partly because that was the family business!  Tens of thousands of trees have come from the Corsi Tree Farm in southern Ohio. It was started in 1955 by my parents and grandparents.  My Father and Grandfather were partners in the beginning, Grandpa furnished the land and facilitated sales and Dad performed the manual labour. And, as usual, Grandma and Mom were their invaluable support crew!

In the beginning Dad even tried to grow his own seedlings and I remember as young children on hot, humid summer mornings my brothers and I helping to weed the seed beds, and chasing away the turtle doves that would try to eat the seed.  My Dad’s version of growing trees for Christmas was very labour intensive, because like everything he did, he wanted to produce the very best tree he could.  In the spring new seedlings were planted, in summer the trees would be trimmed, so that they would be more compact and have a nicer shape for decorating. In autumn the weeds needed to be mown to minimise fire hazard, and once the trees had reached harvesting size, in about 7-10 years after planting, they were cut and baled and loaded onto delivery trucks to be taken to the retail lots around the Cincinnati area.

Myself, husband and 3yr old daughter cutting a tree for Mum

Myself, husband and 3yr old daughter cutting a tree for Mum

Dad and Grandpa had entered into a business with very little experience and had to learn as they went.  It was unbelievably hard some years, not just working in the fields during all kinds of weather, but negotiating with businesses who wanted to make money off the hard work of Dad and his crew. One year, when my grandfather had just died and Dad had to shoulder the entire business, the wholesale buyer tried to pay far less than the trees were worth.  Dad, a man of deep principle said he would burn them before he would be dictated to on price that was less than they deserved.  True to his word, he destroyed many of the trees that had already been cut that year.

Dad always said he was a ‘farmer’ and we all know how heartbreaking farming can be.  Some of that heartbreak would spill over into the holiday for us as we watched the toll it took on our Dad. My brothers worked for Dad for many years and it took a toll on them as well.  But we all prevailed.  Eventually my youngest brother (see photo) bought the business and, learning from Dad’s experience, was able to mitigate some of the difficulties.  He has improved some things and put his own stamp onto the business, but it is still farming, and farming is hard work.

Our parents, my brother and myself (2009)

Our parents, my brother and myself (2009)

My niece and brother's partner working in the Christmas barn

My niece and brother’s partner working in the Broken Stone Lodge

Thousands of people in the Cincinnati area will travel to the Corsi Tree Farm this year, not just to cut their own Christmas tree, but to have an old fashioned experience with country music, animals and hospitality.  It is probably a tradition that will disappear one day, but for now it is alive and well in Hamersville, Ohio. This will be the first year since he started the business Dad will not visit the farm at Christmas.  He passed away earlier this year but his legacy lives on.

The tree baler ties trees up for easier transport

The tree baler ties trees up for easier transport

2009 up close to the farm animals, our city girl daughter!

2009 up close to the farm animals, our city girl daughter!

Lived balled and burlap trees in front of the Broken Stone barn

Live balled and burlap trees in front of the Broken Stone Lodge

A field of trees with people looking for their special one

A field of trees with people looking for their special one

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