Bittersweetly

Our last photo together.  31 days of Christmas.

Wary

This year, Jewel Sassafras ran to the safety of her Christmas tree every time I gave her yucky meds.    31 days of Christmas.

Impatiently

2013 - Jewel Sassafras wishing I would hurry up and get her tree decorated.  31 days of Christmas.

Festively

Jewel Sassafras 2003.  31 days of Christmas.

Comfy

Jewel Sassafras 2016.  31 days of Christmas.

Elfy

Jewel in 2014, wondering why in the world I was trying to humiliate her so.  But she got her revenge.  31 days of Christmas.

Dazzlingly

I didn't have a Christmas tree the first few years Jewel and I were together.  But in 2007, I decided it was time for a tree again and bought the tree I still have today.  I decorated it, lit it, and Jewel was instantly mesmerized.

I took this image of Jewel gazing up at her Christmas tree shortly thereafter, and it has always been one of my favorite Christmas pics. 

I love and miss you, baby girl.

31 days of Christmas.

Tasty

As seen at Menards.  31 days of Christmas.

Tiny

Spent the afternoon and evening out of the house.  One of our stops was Menards and they had their Christmas village stuff set up.  31 days of Christmas.

Early

Jewel Sassafras and I celebrated Christmas today and it was a great day!

We went to her favorite place, OUTSIDE, twice; sniffing the air, visiting with a neighbor, sitting in the sun, smacking the vines on the fence and smacking mommy's face when her warm and cozy blanket slid off her butt.

She got plenty of pets and kisses throughout the day and she ate lots and lots of kitty treats – more food than she's eaten in one day in a while.

She even voluntarily hopped up on the love seat several times and sat with mommy, as seen in today's image.

So why did we celebrate our 16th Christmas together early?  Well, my sweet baby girl is coming to the end of her struggle with pancreatic cancer.  Tomorrow afternoon we say our goodbyes.  But today, TODAY we celebrated Christmas.

I love you, baby girl.

31 days of Christmas.

Heavenly

31 days of Christmas.

Cheery

Got this handsome little guy from my Secret Santa at work.  31 days of Christmas.

Cautiously

This little one is always knocking stuff off my desk or tipping over the trash can.  And yet, when I give her some fun stuff to play with, she just stares at it cautiously.  Maybe it's because one of the ornaments rolled toward her and made her jump.  31 days of Christmas.

Excitedly

Here is another Christmas moment from my childhood.  31 days of Christmas.

I've been looking at old negatives lately, in addition to old prints. I left the edge on this one just because I felt like it.  Kodak Safety Film was pretty nice.  It makes me want to cry when I see these beautiful 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 negatives from my early childhood, and then my mom decided to buy a 110 camera to replace it.

Elegantly

I went to a birthday party yesterday at Lady Elegant's Tea Room & Gift Shoppe.  I thought their entrance display was pretty enough to be on a card, so I turned it into one.  31 days of Christmas.

Dolly

It's harder to see in the smaller image, but the look on my face shows I'm pretty excited about my new doll and accessories.  31 days of Christmas.

Family

Getting together with family and friends is a holiday tradition.  31 days of Christmas, 1950s style.

Sparkly

My mom used to help her friend with Avon deliveries.  And as a result, her friend would give mom a discount on her own Avon orders.  This led to lots of Avon gifts for me, including this Christmas ornament.  Makes me think of mom.  31 days of Christmas.

Vividly

This image of my uncle from 1956 brings out the photography geek in me.  Having his own photography business, many of the images he and his wife took are gorgeous Kodachrome prints with "nice bright colors", as Paul Simon put it.  31 days of Christmas.

Quality

In 1983, I got this crocheted bell for being in the bell choir.  It was handmade by a special friend. 31 days of Christmas.

Silly

Don't be afraid to be silly.  My mom never was.  31 days of Christmas.

I love this image.  I've actually blogged it before, but I decided to re-work it today and blog it again.

Ornamentally

Another one of the crafty projects from long ago.  31 days of Christmas.

Crafty

When I was a girl, my mom and I would go to a monthly women's group that was part of our church.  During the December meeting, we would have a craft time and get to make a Christmas ornament.  When we got home, we would have 2 new homemade ornaments to hang on the tree.

Every time I hang them on the tree, it brings back fond memories of my mom.

This little bear is made out of real ginger snaps!  I'm surprised it didn't crumble away long ago.

 31 days of Christmas.

Hungry

The elusive 12-point Dogdeer.  31 days of Christmas.

Chilly

Nothing like snuggling up with a Christmas blanket when you are cold.  31 days of Christmas.

Tinselly

A wad of tinsel makes any kitty happy.  31 days of Christmas.

Bluely

31 days of Christmas.

Brightly

31 days of Christmas.

Feathery

31 days of Christmas.

Angelically

31 days of Christmas.  I was an angel at one time.

Christmasy

31 days of Christmas starts today!  And what better way to start than with a Christmas kitty?

Jewel didn't know what to make of the wiry lights wrapped around her.

Inquisitively

Steeply

Teton Pass Highway.

Smelly

So lovely they almost bring a tear to your eye.

Mystery

Maybe it's a lake monster.

Unapproachably

Laundry

Glimmery

The sun fighting to shine through as a storm was passing.  As seen in Oregon on our 7 state road trip.

Matrimony

From a wedding I shot in October.

Cascadingly

Shiny

Airy

Baby

My sweet little girl.

Corny

As seen on our 7 state road trip.

Rickety

I wish someone would fix this place up.  As seen on our 7 state road trip. 

Boozy

They do things a little bit differently in Faulkton.  Makes you wonder what type of drugs they dispense.

Scary

I especially think the spray-painted "sign" pointing the way to the office is a nice touch.  As seen on our 7 state road trip.

Old-timey

As seen on our 7 state road trip.

Catchy

Like falling backwards and trusting someone to catch you, only on a much grander scale.  As seen on our 7 state road trip.

Tinny

General Mills Grain Elevator.  As seen in Idaho on our 7 state road trip.