Ah Christmas. A time for family, friends, and peace on earth. Is it really? This year, I tried once again to make things easier on myself and I did, kinda. I was shopping like crazy up until Christmas eve. I started to let myself go to that place of horror if I didnt get just the right gift for each and every person. I stuck to my guns this year and guess what? I was still liked by my family even if I didnt get the most expensive or perfect gift. It really isnt about the gifts. Our family really, really just wanted to be together and enjoy each others company. Yes, there were those who imbibed a bit too much but we all knew that was because this time of the year is really hard for some people. The loss of our mother last year was hard on me and I know on everyone else as well. But this year it really hit my brother hard. The Christmas of last year he didnt spend with us so this was the first year he came to Christmas without our mom. She would have absolutely loved my mother-in-laws seven foot Santa she won on a raffle that she placed right next to the Christmas tree. My brother couldnt handle it and it was the very first time, even at her funeral, that i witnessed him cry. He wasnt just teary eyed he was actually balling so hard. I also think he really needed to do that and I went outside with him and we just held onto each other and wept. I am hoping for that peace on earth but for right now I will take having peace within each one of my family members.

Summertime...

To me, summertime is the first vine ripened tomato picked right off the vine and eaten right there. You can just taste the sunshine when you bite into it. The sweet juice exploding when your teeth first break the sun drenched skin of the tomato.

My first memory of that exact experience was when I was about 4 years old. I lived in Napa, California at the time, and some "new people" were moving in across the street from us. I was a very curious little girl who played out many adventures during the day. I decided this one long, hot, summer day that I would go and explore just who was moving in across the street, as I had a few questions for them.

I retrieved my Big Wheel; my freshly picked (out of a neighbor's yard) vine ripened tomato, and grabbed the salt shaker. I sat on my Big Wheel assessing the situation in the middle of the street when I first bit into that wonderful fresh tomato. OK, I was ready. I continued on across the street at a very slow pace as I wanted to finish this summertime tomato of mine before I met these "new people".

I reached the other side of the street and finished my tomato, got off of my big wheel, then started walking up the driveway. There was a big burly man unloading some boxes from his huge beast of a truck. I wasn't scared a bit! I asked him my big question, "Do you have any kids I can play with"? He stopped what he was doing, turned and looked down at me and started laughing! You see, I had gotten most of that wonderful tomato all over my face and dress! He then told me I should go inside the house and ask his wife. So I did.

I wondered into the house and looked all over and then I found her. She was in her bedroom hanging things on the walls and I asked her the same most important question, "Do you have any kids I can play with"? Well she almost fell off of her ladder as I startled her! She looked down at me and she too started laughing! She answered my important question and said "yes, they will be here tomorrow, we are just finishing up here and will be back tomorrow with the whole family".

We became very close friends with these "new people" and still keep in touch today. So every time when our vine ripened tomatoes are ready to be picked I always take the first one from the vine, grab my salt shaker, sit back and remember that long ago summertime day.