OPENING GIFTS ON CHRISTMAS DAY!

It is twelve o'clock midnight... the clock has struck and it is Christmas day!!!

Some kids are able to wait for this day just to open their Christmas gifts!

Here is Christine... a child so close to me! You can see JOY !!! ...in capital letters... and with exclamation points!

They say Christmas is for kids... sometimes they can wait for this day, but many times, they take a peek earlier and place the gift back under the Christmas tree!

Nowadays, kids are more expressive and already let us hear what they want for Christmas! Sometimes, this is easier but of course, a bit dangerous if they like expensive things.

This is part of the essence of Christmas ... of family ... of love ... of remembering ... of gift-giving ... and  sharing! 

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND 

A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

THE ORANGE KIST FOR ME!

What does an Orange Kist mean to you?

Orange Kist isn't a beverage or a pie! 

It is a sugar coated jelly candy (like a gummy bear) with the form of an orange segment or orange carpel!

Actually, the original Orange Kist was packed in about three carpels/segments per pack. If I remember it right, it cost about five or ten centavos in the late 60s and early 70s (that long ago!!!)!

Since my Dad said it taste good, I used to buy a small pack to give to my Dad every time he fetched me from school and I was still Prep or Grade 1 then!

So the Orange Kist jelly was my daily gift to my beloved Dad. In retrospect, I am wondering, "Did he really love the Orange Kist?" ... or ...  "Was he just happy that I gave him a gift everyday?"

I never really asked him. All I know is I love my Dad (Daddy's girl!.. since I am an only girl with 5 brothers!) and I was just so very happy to please him everyday!!!

ON CARVING CANYONS

“Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings” Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

The first time I saw the Grand Canyon, I was in awe... and I guess, that is not an unusual reaction from anyone viewing one of God's grandest work of art!!!

And we remember that the Grand Canyon is sculpted by natural occurrences, geologic changes and extreme temperatures such as windstorms, winter storms, rains and of course, the sunny days, which resulted as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World!

from http://sevennaturalwonders.org/

Sometimes in our lives, there are strong winds that crush us... and we feel we can't recover. BUT, again these are the stresses that help form our character and make us strong! We just pray there are loving and supportive people around who make these difficult times more hopeful... and who can make us see the bright side of things!!! 

P.S.

From Wikipedia:

The Grand Canyon (Hopi: Ongtupqa; Yavapai: Wi:kaʼi:la) is a steep-sided canyon carved by the Colorado Riverin the United States in the state of Arizona. It is contained within and managed by Grand Canyon National Park, the Hualapai Tribal Nation, and the Havasupai Tribe. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of preservation of the Grand Canyon area, and visited it on numerous occasions to hunt and enjoy the scenery. It is considered one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.^[1]

The Grand Canyon is 277 miles (446 km) long, up to 18 miles (29 km) wide and attains a depth of over a mile (6,000 feet / 1,800 metres).^[2] Nearly two billion years of the Earth's geological history has been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut their channels through layer after layer of rock while the Colorado Plateauwas uplifted.^[3] While the specific geologic processes and timing that formed the Grand Canyon are the subject of debate by geologists,^[4] recent evidence suggests the Colorado River established its course through the canyon at least 17 million years ago.^[5][6] Since that time, the Colorado River continued to erode and form the canyon to its present-day configuration.^[7]

ON ILLUMINATION

There are two kinds of light: 

the glow that illuminates, and 

the glare, that obscures. 

James Thurber

Light is meant to brighten and not to conceal...

As we try to be someone else's light, let us illuminate and guide... not to obscure and blind!!!

Richmonde Hotel Ortigas chandelier

ON CARVINGS AND INSPIRATION

I believe the right question to ask,
respecting all ornament,
is simply this; was it done with enjoyment,
was the carver happy while he was about it?

- John Ruskin

I am always amazed how a person can create a carved masterpiece...

the time, the talent and the treasure just to complete one!

how the mind flows... and how the hand goes...

to depict God's creation!

And to add to that, is the question:

Was it done with enjoyment?

Hopefully, it was done with joy...

but some artists may be inspired by other emotions.

Not everyone would have the talent nor ability to create such art...

But I guess, there should also be people who could just simply appreciate this!

With present technology, arts created by Masters may just be copied...

no offense to that...

maybe a way for more people to see and appreciate them...

Richmonde Hotel Ortigas lobby