A Gift's background story

Giving gifts to certain members of my family is a bit challenging.
For example, my mother pretty much buys anything and everything she wants.
So when it comes time to find something thoughtful to give her, she's already done all of the thinking and the buying.

Thus, I had to reach waaaaaaay back into the past to find something for her.
*insert time machine sound effects here*

Back in the 80s, when I was a pup, we did some camping as a family.
With regularity, my family hauled out the old pop-up camper into the woods and various recreational areas of my home and surrounding states.
On one of these camping/fishing trips, we had our usual day of everyone split into various groups, doing their own thing. My grandfather had decided to go fishing alone that late afternoon near dusk. He was late returning for supper around the highly weathered picnic table and fire circle. We were all commenting that he had better return with a net full of fish, as we had held up the evening meal for him. He did return with a net full....but not of fish....instead, he had stumbled across a patch of morels. Unable to resist these tasty little rarities, he wandered into the woods of the state park and found more. He kept up the hunt until he had a whole huge fishing net full of them.

And with that, morel hunting became the family occupation for the rest of the trip. It was unusual for my mother and father to choose an activity where they spent time together, but they decided to try their hand at finding morels. I joined them. And we began our quest so hopeful. but our hopes were dashed.

The only thing we did find: one jack-in-the-pulpit. It's the only time I've ever actually seen one live in the wild. My mother was entranced. She, displaying her shopping prowess, HAD to have it. So, she began to look for something she could use to dig it up. My father discouraged her. "It'll never work" and "It'll just die if you do get it dug up" and "Isn't it illegal to take stuff out of the state park?"
So, my mother, disappointingly left behind this little gem.

Fast forward 30 years.
Since my father's passing two years ago, she's been into gardening big time. It's practically an illness. There are flowers of all sorts, lawn furniture, and small sculptures scattered about the two acres of yard. She even changes some of them seasonally (although this time of year, Iowa winters aren't conducive to gardening).
Basically, I got her something that she probably forgot she ever wanted. For one of the flowerbeds, I found her a little garden sculpture in the shape of Jack-in-the-Pulpit...for her to have always.
And dammit, if she already has one, next year, she gets McDonald's gift certificates.

Shiny happy notions

I realize that many of my blog-posts are angst filled, stressed-out rants or deeply introspective nonsense that probably makes everyone think I'm on the path to a Sylvia Plath fate.

Today, I am not going to post angst or stress.....which does not mean that life is super-smooth and perfect.
Nah.
It just means that I am going to concentrate on all of these great little things......let's make a list.

1) While I have a christmas tree covered with sparkly and fancy decorations (and a few amusing ones too.....like santa and all the reindeer crammed into a phone booth)....this year I'm more in love with the little trees that I've been calling "My seven dollars of awesome". One is a Charlie-Brown-esque tiny live potted tree and the other a miniature LED light up number.

2) The kid is getting harder to shop for, but some of his presents benefit me as well....like, say, Season 6 of Doctor Who.....plus it gives me an excuse to buy silly things like a TARDIS cookie jar that has sound effects.

3) I love that I can put "Christmastime is here" on constant repeat and not have to make up excuses.....like I do the rest of the year.

4) changing the lyrics to other well known Christmas tunes to suit the juvenile sense of humor that I share with my 11-Year-Old son.

4) Everything is pretty. If it's not, just put a bow on it and it becomes pretty.

5) Treats from the kitchen that I know are good enough to disburse and watch other people enjoy: Fudge. Pineapple bread pudding. Cookies.

6) Charity toy drives, angel trees, food drives.....watching the faces of the 'givers' as they drop off the treasures is probably just as awesome as watching the faces of the 'receivers' when they get the goodies.

7) The Shoebox section of Christmas cards. The kid and I laugh like loons and cause a general disturbance.