Norman Rockwell Christmas Open Thread

             It was hard to pick one. He painted so many Christmas scenes. Some are very carefully posed realistic illustrations of what an American Christmas might look like a few decades ago.

            Some look like magazine projects.

            I liked this one because it has elements of fantasy, but is painted in Rockwell's best style.

            I love the elves. And the old guy himself is 100% believable!

🤍🎅🏻🤍

Happy Last Saturday Before Christmas!

Wheeee!

Just A Wee Bit Of A Fable

 

            Maeve was minding her own business, preening and posing, walking up and down a large fir branch. From time to time she explored underneath a feather or two. She made a grand sight there. Much bigger than a common raven, and much more given to drama, she was practicing her favorite word.
            Like a spirit from another world, an iridescent humming bird, green and red and brown, whirred up to Maeve’s great high branch and addressed her there.
            “Oh great Raven, thou expounder of epiphanies, I am full to my gorge with a certain question,” said this wee thrumming bird.
            “Say on, but first, a name! How are you called?” said Maeve.
            “Among the speaking, I am Lars,” he said.
            “Well met Lars, now to the question,” said she.
            “As you know, when night approaches we small birds go to our lodges and sleep. And even if we did not, most usually the sky over our heads is grey and concealing. However, one night I was jostled out of my bed and happened to look up.  Oh great Raven, all over the sky was deep and full of lights! All different sizes and in mysterious groupings.
            “Can you tell me what it means, or just what it is?”
            “Oh, Lars, I daren’t say. We must apply to the King of the mighty forest here,” said Maeve. “Come with me!”
            Together they floated down through the great trunks, Maeve with her six foot wingspread and Lars like a shining mote.
            The first creature they met was Bob, the more loquacious of the puma bros., as he paced to and fro near center stage. Noticing their approach, he said, “what does this mean? An out of season humming bird traveling with you Maeve? What’s up?”
            “We come with a question for Ralph himself,” said she.
            “You can tell me first,” said Bob, curiously.
            “Very well. Lars, here, and I want to know the meaning and substance of the stars. I think we best ask Ralph. You may come along if you like.”
            So, Bob and Maeve walked, and Lars shimmered to the cooking fire, Ramona’s domain. And there she was, pulling feathers out of a wild turkey and throwing them in her fire making a heck of a stench.
            “You guys look like a committee,” said Ramona, “what’s up?”
            “It’s more like a quest,” said Maeve.
            “And?” said Ramona, spitting out a small feather which had floated up to her mouth. She looked at them with her eyebrows up. They did make quite a sight.
            “Small Lars here, came to me with a question, which I don’t feel qualified to answer. He’s all astounded by the night sky. He saw it one clear night and can’t get the stars out of his eyes,” said Maeve. “We want to talk to Ralph.”
            “Yes, ma’am,” said Lars, daring to speak to such a one as Ramona. “The King will know, I am sure.”
            Bob sat on his haunches and smiled that cat smile they do. Soon, Berry materialized to sit beside him.
            “You’ll find him out on his log thinking, or smoking a cigar, or both,” said Ramona. “I’m sure he would be pleased to discuss stars with you all!” She did indulge in a slight secret smile.
            So, then, in perfect fairytale style, the two cats paced in front, the huge Raven hopped and marched, and the humming bird helicoptered over her head as they traveled the well-worn path out to Ralph’s office, so to speak.
            In fact, Ralph was smoking a cigar and thinking, both. He was also composing a sort of power song, counting the beats with his toes. A note for each toe, or the other way around. He frowned, because you have to be careful to get these things right.
            When he heard them coming he looked up, and a great big grin spread over his face. This looked like it had potential for fun. Most things do look like that to Ralph.
            “Hey, everybody! Man, you guys look good together! What’s up?” said Ralph. “I’m all ears!”
            Bob hopped up on the huge cedar log on his left side. Berry did the same on his right side. It looked epic!
            Maeve went to her usual perch by his left ear, so he got her input nice and clear.
            Lars, the small being with the big question, hung in the air like a living jewel, right in front of Ralph’s broad face.
            “Here I am. Speak to me,” rumbled Ralph in his soft basso voice. If he had not been  revealed, it would have sounded like distant thunder, or movement underground somehow.
            It was too much for Lars. He began to faint.
            Ralph put out his hand and caught the little bird in midair. He breathed on him, maybe to warm him up. Maybe to give him courage.
            “Tell me,” he said.
            “Oh King,” said Lars, “I saw the night sky on a clear night. I crave understanding.”
            “You are wise for one so small and shiny,” kidded Ralph.
            “What is the nature of these numberless lights? Could they be little holes in the night sky letting just a bit of a greater light shine through? Or, are they their own lights, or stars, as everyone calls them.
            “What do they mean? Are they messengers? How can I regard them and not perish? Being a bird of clouds and fog and daytime light, I was not prepared,” said Lars.
            Ralph let the little bird fly free. He closed his eyes and just breathed deeply for a few moments. At last he smiled and opened his eyes again.
            “Yes, they are the ineffable, eternal handwriting of our Maker. They are a message, or many messages. They say he is there. The stars announce existence. Or maybe being.
            “They are a kind of pathway for your thoughts, always greater and greater.
            “But no need to perish! Fear not!” Ralph smiled.
            “The same power that cast those lights across the deep sky loves you and wishes you to live and keep being shiny! You’re actually pretty important!”
            “I don’t feel important, sir,” said Lars.
            “That’s normal, don’t worry about it,” said Ralph, with an encouraging giggle.
            “Hey, lets all go see Ramona and get you a bite of honey. I know you guys use up your onboard energy pretty quickly.”
            So, Ralph hopped down to the ground and headed back to Ramona, with a puma on each side, Maeve flying before, and Lars the humming bird staying right near his head.
            When Ramona looked up from her work, she was not one bit surprised at the sight.
            Then when Ralph explained the situation, she mixed a bit of honey with a drop or two of water and put the bit of liquid on a leaf for Lars, who drank it down and then hummed off to wherever humming birds go when they’re not in a story.
            Later Bob told the story to Twigg and Cherry, who had never seen a humming bird before and had missed the whole thing.

Only Six Days Until Christmas! Open Thread

 As I'm sure you all know, it's a painting by Grandma Moses.

Winter Work

Something to contemplate.

She remembered well.

It's the kind of work where it's easy to say,

I've seen that!

But have I seen that?

I would love to see the originals of her work in person.

Look Up, Little Suzy, Look Up!

 

Very loosely.

It might be a drone!

            Same as usual since early December our friend Suzy Q was manning, well catting, her station at the front window keeping an eye on the eerie colored lights and the deflating snowman  lawn critter. He leaned toward the street as a disreputable angle.
            As it grew dark, the lights shone more brightly. She could see various people passing in front of the lights, walking up or down the street. They all looked pretty shifty to Suzy. Someone had to be sitting on the porch across the street. She could see the orange glow of a cigarette intermittently. Puff by puff, it waxed and waned. It was sort of hypnotic.
            She shook her head and snapped out of it. What was it that was so entrancing about those little fires? Suzy had no idea.
            Getting a bit blasé about Christmas lights she began to scan the sky over the houses up and down the opposite side of the street. There seemed to be something going on up there.
            “What the crunchy granola is going on in the air,” thought Suzy to herself.
            “Hey, Willie, c’mere,” Suzy called out rather urgently.
            “What’s up, oh rash and suggestable one,” he said from the floor. But curiosity works on Willie too, so he made the big jump to the top of the sewing machine desk. It was a bit of an investment on his part.
            “Watch this,” she said. “They keep doing it, over and over.”
            They sat meatloaf style together and observed the atmosphere over the houses.
            A sort of vague disturbance zoomed down the street toward the south. Hot on its trajectory came something else. This thing seemed to be in a sort of toy airplane disguise, but it wasn’t a plane. It had red lights, green lights, and white lights in a sort of triangle pattern.
            This went on for a while. It looked like a hunt of some kind. Ghosts pursued by confusing mechanisms. All sorts of goofy ideas came to their minds, almost like it was meant to cause goofy ideas.
            “You know what, Suzy? When I shut my eyes I can’t see it,” remarked Willie.
            “How are you going to discern what is going on with your eyes shut, you ninny!” inquired Suzy, of her brother.
            “What I figure is this. It’s not our problem. At least not for now. We can’t do a darn thing about it, whatever it is. If it becomes our problem, we’ll know it. There won’t be any wondering if it’s our problem. Therefore, I suggest that we go about our business as usual. Easy. Stress free,” opined Willie.
            So, Suzy tried shutting her eyes also and found that it worked. Whatever was flying around out there made no difference to her at all. It was like clouds or wind. It had been known to happen, but as mere house lions, it wasn’t their problem.
            “OK, Willie. You win this time,” yawed Suzy.
            “Yeah, let’s hit the sack,” said Willie. “I’ll take the sofa.”
            “I’ll take the back of the recliner,” said Suzy.
            Soon both were snoozing away without a care in the world!

Deep In Drear December

 

❅❆❄🤍❄❅❆

            Now, as we know, humans of all types and persuasions are known to have a gifting day late in the year. It brightens things up before the year turns and is also often a celebration done in honor of the One.
            Therefore, as she sat in her warm stone and timber kitchen one evening, Thaga was deep in thought. Though a virtuous Neanderthal matron she was no stranger to this winter custom. Gifting was on her mind. But also some regret lingered there.
            She was thinking of the time Ramona came to her house to ask for a dress made in her rather heroic size and she had convinced Ramona to let the idea go because of practicalities such as laundry.
            Dinner was over. Ooog was snoring in his chair on the other side of the big wooden table. She had time to reconsider the past. She thought that perhaps she had been too full of her own opinion. She thought perhaps she could do better, prioritizing the person more than the article.
            Thaga began to plan and design. In her mind she could see something that she was pretty sure would thrill Ramona. Designers of all human species are like that. They see pictures in their minds. Adjustments are made to the initial idea until it is right, and then this image is kept in storage in the mind, to refer to frequently.
            What she had in mind was a sort of wrap around pinafore, to be worn on special occasions, or just for fun. Not quite a dress, but more than an apron, made of some nice heavy cotton printed with a riotous flower print of several warm colors. Red, yellows, some lavender and blue, and some leaves.
            There were ten days until the traditional gifting day. She had plenty of time, so she thought she might also finish the quilts for Twigg and Cherry that she and Ramona had sewn the tops for earlier.
            Thaga and Ooog’s house, though lovely as a picture, did not have electrical power. So Thaga had an old fashioned treadle sewing machine. Not having electric lights meant that she must do her sewing during daylight hours. If it had been summer she could have rolled it outdoors for the best light, but it was deep in December, so she would have to sew by a big bright window.
            So, on day one she got out the fabric from the stash in her sewing closet, and a big ruler and some tailor’s chalk, and her big fabric shears. When it came to measurements, Thaga was a past master at kind of guessing the size of a person. Plus pinafores are not closely fitting.
            That same day, she laid out her design in chalk lines directly on the fabric. Brimming with confidence, she then cut it out with her shears. After folding it all up for the next day, she made a dinner of mushroom soup and home made crackers with butter for Ooog.
            On day two, she threaded her machine with bright red thread where it sat in front of the biggest window in the house. She sewed all the long seams that day, then did the gathering and hems and such.
            When she looked up Maeve was standing on the window ledge outside looking extremely inquisitive. She asked her in, and she and Maeve had a nice discussion about the nature of surprises and keeping her big beak shut on the matter. They came to a good understanding.
            On the third day, she sewed eight buttons down the back of the bodice part of the pinafore. Then she drew lines on the other side to mark the buttonholes. These lines she drew in ink because she didn’t want them to rub off.  One by one, she hand embroidered around each buttonhole after she had cut it in with some small scissors. She did a nice neat job of it too.
            Evening came, she roasted potatoes, and a chicken, one of their own from the backyard chicken house.
            After dinner Thaga suggested that Ooog make something for Ralph. What they finally came up with was a sort of very large leather backpack, such that he could gather firewood and other useful items in.
            On day four they were both busy. He made a good start on the leather pack, and she finished and tied Cherry’s new quilt.
            On day five, he finished a rather grand version of a backpack, and she put the top and batting and back on Twigg’s quilt and tied it with yarn knots, to look very festive.
            On day six Thaga made a lot of ginger cookies, the crispy kind, not the soft ones because they keep better. Not that they would need to keep very long anyhow, cookie eaters being what they are.
            On day seven, they decided they didn’t want to wait until the real gifting day. They were ready. So while it was still midmorning, they bundled up with their warmest clothing and woolly hats and mittens and homemade boots with felt linings.
            Thaga folded up the quilts and the pinafore and tucked them into the leather back pack. She carried the cookies in a paper sack to keep them from crumbling. Then they started out walking through quite heavy snow across the meadow and down into the forest where the snow was not so deep. 
            They could smell smoke from Ramona’s perpetual fire as they got close to the Home Clearing. It was nice to enter the clearing because snow doesn’t really fall there much, just a little to look pretty. Also, by the time they got there they were glad to be seated near the fire.
            It was a perfectly beautiful winter day. Silent and stark, in sharp white and dark tree trunks with just a bit of bright blue sky overhead. A few birds muttered in the trees quietly.
            “Man, it’s good to see you two again so soon,” said Ralph. “Last time was just about too much! You guys all really snuck up on me!
            “What brings you out here today, so far from your nice warm house?” he asked.
            “Well,” said Ooog, “as you know a lot of us Hairless types have a gifting holiday around this part of the winter. Thaga and I decided to bring you some things we made for you and yours, to celebrate the birth of the One sent from the Maker.”
            Ramona sat down beside Thaga, and Twigg and Cherry came close also so see what it was all about.
            Ooog took the big pack off of his own back and opened it. 
            Thaga first took little Cherry’s quilt out. “Remember when we made the top, Ramona? Here it is all finished!” Then she wrapped it around Cherry, who held it close and looked at it very carefully.
            Then she took out Twigg’s quilt, smiling at the boy, and wrapped it around him.
                        “Oh, thank you Thaga!” he said. “You and mommy made a beautiful thing. I love it.”
            Finally, Thaga withdrew the beautiful pinafore and showed Ramona how to put it on. She said, “I’m sorry I was so cut and dried about what you wanted last summer. If it gets grubby, bring it to me and we will scrub it in my kitchen sink. There, you look wonderful. It’s just for fun or if you want to dress up for weddings or something.”
            Ramona wept a little, some happy tears, and hugged her good friend.
            At last, Ooog presented Ralph with the big leather backpack. Ralph could see the practicality of it immediately. He put it on and strode back and forth a few times so everyone could see how he looked wearing it.
            “This makes me want to go gather fire wood right now, Ooog! What a fine thing you made. It will last forever. Thank you! Thank you! It is the best thing anyone ever gave me, even better than that box of very fine cigars!”
            Ramona helped Twigg and Cherry put their quilts in their beds, and she hung her pinafore inside the cave to keep it nice until a good time to wear it. She was still quite awestruck by its glamour.

            Then, after presenting the ginger cookies, which were happily received, it was time to head home and get warm.
            Thaga wondered if Ramona would ever actually wear it, or just love it and keep the pinafore perfect and unspoiled.
            On the way back home through the snow Thaga smiled and took Ooog’s arm so he could help her through the snow. She kissed him and said, “thanks Sweetie, that was really fun. I’m very happy.”

Who Goes There?

 

          It was a day like so many others in the great forest.
            Morning came and was enjoyed like always. Ramona fed and cared for her family just like normal. Twigg and the puma bros went out to play in the snow that was drifted just outside of the Home Clearing. Cherry hung around with her mom around the fire.
            Ramona smiled a secret smile, almost as enigmatic as the cats’ smiles.
           Everyone who wanted one had drunk a fine cup of coffee after breakfast.
          Ralph, himself, was feeling a little thoughtful. He was feeling a little extra protective of his family and his animal friends and, in fact, the whole good forest.
            He sat gazing into the flames of the cooking fire. Sometimes he tossed another piece of deadfall into the flames, watching with satisfaction as the pockets of pitch it the wood caught fire and threw up little bursts of flame. He was hanging on to hope that he had seen the last of those flying contraptions. Ralph was careful not to worry. He wasn’t a worrier anyhow.
            Maeve flew down out of the treetops to sit on his shoulder. For once, she had nothing to say. She gazed into the fire also. Nothing unusual there.
            While they were sitting there, Linnet ran into the clearing, followed by her parents. She wanted to know where Twigg was and was sent off in the right direction. The parents took seats by the fire and were happy to try a cup of coffee. They seemed to like it. Ramona explained that sometimes it is taken with cream and or sugar, but that she only had the unadorned version.
            Everyone was toasting their toes near the fire and having a good talk. The fathers discussed hunting and such. The mothers discussed cooking and children and home crafts. Ramona rinsed out her coffee pot and made a fresh batch.
            Strangely, as it was gently boiling on the grid over the fire, Constance and Ferdy strode into the clearing. Constance was as beautiful as ever, and so was Ferdy. It was obvious that soon there would be another member of their family. Everyone was pretty excited to see that! The mothers hugged her and spoke quietly and privately with her. The three sat with their arms around each other, while Ferdy sat near Ralph and Linnet’s dad, talking about all kinds of male pursuits.
            “This is great,” said Ralph. “I love it that you all decided to visit today! What a happy accident!” Everyone agreed that sometimes really neat stuff just happens out of the blue, like a miracle. They were all smiling and laughing.
            Incredibly, Millicent and Colin appeared also.  It was almost too good to be true. Ralph was just tickled, and so was Ramona. Colin had a large box in his arms. He didn’t say anything about it though, and nobody took much notice of it anyhow.
            Pretty soon Twigg and Linnet and the cats came back from playing in the snow to dry out and warm up by the fire. They were excited to see so many guests and wondered why everyone had decided to visit on the same day.
            Ramona asked everyone to stay for dinner and everyone thought that was a wonderful idea. But she made no sign of starting to cook, but no one thought anything of it. They had every confidence that dinner would appear sooner or later.
            Conversation continued happily. Stories were told, and bits of histories explained. Comparisons made and love exchanged.
            Then Thaga appeared from the direction of the meadow and her home. She was bundled up against the cold with long skirts, sweaters and hat and mittens. She looked a little like a doll some child had overdressed a bit. She kissed Ramona, Constance and Linnet’s mom, and greeted the fathers nicely. She had a rather stuffed looking backpack on her back.
            Ooog followed her carrying a large box also, which was emitting steam and some very good smells. You’d think that by then the jig would be up, and maybe it was.
            Ralph just smiled at them all. He was really digging it. It was almost too good to be true, truly.
            Ooog said, finally, after holding up a hand for silence, “Ralph, old fellow, we don’t know when your birthday is, but it doesn’t matter. We decided to throw you a party anyhow, because every day is good and every day is a gift, and we love you.”
            The adults and the kids, and Maeve and Berry and Bob all stood up and cheered over and over until the forest rang with the sound of it. Birds and rabbits stopped their business for a moment to listen then went on their ways.
            Dinner turned out to be a grand lot of spicy grilled chicken and roasted potatoes and carrots from Ooog’s very good smelling box.
            After dinner, Colin’s box was opened and in it was a very large, very fancy cake from the best Milltown bakery. Raspberry filling and chocolate icing. Enough for everyone to have two slices.
            Then there was more coffee. Thaga opened her backpack and presented Ralph with a really fine box of cigars. She has her sources, for sure! There was also a nice big bag of coffee beans, since everyone had decided they liked coffee.
            Ralph made a speech, like you would after a surprise party, everyone cheered again.
            He thanked them and he told Ramona that he had been totally surprised! She thought she probably believed him, most likely.
            After much laughter and promises to get together soon, everyone drifted off towards home and sleep.
            The last to leave was Maeve.
            Her voice was heard clear up in the canopy caroling out “evermore!”

Further Aerial Developments

 

            Ralph had two things on his mind. The first was how to acquire more coffee beans for Ramona. The other thing that seemed like an open question to him was that flying machine which Ramona had smashed, and he had put in the dumpster down at the parking lot.
            He wasn’t sure of its means of communication. Had it been sending messages the whole time, starting from when Maeve captured it? Or were its pictures and sound recordings truly onboard the thing? He knew about sim cards and the memory chip in his phone, but he didn’t know how the thing was made.
            If it had been blabbing the whole time, who was getting the message. It bothered him. He didn’t say anything to Ramona about it. Maybe nothing would come of it!
            He was sitting on his big cedar log, deep in thought when Maeve arrived as suddenly as usual.
            “Hey, Ralph,” quoth the bird in question.
            “What’s up, Birdy,” answered himself.
            “I’ve been thinking about coffee,” said Maeve.
            “So have I,” admitted Ralph.
            “What are you going to do, Ralph,” she asked rather pointedly.
            “I’m going to send you to see Millicent, for one thing, Black Leg. I want you to tell her that we have discovered that we need a regular source of coffee beans. Find out if she has an idea of how we can pull this off,” instructed Ralph.
            Maeve ducked her head and regarded him with her bright black eyes. She chuckled, “Millicent is likely to be pretty surprised.” Then she shot off in the direction of downtown Milltown, where Millicent would be typing away in her office.
            He went back to thinking deeply. He was wondering how to apply his ancient, archaic skills to this new problem, if it turned out to be a problem. He thought of his various songs. He thought about the whole vanishing thing. He wondered if he could make the whole Home Clearing vanish. It was true that it was hard to locate anyhow, but sometimes various people had wandered into it without warning.
            Still thinking about coffee, however, Ralph decided to go see his old friend Ranger Rick, just to see if maybe he could trade some firewood or something with him for the occasional bag of coffee beans.
            The Ranger Station was a little jaunt past the parking lot, so he was on his way there when he began to notice that something had changed in the forest. He felt a sort of anxious chill run up his back and into his scalp. He stopped right where he was and listened intently. He opened his mouth wide so that he could hear and smell better. He shut his eyes and listened. It wasn’t a noise that would have been audible to Millicent or Rick, or maybe even Ooog or Thaga. But Ralph sort of felt it. It was not good news.
            He sensed a direction. It came from over the water near Milltown. It was a particulate sort of sound or vibration. Many sources, not one.
            “Oh no,” Ralph thought. “That thing did get its distress call out!” He needed to think fast.
            He stood there just open to the deep wisdom of the universe, and he got an idea. It seemed like what he needed was a song for reversal, and he thought of an old human song he had heard once while invisibly visiting some campsite while the radio was playing old 60s stuff.
            The song was called “Take It Back.” He had to laugh.
            He waited there until he saw some approaching machines, just a couple of them, far off in the sky over the direction of town. They carried assorted colored lights, and did not travel in straight lines. They sort of quested here and there nastily!
            Ralph faced the flying things, whatever they were. He raised both of his arms. He began to sing a song of Reversals, sung in ancient Saslingua, but aimed in a new direction. His song roared and echoed off of the trees and even out to the hillsides, then it tumbled downhill toward the very water, and it spread and was magnified.
            It worked. The subliminal sound retreated. The flying things stopped in midair and flew backwards in the direction they had come from. It was comical actually. He saw a couple of them do it.
            “That’s pretty cool,” though Ralph, “I’ll have to remember that one. Might come in handy for Squatch hunter expeditions.”
            “I bet they won’t try that again!” he thought happily. “I also bet they’ve forgotten what the whole thing was about.”
            He gazed around the great forest happily and decided to go home as it was getting a little late and he was thinking about dinner suddenly. Turning all those gizmos around had made him hungry.
            “What’cha been up to, Baby,” said Ramona when he got home.
            “Oh, you know. Checking it out. I figured out a new song,” said Ralph.
            “What kind of a song,” asked Ramona, while dishing up some stewed turkey.
            “One for turning bad things around and sending them back,” he said.
            “That sounds very useful!” said she.
            “I think so!” agreed Ralph.
            “Hey, look what Maeve brought,” said Ramona. “Millicent sent it back with her!”
            It was a two pound bag of roasted and ground coffee from the Bargreen’s roaster in downtown Milltown!
            “I owe her one, that’s for sure,” said Ralph to Ramona.
            The kids and cats had already had their dinners and were tucked into bed in the cave. So Ralph and Ramona sat out by the fire until it was truly dark and a few stars looked down at them from up in the canopy of Douglas firs.