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Tis the Holiday Season

And we're full of good cheer

Thank you so much for joining me here

Hope your days are festive

And your spirits are bright

I'm ready for a "walk" now

You may join me if you'd like ...

(All poetry Copyright 2009 - Ginger D. Renken)



One of my "favorite" winter memories ...

Ice skating with my entire immediate family

Mother, Father, sister and brother

Wherever we could find "ice"

Then would come the "fire"

Warm woolen, heavy knitted "mittens"

Christmas gifts

Compliments of Grandma Gwen's loving heart and skilled hands

(A pair for every cousin in the family)

Would be removed (by teeth or other body parts)

To hasten frozen hands over the sparking flames

Then, an ice cold Pepsi or a cup of hot cocoa!

Those were the days!




Settle in for a long winters' nap?

I don't "think" so!

Too much anticipation permeates the air!

This is the time for scurrying; isn't it?





Family, family, family

What it's ALL about




That's what makes you just want to go "all out"!





HAPPY HOLIDAYS ARE HERE AGAIN!




Hope your holidays are just way too much FUN

I'll just keep playin' that out on my drum





May you be humming old holiday tunes

Ones having been sung for many, many "moons"







I send you warm wishes

Wherever you are




May your heart reach and touch

That Bright, Morning Star










As you venture onward

To the time you will share





















With family and friends; people who care.


HAPPY HOLIDAYS!





"Gonna' Take A Sentimental Journey"





I'm just passin' through





And takin' some time






To share it with you







It's my history





I know you have yours ...






Sometimes it's nice





To just "open the doors"


Join me?





Whenever I think "a sentimental journey" ...


I hear myself singing "that SONG," with my family around the piano ...

My Grandparent's home

I envision the old sheet music before me

I remember the cover

(Of the sheet music.)

I see my Aunt at the piano

And I would imagine it's still in someone's house

(The sheet music, not the piano)

These fifty years later




And fifty years later ...



We're more attractive than we were before ...



(Oh, this one's me, by the way.)



We certainly have more to "talk" about ...



mmmhmmmm ... (Not ... Doris Day.)



We can still "strike a pose" ...



(This would be "me" again.)







And some things, well, they just ... take an added measure of patience ...







Sentimental Journey

This nostalgic tune evokes memories of the 40s, in a way few others can do. It was written by Bud Green, Les Brown and Ben Homer in 1944. The vocal was sensitively done by Doris Day, despite unfounded fears of the extreme vocal ranges required.Some in the band first thought that the song was not going to connect with the kids, but at it's debut in the Hotel Pennsylvania's Cafe Rouge the kids went crazy! It was finally recorded at the Les Brown Band's first session after the infamous recording ban. Even now, nearly 60 years later, the song still pleases... and still calls to mind the names of Les Brown and Doris Day.

Here are the famous lyrics as sung by Doris on the 1944 recording:



Gonna take a Sentimental Journey,
Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a Sentimental Journey,
to renew old memories.

Got my bags, got my reservations,
Spent each dime I could afford.
Like a child in wild anticipation,
I Long to hear that, "All aboard!"

Seven...that's the time we leave at seven.
I'll be waitin' up at heaven,
Countin' every mile of railroad
track, that takes me back.

Never thought my heart could be so yearny.
Why did I decide to roam?
Gotta take that Sentimental Journey,
Sentimental Journey home.
Sentimental Journey.


Copyright 1944 by Morley Music Co., Inc.
31 West 34th Street, N.y., N.Y. 10019
Copyright renewed 1971. All Rights Reserved.


http://www.youtube.com/user/SentimentaIJourney



This Christmas Season - 2009
















I plan to have myself a very, very "good time"!














A month before Christmas and all through the house
Everything's stirring
Yes ... even my spouse













All things get nestled
Snug in their stead
While visions of more "to do"
Race through my head!

















Then what to my wondering eyes should appear?
Oh my ! Only eight days ... and
Christmas is HERE!





Is this what Christmas

Is all about?

For Heaven's Sake "NO"

I figured that out!



Many years ago

As a very young child

I learned the song ...

"Holy infant so tender and mild ..."



Faith in my family

Was "core" and "key"!

Christmas ne'er portrayed

Christ-less - to me



Without reservation

Heir to a jovial line

Who believed in living

And sharing "good times"!




I ne'er saw such things

As separate back then

Believe in the Lord

In family (God, Santa, snowmen, Santa, snow-angels, ice skating, sledding [as a child]) ... and friends


It all went together

Worked hand in hand

It formed in my life

A most wonderful band



I love every good time

I was blessed to have had

I'll ne'er be able

To see it as "bad"


Copyright 2009 - Ginger D. Carothers
Dedicated to all of my precious and beautiful family.



O Christmas Tree

O Christmas Tree



Grandparents, Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, friends

All gathered 'round the tree

My sweet, sweet Grandmother

Filled with such glee




At the sight of her loved ones

All gathered there

The warm fragrance of Christmas

Filling the air


The glow on their faces

From twinkling lights on the trees

"Now sing round the piano!"

She'd timidly plead, "Please?"




O Grandma, sweet Grandma

I wonder, did you know?

How these reflections would remain with us

As the years would come and go?




Joy and excitement

Creativity, beauty and charm

I loved watching it all

Holding onto your arm




Our family, our family

What a sight to behold

To me, as a child

It would never grow old




Everything in abundance

Food, fun, love, laughter

Everything in extreme

Everyone bubbling

Exploding with gleam




O wonders of wonders

O ancient of days

How I now love pondering

Those old paths, those old ways!



Now this time, intriguingly

Quiet,still, moved far away

An aroma wisps itself in

Ah yes, from quite another day






I breathe in intensely

Oh yes, take my fill

Intoxicating, it's all there

Present with me at will



A day, a day

I shall never outlive

Nor would I choose to

Ne'er, aslong as I live


(copyright 2009 - Ginger D. Renken)

Dedicated to my Grandmother Gwen Carothers
To my Grandmothers not given opportunity to know well - Grandmother Effie Mae Farmer/Lewis and her Mother
And to my treasured Great Grandmother Roxy Ackerman
And foremost, to my own Mother, Loretta Agaline Lewis/Carothers - who there are no words to express her presence, place and effect in my life.










The Christmas Bells

They are ringing, ringing, ringing









The Carolers they're out there

Singing, singing, singing













We can't allow time

To be wasted away








We must use the hours

Given each day



To prepare for this one special

Time of the year




And believe me, believe me

It's fast drawing near


So hustle and bustle

In the crisp, wintry air



And please, please

For me




Love, laugh and enjoy

Even as you "prepare"!

Copyright 2009 - Ginger D. Renken





Put your dancing shoes on

Make yourself ready


Celebrate, decorate, shop ...

Bake some Brown Betty


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_Betty_(dessert)
It's an interesting "story"!



Taste test a little

Like any good cook



Sit for a moment

And read from a book







Then rise up again

Take your shoes from the hook









'Cause as they say, honey

"It's time - we've gotta' book!



And it's time to start pulling "those books"

From the shelves

And if you believe in it ...

It's time for those "elves"





Even an "old tin" can speak

Pondering Christmases Past

While all hubbub present

Creates memories to last





The older I get, the more I'm aware of "my days" on this earth ... that one day ... I will no longer be present ... All that I am, have known, have been and experienced ... will be "lost".

Then arises in me a vehement "desire" to preserve ... some of what stands as "treasure" ... my loved ones ... from whom I've emerged ... what things were "close" to their hearts ... shared with us ... many of them ... passing before they could leave their heart's longings behind ... to live with and in us ... to mesh ... as a part of ... ultimately ... who we've become.

MEMORIES!

Still living ... still being built upon ... Yes ... I remember you ... each time I look at ... each time I ... oh, Yes ... I remember you ... and "your day".

I will attempt to honor your memory ... in what things I do ... say ... participate in ... in just about everything I put my hand to!


Christmas ... my very favorite time
of the year ... ! Not only because (for me)
it is centered around the celebration of the Lord Jesus Christ, but also, it is an enormous "keeper" of
beautiful family (childhood)
memories for me!



Especially at Christmas

I incorporate the "past"

Antique: Belonging to or dating from former or bygone times; ancient (often with reference to Greece or Rome); characteristic of former times; old-time; old-fashioned; antiquated. The antique (usually the Greek or Roman) style, esp. in art; also, an antique relic, esp. an object of art; also, a style, esp. a style of type

Antiquate: to make antique or out of date.

Antiquated: Old-fashioned; out of date; superannuated.

Antiquation: The act of rendering antiquated; antiquated state.

Antiquity: The quality of being ancient; ancient character; great age; also, ancient times; also, the ancients; also, something belonging to or remaining from ancient times.E




Buttons and Bows




Time for creative juices to flow


It doesn't always take so "MUCH"

To make things to be ... just (so) "SUCH"





From one season, now

We glide into another



I can't believe it's "fall" already. again. I can smell it in the air though. I do believe it to be my favorite season of the year. Although, I don't really know that I favor one over the other however. I think I rather enjoy them all. Certain aspects of each one appeals to me.

These are gift bags that I designed a few years back. I also composed a seasonal "jack-o-lantern" song for children. It was recorded for a play that I wrote for the children of our church (1998?). To my surprise, adults liked the song more than or at least equally as much as, the children. There were adults who cried upon hearing it - not in a bad way but in a healing way - I guess it touched something in them. (That's a wonderful thing.) Someday, I would like to market it, as I don't believe there to be many songs addressing this holiday for Christian children.)


















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