Happy Holidays

Today is Christmas, or at least it was when I started to compose this post. We don’t have snow or even coolish temperatures that would warrant wearing a sweater or scarf. What we do have is balmy weather. Yesterday, while walking through our neighborhood I stopped to watch these skateboarders as they skillfully rode up and down ramps and performed tricks on their skateboards. Their grace reminded me of ice skaters gliding across ice. This is the closest  I could come to capturing a winterish scene for a holiday salutation. On this note, I extend warm greetings to all of you during this holiday season and may you find joy, peace and delight in the coming New Year.

‘Tis the Season to be Hopeful

My husband is an Eagle Scout, so regardless of where we have lived, we typically purchase our Christmas tree from the local Boy Scout Troop. Our current neighborhood of Oakhurst is honored to have the oldest troop in the Atlanta Council. It was established in 1911. As we were loading our tree into our car, I noticed several people assisting the cyclist in the above image attach a large tree to his bike. When I asked the cyclist why he had decided to transport a tree on his bike, rather than in his car, he responded, “Because I want to prove I can.” He had never attempted this feat before but did say that he had been successful in hauling a 200-pound lawnmower on his bike. The cyclist was concerned whether he would arrive home with the tree intact and I wondered whether the tree would even make it home on the bike. As the cyclist pedaled furiously up the hill out of the parking lot, bystanders cheered.

After gathering some greenery we headed back home. As we approached our street I spotted the cyclist in the far distance. Once we caught up with him, I jumped out of the car and captured the cyclist pedaling madly with the tree intact and secure. Perhaps the lesson learned from this tenacious neighbor of mine is to stay hopeful even when confronted with the improbable.