I love my occasional visits with the New-Harmony Gazette's publishing and editing team, Dan Barton and Ann Rains. They always bring interesting items to the table for brainstorming and I come away from each get-together with my spirits lifted, new project ideas flitting and buzzing around in my head and that intense feeling of satisfaction I get from time well spent. They've become trusted colleagues and friends and I cherish the time we spend together. Ann is a gifted author, multi-media artist and illustrator and soon will have three Ebooks for children available. Her schedule is jam-packed with an invigorating and colorful blend of works-in-progress, quality time with Pepper (her adopted K9), writing and editing for the next New-Harmony Gazette edition as well as steadily striving to complete her own commissioned art projects. In light of her intense schedule, when I have the privilege of including one of her writes here on flashPress, I'm always honored that she considers my little corner of the indie biz community to showcase and share her articles. Her own website is still under construction but coming together nicely and should be ready to debut not long after we ring in the new year. In the meantime, please enjoy her latest and last post bringing a blessed 2015 to a close. The Christmas TreeChristmas for children is full of wonderment and magic. It was no less for me when I was a child of nine, seemingly eons ago. That year my mother, who struggled to make ends meet, told my sister and I that there would be no Christmas tree. In my child’s heart, I could not fathom having Christmas without a tree. I dressed as warmly as I could against the cold blowing across the farmland. Then, surreptitiously I took the ax from the shed and head bowed against the chilling wind, headed into the fields behind the house. There was a small wild cedar tree growing far back in the fence row a couple of fields distant. I had seen the tree in my outdoor trekking with childhood friends. The tree was struggling up through the fence. Larger tree stumps at the bottom of the fence roll attested to the fate of the little tree. By the time I arrived at the tree, my mittened hands were tingling with cold, as well as my nose. The wind was fierce but I set about the work of cutting down the tree. It was not easy--wild cedars are prickly trees. As I pushed the tree sideways and tried to hold it so that it was possible to reach the bottom of the trunk, those prickles went right through my mittens. With the perseverance and determination of a child wanting something for Christmas, the little tree was felled. I carried the lop-sided tree home like a baby across my chest with the immense pride of success. Mother was amazed and set it in the tree stand. Even she had to put on gloves to handle it. Mom strung the lights on the tree and sis and I decorated it. Although the wild cedar tree did not remain too long in the house—the odor of a wild cedar is not very pleasant—we did have a Christmas tree. What a beautiful site on Christmas morning to see the tree lit with presents under it. The tradition of having a Christmas tree is ancient. Celts, before Christianity, placed evergreen boughs around their entryways thinking it warded off ghosts and evil. It was not until the 16th century that Christians began to place Christmas trees in their homes. The tradition is attributed to the Germans, specifically, Martin Luther. The story is that Martin Luther, coming home late one night, was enthralled with the beauty of the stars twinkling through the branches of the evergreens. He cut an evergreen, brought it home and decorated it with candles for his family. Having a Christmas tree in your home may or may not be a pagan custom, but nonetheless it is part of a child’s magic of Christmas. And that star or angel that tops the tree is a symbol of the real meaning of Christmas. “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a savior, which is Christ the Lord.” The wrap!My thanks to Ann for another visit to flashPress and her consistent support of the indie biz community in a variety of methods and venues. And, before you go, please don't miss the latest from some other fav indie-bloggers.
Links are listed below for you. Wishing you and your loved ones a wonderful Christmas and a my sincerest thanks for the generous tips several of you have sent to me through PayPal. It's your support that enables me, and other indie biz photo-journalists and bloggers to do what we do for this wonderful community that we're very grateful to be a part of! Thank you for your visit today, God bless you for the read and see you back again next week! femmeflashpoint
6 Comments
Gail Sobotkin
12/22/2015 06:16:18 pm
Aw Femme, your story about chopping down your own tree at the age of 9 really touched my heart. Thanks for sharing it.
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femmeflashpoint
12/22/2015 07:12:43 pm
Dear Gail, so happy you enjoyed Ann's story. I enjoyed it just as much as you did!
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Shauna
12/23/2015 08:18:37 am
What a touching story! Even at the age of nine, Ann's tenacity and determination came through.
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femmeflashpoint
12/23/2015 09:05:43 am
Shauna,
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How wonderful this story is...Ann is already a treasured member of Weeblyhood, thanks to you, dear femme.
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femmeflashpoint
12/24/2015 08:52:03 am
Prof. Mahreer,
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