The Twelve Things That Need to Go Into the HHR and a Tree...

First, my car. It is a Chevy HHR and for the most part, a very roomy car.

We are taking it downstate for Christmas and that worrisome thought about how is everything going to fit inspired me to create my own chorus version of 

The Twelve Days of Christmas.

The Twelve Things that Need to Go Into My HHR

Twelve Christmas Gifts

 (at least)

Eleven Plus Packages of Frozen Pork 

(Our oldest son ordered a 1/4 pig from a friend up here.)

Ten Frozen Venison Steaks

 (Actually 52 Steaks. We processed a deer for our youngest son.)

Nine Kitchen Items 

(For serving 23 at a party on Sunday.)

Eight Misc. Food Items from Gordon Foods Service

Seven Packages of Corn 

(for two Christmas Parties. The corn is not from GFS)

Six Days Worth of Clothes 

(as well as coats, boots, Christmas socks, etc.)

Five Pounds of Frozen Meatballs

 (to put in the Crock Pot)

Four Packages of Christmas Plates and Napkins

Three Spiral Hams

Two Big Black Excited Dogs 

(along with leashes, dog treats, dog beds, dog food, and a shock collar with charger 

so Bear doesn't steal the neighbors chickens. Again.)

And A Crock Pot in The Back Seat.

(For the meatballs).

Again, I show you the car. It is going to take a Christmas miracle.

Now. The Tree.

Not a Christmas Tree, but a big, tall, very dead tree.

This was Steve yesterday, analyzing yet again for the umpteenth time 

the unsafe tree in our backyard.

Today we are blessed to be in the midst of a snowstorm that is suppose to leave 12 plus inches of snow in its wake. But tonight the wind kicks in and there are 50 mile per hour wind gusts predicted. As I write this, the snow is whipping sideways outside my window. We're hoping our electricity doesn't go out as it seems to do with many of the storms that pass through. (Currently, we are losing our TV satellite).

And we are hoping the bad boy above doesn't fall over.

So as the storm kicked in...(that's my wood duck house in the background. Thanks Jay!)

and after re-analyzing the tree one last time I hope, Steve took out his ladder. And I prayed.

Because what you can't see is that the tree is leaning towards the house and with the help of gravity will fall on the house. So, Steve hooked up a cable high in the dead tree and wrapped it around the base of a big Pine tree in the woods to control how the tree fell when he cut it down with the chain saw.

Me (calling out from the house): "Hey, can I help in any way?"

Him (hesitation): "Naw, everything should go ok."

Should?

He moved the vehicles very far from the house, but never once told me to go into the garage, stay to the far side of the house, go stand by the truck and car...

stopped for a moment to chit-chat with our snow plow guy,

then proceeded to cut,

and cut.

My nervousness got the better of me and I went into the other room.

Soon I heard a loud thump away from the house. I grabbed my camera and ran to the front room only to see his beaming face waiting for me outside the window.

Him: "Didn't you watch?"

Me (shaking my head): "I was too nervous."

Him (pointing in the direction of the tree): 

"Perfect! It fell perfect, just as I knew it would!"

I took a deep breath.

Sheesh. 

No more big ugly scary tree and we'll get a good night's sleep tonight 

as we listen to the wind howling outside.

As Steve was getting ready to chop down the tree,

Ike chomped on a deer antler shed he found somewhere,

while Bear pretended not to care.

(Ike on the right. Bear on the left pretending to sleep.)

But it was too much to bear for Bear. 

She wanted a nibble and was just waiting for Ike to share.

(FYI: the dogs were in the kennel when the tree came down.)

This next week will be busy and fun hanging out with friends and family while making lasting memories.  I may not be back on for awhile, or I may just surprise you (like I did this week. I posted twice! Applause!). But in any event, I want to wish every blog reader a very Merry Christmas full of Joy and Peace as we focus on the reason for Christmas and how very blessed we all are that Jesus was born! The whole miracle is truly amazing and I love what the Bible says conveying Jesus' mother Mary's peaceful disposition on that first Christmas night:

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:9 (NIV)

I wish that for all of us -- peaceful events and warm memories that we treasure up and ponder forever.

(And I hope you all share :)