Image by Claximoli from Pixabay December is here, so in keeping with Rowland family tradition, I’m going to start celebrating the season early. To be honest, I’m far from the first of my brothers and sisters to do this; my eldest sister started decorating before Halloween. But don’t worry, I have no plans to get sentimental right out of the gate. Instead, I came across an AI joke generator that I decided to try out. While the results aren’t side-splitting, with a few…
I thought I’d finish off the season with a last few jokes to send you on your way into the new year, jokes I’ve searched for high and low from every corner of the internet! While I will allow you to judge whether these are the best (or worst) ever, I hope you will enjoy this last post of the Christmas season! What goes “Oh, oh, oh?” Santa walking backwards! (Cue the groans!) Why don’t snowmen get married? Because they…
I wanted to jump in and wish you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year, or whatever you prefer to celebrate. I love this time of year, for the hearts of everyone we meet seem to be somehow softened at this time of year. I am a Christian and celebrate the birth of the Savior, Jesus Christ at this time of year, but I see this softening in anyone, and not only Christians. May you have all the…
In the spirit of Christmas, I decided to refresh my memory with regards to celebrations of the season in Jane Austen’s day. It did not take long to find a trove of information. To tell the truth, there are so many good sources that condensing it comes down to a struggle between what to include and which to leave for another article. Christmas in the early part of the nineteenth century was similar to the season now. For estates such…
Today I want to share three of what I think are the prettiest Christmas songs of the past sixty years. They are not carols, but they do bring the spirit of the season. The first is “I Believe in Father Christmas” by Greg Lake. A bit of interesting trivia about this song is he did not compose it as a celebration of the season, but rather as a protest over what he saw as the increasing commercialization of the holiday….
I’ve been thinking a lot about life and mortality of late. If you read Colin’s tribute post you will know that our mother passed away at the beginning of the month. In the latter years of her life, she began to struggle with immobility and problems with her legs that left her walking with a walker, and then later essentially confined to a wheelchair when she wanted to get around. Even worse, she was diagnosed with dementia, which became so…
With Christmas mere days from now, I thought I’d mix the holiday with some trivia about the Rockefeller Christmas Tree in New York City. This might be the most recognizable Christmas tree in the world and, based on the time, effort, and money that goes into creating this magnificent display every year, the title is well deserved. Every one of these trees is massive, ranging in height from 69 to 100 feet. Decorating takes almost two weeks and the lighting…
I apologize for returning to Christmas music for yet another post, but I was trying to think of what I should post to fit the glimmer of gold theme when I heard the song “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.” This song is one of my favorites, and it is a great illustration of how there is always a glimmer of gold beneath even the darkest of circumstances. If you aren’t familiar with the song or the poem, here…
The arrival of the Christmas season lifts my spirits every year. I love the smiles and good wishes we seem to exchange so freely and the peace I feel in my heart that honestly is not present in such quantity through much of the year. I especially love the Christmas carols that play in most stores and over the sound systems in shopping malls. There is something about them that affects me. Some of these songs are beautiful, with gorgeous…
It is strange to say there is little going on just before Christmas, but when it comes to publishing, there is relatively little going on. I am hard at work writing, but my current project will not see the light of day until at least February or March, longer if the audiobook company decides to pick it up. It has a tentative title: No Indignity so Abhorrent. I hope that does not give you too many shivers. While the book does…