By Arnold Krusemark December is here and most of us are taking stock of how the year has gone. For outside activities the gardening is done for another year. Farmers are also done with most field work. About this time my father used to put up snow fences when he could still pound stakes to hold the fences up.
And the house would get banked with straw - sometimes straw bales and inside the house the furnace is now going, the garage can handle the car again, and our snow removal equipment is ready. Our house work has changed a bit too. With our family finances now on the computer, quite a little time is going to determine how things went financially. And also get our end of year checks ready for charities so they count on 2024 taxes.
And then there are the holidays too. Remaining Christmas presents are to be bought (or made). Christmas cards to be prepared and sent. And then the holiday meals, etc. We found out this week that the Post Office got an avalanch of mail to deliver with Black Friday sales (especially from Amazon sales). We do miss the Christmas catalogues we used to get. Frequently it was the Black Friday when we went through the catalogues to see what was new this year and possibly make out our first order. Tree ornaments were usually included in the order.
When this writer grew up, we heated the house via oil burner(s). When it got cold enough for the the oil burner, it would magically show up on the living room. Along with the fuel delivery truck. And Christmas trees (real trees) would show up at the local stores. We would select one and bring it home. Then about mid-December we would get out the tree stand and decorations and clear a spot in the living room for it.
Then decorate the Christmas tree. And finally the presents (usually carefully wrapped) would show up to be placed under the tree to await Christmas opening. There was always enough things to get done. Mother used to say that vacations were not relief from work - only a different set of things needing doing. Now the same is true.
Be sure to care for your house plants too.
Until next week.
