Something different this year...

For the past few years, Pam and I have tried to do some different things when decorating the house and grounds for Christmas.  It is such a nice place and I really like being able to put up festive lights and other decorations.  I think it really helps spark the Spirit.

I put most of the lights on timers so they will come on at different times.  I especially like having the lights on at 7:00 a.m. for an hour or two so the kids who are going by on the school bus and the neighbors going up and down the road on their way to work will see them and  maybe have a little nicer start to their day.  I don't know, they might just see it as the old retired guy rubbing it in, but I choose to take the high ground and brighten their day.

So here is the newest set of decorations I put up.  Last year I put up these wreaths on the fence posts, but kinda thought it was missing something.  I didn't want blow-up Santas or lights that looked like reindeer or snow flakes on steroids.  Something nice and simple would do just fine.  So, I thought lights along the rails and around the wreaths might look good.  See what you think.

 I took these pictures shortly after putting them up, and just before sunset.  This was also before any snow came our way.  Unfortunately I never got around to taking a picture with the snow.

Snow came late to McCartyville Road so for about a month, this was what people would see as they drove by during the day. 

All in all, I thought it turned out pretty well.  In fact, we didn't take them down until well into the second week of January -- partly because the temperatures for the first two and a half weeks after Christmas never got above single digits and often hit negative numbers on the weather machine (just too dag-gone cold to be out there -- I could wait until the January thaw came...), and partly because I still liked the look of them.

I think I might go with this again next year.  I guess I'm kinda old school that way.

When we recall Christmas past, we usually find that the simplest things—not the great occasions—give off the greatest glow of happiness. (Bob Hope)


Hooah