December 6, 2014.
Today is St. Nicholas Day, December 6.
It is also the day that our Mom, Josephine Toth Banko, Gram B, was born, in 1915. If she were still living, she would be ninety-nine ---- 99 ---- years old!
Bill and Jennifer picked me up at 5:10 p.m. last evening (Dec 5) to go to Vespers at church, and right after that, the Christmas Play would be put on by the Teen Group. During Vespers all the Teen Group (almost twenty of them) sat in the two front pews, in the Nave. They looked wonderful to me! Our eighteen-year-old Veronica was on the end of one pew, right across the middle aisle, from me! Lovable Veronica!
It was very nice to be at church. I was in pain, though, with my hips from "the exercise" that I gave them the evening before (Dec 4) when we went to the Art Exhibit of a songwriter, who had spent so much time decorating many old guitars with beads, buttons, little tiny mirrors, and all sorts of little items. I stood around those decorated guitars, making a camera shoot so I could look at those decorated items, more than once. I couldn't take myself away from all those old guitars so thoroughly decorated. Each one also had some thoughts written on a small sheet of paper.
About "the exercise," I was really hoping that it wouldn't get worse! But this morning it feels a little better, thank goodness! It was pure pain for quite a few hours afterward. There's still some pain, but not like yesterday.
I just took a look at the outdoors from my front door, and most of the leaves are gone from the trees, leaves are blowing 'all over the place' with such gusty winds. The biggest thrill was that there were so many birds between the backyard (which I didn't look at) and the place across the street! The neighbors have a round tree on their front lawn that is so magnificent. So many birds love to fly around the tree, and use it for 'parties' and 'conventions'.
This morning I thought they were blackbirds, and I just stood there watching them flying to and fro, away, then they came back again and again. They would be flying up above the front lawn here, up over the front door to the roof probably, and as they flew over, I suddenly saw the color of their breasts!
Golly, it is December 6, St. Nicholas' Day, and they must be celebrating, because these lovely exciting birds turned out to be ROBINS! Robin Redbreasts! I can hardly believe it. Did they come back for spring, or what? Are they all testing the area so they can stay here now? The weather has been unusual this year, and they probably think it's almost spring and time to get their nests going.
Or, could they be flying south from northern areas, and took a nice place to relax for a half hour? I am truly flabbergasted. I dearly love to see the birds return.
Back to the Christmas Play at church, it was about St. Nicholas, a bishop from Myra, who would secretly put coins in shoes after bedtime, depositing coins for young ladies who desperately needed dowries so they could get married. It was a very moving little Christmas Play, and the Teen Group were so good at playing their parts. Near the end of the play, they sang, first the girls, then the boys, and my eyes teared up quite a bit. It was so lovely. Our Veronica was playing "grandma" to one girl, and I would certainly love to see Veronica in a play again, as she grows older. She was very good.
After the Play, there was a very enjoyable Snack Time of many kinds of hummus and many different kinds of chips. There was also a plate of veggies for dipping, but I think the chips were so interesting that they won over.
I'll see you at the Corner Post ...
