Christmas Memories and Best Wishes to You All

From In the Garden

Ever heard of the Velveteen Santa? No? Maybe the Velveteen Rabbit? A story by Margery Williams about a stuffed rabbit that through the love of its owner becomes real? Have you heard of that story? Well once I tell you of my Velveteen Santa I think you all will relate to him. There he is standing tall and proud in the picture above. He is discolored and missing the stand he once stood on that made music and made him spin, but oh how he is loved! 

As a child in the 60s, and the oldest of four girls I have some really great memories of Christmas. You see, my mother always went all out for Christmas and has continued to do so even to this day. She would put decorations on all the walls, in the bedrooms, on the kitchen counter, and even under the tree. My Velveteen Santa sat under our Christmas tree along with Mrs. Santa, and a most beautiful angel. I don't know where the plan started in my family but somehow the Santa became mine since I was the oldest and he of course had rank. Mrs. Santa belonged to my sister Dawn (the next oldest), and the angel belonged to the third girl in our family, Joanne. The youngest of us four girls did not get her own 'velveteen' Christmas character. Perhaps the stores stopped selling these characters in the late 1960s or perhaps my mother just couldn't find the perfect complement to the three characters we already had but my youngest sister was left out. I'm not really sure why we didn't have four but this I know, Santa, Mrs. Claus, and the Angel were the most loveliest things I ever saw on Christmas eve. They were a comforting presence and always happy and cheery. When I see my Santa I am taken back to the excitement of being a child and waking up to a bunch of presents and the love of my family.

A few years ago my mother went through her Christmas decorations and as a surprise she sent these characters to her three oldest girls (myself, Dawn, and Joanne). When I saw my Santa it was tears that came to me, along with happiness for the connection to my childhood and family. Today I share him with you and wonder if you all will recall your very own 'Velveteen Santa' for us during this Christmas week. 

From In the Garden

While I don't go all out for Christmas I do decorate. This has been a great year because while we had an excellent Christmas in the Smokies last year, we are excited to be home for Christmas this year. All of our decorations came out of storage. Whew! It is a big job. This year is the first year in over eight that all decorations have come out of storage for the big holiday. This particular decoration is a Christmas tree someone made (not me) from baby food jars and then filled with lights. It is such a retro thing and so colorful that it is right at home in my household. I just love it and wanted to share it. The lights really aren't pink. They just look that way through the magic of photography that sometimes doesn't get the color just right. The colors are actually jewel toned primary colored lights that really look neat when shining through glass. Do you remember all the things you could do with baby food jars when your kids were young? Those baby food jars sure take me back.  What is your favorite Christmas decoration in your home?

From In the Garden

I guess I am a bit sentimental this time of the year when I can reflect and remember my family, my childhood, and even my whole life as I look to a new and welcoming year that is peeking around the corner waiting to jump out with a splash. I'm not the only one though and I know many of you recall fond memories and special times of when you were young. Catherine posted a very similar post to this one yesterday so jump over to her blog and check out her sentimental memories. If you post on your memories let me know and I'll be happy to link to them in this post too. 

Additionally postings on Christmas decorations: 

Barbara from Gardening in Mannheim Germany 

I want to wish everyone a very happy holiday season spending time with family and enjoying those wonderful childhood traditions and memories that take you back....

in the garden....


I will see you all after the holidays sometime next year so in the meantime please do share your memories with us. 

Happy Holidays to all of you from all of us here at In the Garden. 

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,  

In the Garden

David's Bicycle In the Garden

From In the Garden

Who remembers Montgomery Ward? It used to be one of the two dream stores for thousands, if not millions, of people a few decades ago. The other half of the dream store pair was of course that venerable old standby we still know as Sears. My 'new' bike gracing my garden came from Montgomery Ward. It was a dream for one eightish year old boy from Maine back in 1953 or 1954. Takes you back huh? This little boy's Uncle Walter purchased the bike for him from Montgomery Ward before the little boy even knew how to ride a bike. Can you just imagine being eight and learning to ride a big bike like this?

The little boy is now, ahem, sixty something years old and is my mother's husband. His name is David and he still lives in Maine. In spite of traveling the world as a Navy man many decades ago, even having served in the Old Guard, David still lives in his hometown in Maine. Actually, he and my mother live just across a field from where David grew up. The uncle who so kindly made a little boy's dream come true is gone now, but the memories of this first bike remain with the boy. That is why my 'new' bike for my garden is all the more special.

How did I come upon this treasure you might ask? Well, I have a surprise saved for next Friday's post explaining it a bit but let us just say my oldest daughter Christine moved this bike and another down here from Maine during her recent move from Maine into her new home. The two bikes were very dissimilar though I liked them both. When I saw David's bike, not knowing it was his bike, I said "Wow! I am not dismantling that one it is going directly in the garden." That is when my daughter said, "Papa will be most happy because it was his bike." That comment sealed the deal and enter one special bike for Tiger Gardens. I had been hoping to find just such a special bike and the fact it came from family makes it even more so. While it took me a few weeks to find the perfect spot for my new/old bike I love it here. It sure takes me back to those dream days when the Montgomery Ward and Sears catalogs were the best darn reading....

in the garden....

Many thanks to my family and a special thanks to David for parting with two of their bicycles! This parting may be a bit tough for Pack Rat Mimi but I can assure you all in Maine that the bikes are in good hands and will live on in the garden.

Words and Photos Property of In the Garden Blog Team,

In the Garden

Saving Poinsettias and More Great Tips

There will be two posts today, as I want to get out some information later on regarding an important organization and meeting next week. Look for it this afternoon.

Lola, a faithful reader in Florida, writes she has saved this poinsettia by repotting it in the spring and placing in outside in dappled shade. It sure looks beautiful and it is not too late to still save those poinsettias for those readers up here too! Repot and leave in the house until May or so, then put into the garden and I bet you too might get some really nice blooms like Lola.

I introduced Lola a few days ago, but it bears mentioning again. She is originally from Paris, Tennessee and used to pass through Clarksville on her trips between Florida and Paris. Sadly, her days of traveling are few and far between due to a hip injury-but gladly she still gardens and promises to share some great tips-just like some of you other regulars out there! She tells me she has pots all along a chain link fence which she fills with flowers, mostly petunias. She also uses large black tubs nursery's sell trees in to do some vegetable gardening. Some vegetables she grows are: squash, Egyptian onions, carrots and tomatoes to name just a few. Like Skeeter, Lola has spider plants coming out her ears amongst impatiens, geraniums and others. Another great tip Lola has is to use wreath holders to hang flower pots up. The hook works great.

Lola is a proud greatgrandmother to two little boys, Nicholas and Anthony. I love those names Lola. When I was pregnant with my twins I was told I would have a boy and a girl. The boys name was to be Nicholas Anthony! What a coincidence. When I had two girls I split the girls name I had picked out, Christine Elizabeth, hence my twins are Christine and Elizabeth. Had I had two boys, it would have been Nicholas and Anthony, I am sure.

I especially enjoyed Lola's email because she talked about her grandchildren and teaching them about gardening. Her grandson was just five years old when he planted, tended, harvested and ate corn all by himself (with a little help from grandma in the form of guidance). Her youngest grandson was in awe when he first learned carrots come out of the ground. Brings a smile to my face because it is such a special picture. We can all probably see it in our minds or perhaps these stories bring some memories of our own to the forefront of our minds.

Thank you so much for sharing Lola. I look forward to many more stories and pictures. I plan to do a post on children and gardening. All you readers out there (you too Lola, anonymous, dawn with peaches and anyone else interested), if you have a special picture of your children and/or grandchildren you would like to see on here-send them to me at ramseytina5@gmail.com.

in the garden....thinking about people and gardens and life and memories.