The Angels Story
Through the blue and frosty heavens,
Christmas stars were shining bright.
Glistening lamps throughout the city
Matched their gleaming light.
The winter snow was lying,
And the winter winds were sighing,
Long ago one Christmas night.
From every tower and steeple
Pounding bells sounded clear.
With such tones of gladness
Signalling that Christmas time was near.
Many a one that night was merry,
Celebrating their toils through out the year.
Te right, saw old wrongs forgivin,
Friends long parted, reconciled,
Voices unused raised in laughter.
Mournful eyes that rarely smiled;
Trembling hearts that feared the morrow,
From their anxious thoughts beguiled.
Rich and poor felt love and blessing
From the gracious season fall,
Joy and pleanty in the cottage,
Peace and feasting in the hall,
And the voices of children
Ringing clear above it all!
Written by my sister Denise Forty, 2004
Reginald and Denise would like to wish you all a safe and Happy Christmas.
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Our Family NewsletterHappy holidays from our family to yours!
Hello and happy holidays! Once again I have decided to send out a newsletter to wish all a Merry Christmas and to let everyone know what's going on in our family. We will not be able to make it down to Hamilton this year and this is the next best thing to being there. In this newsletter I will update you on family news, interests and throw in some recipes and pictures to brighten your Holiday season. I hope you find the context informative and entertaining.
Family NewsDan: I still drive for Amey's taxi(Kingston, Ontario). I recently had a couple of hernias repaired and am doing great now.
I run an online golf league called Golfers United, you can find it at
"http://home.cogeco.ca/~golfersunited/index.htmlI also race NASCAR online with East Coast Motor Sports at
href="http://www.ecmsl.org/I also play America's Army online at
http://www.gig-aa.com/americasarmy/index.aspYou can talk to me online through my MSN
taxi34dtrl@netscape.net or ICQ GU_TAXIMAN34 (11-008-242) or Yahoo Messenger at "taxi34_dtrl" or e-mail
dmassie@cogeco.ca.
Cherylanne: I still work at Kingston Brew Pub as a cook. In my spare time I like to work on our family web site.
http://www.dancheryl.com/There you find all kind of good things that we like and links to all our favourite things. you can find me at our e-mail
dmassie@cogeco.ca and my ICQ Bulldog (94-341-007)
James 2005
I am in grade 9 at QECVI High School. I am doing good and get good grades. I am involved in many extra curricular school projects for the school charity, the community and the enviorment. I have already aquired the 40hrs. community service hours required to graduate. I have built a website at
http://www.jamesloveys.piczo.com/?cr=2&rfm=y. I am taking dramatic arts this year and I am in the play "The Best Christmas Pageant Ever".
Photos From "The Best Christmas Pageant"
Over Halloween I was a zombie in the
Scaretacular event at the Kingston Family Funworld. It was fun and I earned community service hrs. My e-mail and MSN is
james91@cogeco.ca.
Tracy 2005
I am in grade 6 at JG Simcoe and am doing good and getting grood grades. I like to draw and do crafts, like making things out of craft lace called gimp. I really love the Bratz dolls. I am in carpentry and have built a CD holder and am now doing a bird house. I am also involved in bucket drumming, we recently preformed at the school simcoe star assembly. I got my ears pierced for my birthday and will be able to take the studs out and wear regular earrings by February. I like to talk to my friends on MSN you can find mee too at
tracy94@cogeco.caTabby: I am still spoiled princess cat and do what ever I want.
Christmas Dinner
Roast Turkey Dinner
1 Turkey
1 Loaf of Bread
1/2 + 1 cup of chicken stock or white wine
1 cup of celery(diced)
1 cup of onions(diced)
1 cup mushrooms(sliced)
2 tbls. garlic(minced)
sage or poultry seasoning
salt
pepper
butter
flour
Rinse turkey well with cold water and set aside. In a fry pan melt a little butter and saute celery, onions, mushrooms, and garlic until tender, set aside to cool. Break bread up into small pieces. Add veg, mixture to bread with 1/2 cup stock/wine. Add 3 to 4 tbls, sage or poultry seasoning and salt and peeper to taste. Mix stuffing well. Stuff turkey. Place turkey in roasting pan. Rub turkey with butter and sprinkle sage or poultry seasoning all over turkey. Pour 1 cup stock or wine in bottom of roaster. Cover roaster and place in 350 degree oven. Cook turkey for about 15 to 20 min per pound. Baste turkey every 1/2 hour.
Turkey Gravy
Remove pan drippings from roaster, and enough stock or wine to drippings to make 2 cups. Make a rue (butter and flour) in a sauce pan, pour drippings and stock mixture slowly into rue wisking vigorously. Season to taste and bring to boil, cook for one minute. Searve with your favourite veggies and favourite style potatoes.
Christmas Cake
1 pound pitted prunes
1 pound raisins
1 1/2 pounds currants
1/4 pound cherries
1/2 cup brandy
1/4 cup dark rum
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/4 cups butter
1 pound dark brown sugar
9 eggs
2 teaspoons nutmeg
1 teaspoons cloves
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup molasses
Method
Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. In a large bowl, soak fruit in wine and rum. In another large bowl, sift flour and baking powder together: set aside. In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar well. Add eggs one at a time, blending well after each addition. Add spices and molasses; stir. Add fruit mixture to the batter and mix well. Add flour mixture last and stir thoroughly combined. Spoon batter into a pan lined with geased paper and cover with greased paper. Bake for 2 hours.
Let cool and enjoy!!
My Angels are growing up. Merry Christmas And A Happy New Year.
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For my mother, Christmas will never be the same without her.
Mother's Soul, The
by Isabella Valancy Crawford
When the moon was horned the mother died,
And the child pulled at her hand and knee,
And he rubbed her cheek and loudly cried:
'O mother, arise, give bread to me!'
But the pine tree bent its head,
And the wind at the door-post said:
'O child, thy mother is dead !'
The sun set his loom to weave the day;
The frost bit sharp like a silent cur;
The child by her pillow paused in his play:
'Mother, build up the sweet fire of fir !'
But the fir tree shook its cones,
And loud cried the pitiful stones:
'Wolf Death has thy mother's bones!'
They bore the mother out on her bier;
Their tears made warm her breast and shroud;
The smiling child at her head stood near;
And the long, white tapers shook and bowed,
And said with their tongues of gold,
To the ice lumps of the grave mold:
'How heavy are ye and cold!'
They buried the mother; to the feast
They flocked with the beaks of unclean crows.
The wind came up from the red-eyed east
And bore in its arms the chill, soft snows.
They said to each other: 'Sere
Are the hearts the mother held dear;
Forgotten, her babe plays here!'
The child with the tender snowflakes played,
And the wind on its fingers twined his hair;
And still by the tall, brown grave he stayed,
Alone in the churchyard lean and bare.
The sods on the high grave cried
To the mother's white breast inside:
'Lie still; in thy deep rest bide!'
Her breast lay still like a long-chilled stone,
Her soul was out on the bleak, grey day;
She saw her child by the grave alone,
With the sods and snow and wind at play.
Said the sharp lips of the rush,
'Red as thy roses,O bush,
With anger the dead can blush !'
A butterfly to the child's breast flew,*
Fluttered its wings on his sweet, round cheek,
Danced by his fingers, small, cold and blue.
The sun strode down past the mountain peak.
The butterfly whispered low
To the child: 'Babe, follow me; know,
Cold is the earth here below.'
The butterfly flew; followed the child,
Lured by the snowy torch of its wings;
The wind sighed after them soft and wild
Till the stars wedded night with golden rings
Till the frost upreared its head,
And the ground to it groaned and said:
'The feet of the child are lead!'
The child's head drooped to the brown, sere mold,
On the crackling cones his white breast lay;
The butterfly touched the locks of gold,
The soul of the child sprang from its clay.
The moon to the pine tree stole,
And silver-lipped, said to its bole:
'How strong is the mother's soul !'
The wings of the butterfly grew out
To the mother's arms, long, soft and white;
She folded them warm her babe about,
She kissed his lips into berries bright,
She warmed his soul on her breast;
And the east called out to the west:
'Now the mother's soul will rest!'
Under the roof where the burial feast
Was heavy with meat and red with wine,
Each crossed himself as out of the east
A strange wind swept over oak and pine.
The trees to the home-roof said:
' 'Tis but the airy rush and tread
Of angels greeting thy dead.'
For my Dad. He always went out of his way to make Christmas special for each of his children.
linkFather And Son
Laura L., Woolwich, ME
Father and Son
In a grey chair
by the fire,
Slouches a man
with a boy,
Stretched contentedly
across his chest.
Eyes closed, mouths slightly parted
sleeping.
The boy's quiet breathing
almost drowned out,
by the man's ragged breath.
The boy's fair skin
and blond hair
Stand out against the man's
dark hair.
As the boy nestles closer,
Sighing,
softly,
wrapping tiny-dimpled hands
around a wind-burned neck.
The man's thick, work-worn hands
pull the boy closer.
Returning a hug neither
will remember
When they
wake-up.
I will post more correspondance from the other members of my family as soon as they arrive. From me to you, I wish you all warm holiday wishes and hope for a prosperous new year.
Later,
Kenaz
Recipe For a Perfect Christmas(2005)
Recipe For a Perfect Christmas(2005)
Land of the Dead(2005)
