Astronauts read from the book of Genesis…

The astronauts sent a Christmas Eve broadcast home to Earth from their path around the moon. Borman later recalled, “We were told that on Christmas Eve we would have the largest audience that had ever listened to a human voice, and the only instructions that we got from NASA was to do something appropriate.” All three astronauts took turns reading from the Book of Genesis, which begins, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”

Christmas Eve

In Act I Scene I of Hamlet, Shakespeare wrote:

“Some say that ever ’gainst that season comes /

Wherein our Saviour’s birth is celebrated, /

This bird of dawning singeth all night long; /

And then, they say, no spirit dare stir abroad, /

The nights are wholesome, then no planets strike, /

No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, /

So hallow’d and so gracious is the time.”

Christmas Eve

Cat Stroll
looking for newborns to adore

Sniffing for newborns:
adoring welcomes to babes,
moms, pops, manger’s guests!

PRUNE THE PLANTS

Prune the plants;
New shoots dance.

Snip the tip;
Roots then sip

Deep below:
Tendrils grow.

Invisible surprise!

December 25, 2012
I was very sick for Christmas: dehydrated, anemic, acute bronchitis, diabetic spike of 285, bladder infection, allergic reaction to levaquin. I had to stay in the manger while my 74 year old sister cared for me.
On Christmas Eve she went to Hunter Mountain to snow-shoe but found it cost $60 to walk on the mountain path.
Then the Nor’easter forcast for the 26th would endanger her driving home to Boston. Snow in the Berkshire Corridor was not snow shoe weather either.
So, on Christmas Day, she spent the afternoon pruning my plants; dusting and talking to them. It was priceless. We decided to get rid of the beastly ones, not civilized enough for the living room.
Every time she cut off a Christmas cactus, I cringed. I gasped at each bright fuscia blossom but forgot the root growth and new shoots invisible to my glance.
She strengthened, loved each plant, and renewed each one. Honored it.
She strengthened me; loved me in each feeding, and renewed my 72 year old bones. Honored me for Christmas.
Sister Virginia Mary of Christ (my religious name) had a visitation for Christmas by her sister, Virginia. It was MAGIC!