Now that Christmas is over, I don’t want to do any more wrapping for a while except to wrap-up a few holiday loose ends. And if you somehow make it to the end of this post, I have a very special gift for you there.
Yes, a gift just for you (and the tens of other readers of this blog). WARNING: Gift receipt not included. Don’t waste your time looking for it.
First, the mystery of the mini wine gift basket coming my way has been solved. It wasn’t tiny bottles of wine after all. It was this in the 2 lb. box …
Ghiradelli chocolate > mini wine bottles, so gift accepted and mystery solved.
I am sure that you have also been on the edge of your seat to see if our local battle to save our prairie was successful. Let me just say this … Jim Quixote 1 – Windmill 0. The plans to turn about 10 acres of pristine Illinois prairie and woods into a disc golf course and pickleball courts are dead. Thanks to climate change and 55 degree F temps over the Christmas holiday, I took a walk through the area and took this pic from the top of the barren sled hill.
Okay, so it doesn’t look like much now. But it is full of seeds and shelter for animals and birds over the winter, if winter ever comes. And for 8 months out of the year, it is magnificent.
And speaking of vegetation, I saw this pic posted by a relative on Facebook over the Christmas holidays …
Turning people into trees, eh? At first glance, I thought my relative was confessing to murder and admitting to burying people under trees. I get it now. But I sort of like my first idea, except for the murder part. I wouldn’t mind being tree food someday. Trees are nice. I become part of the tree, the tree grows big, the tree gets chopped down for firewood, the firewood gets burned …
Hmm, on second thought, maybe I cut out the middle tree and just get cremated.
At this point in the post, I know you’re thinking, “Where’s my damn gift?” Here you go …
It is now my favortite Christmas album. JD McPerson got some minor airplay in Chicago about a decade ago with North Side Gal, possibly because the recording company was in Chicago at the time. And also because it is a great song, a 50’s rockabilly throwback.
JD continued toiling at his craft for the past decade, making plenty of good music along the way. He’s on my shortlist of acts I want to see live.
And then for Christmas 2018, he gave everyone SOCKS for Christmas. I missed it in 2018, but caught SOCKS fever in 2019. Since it is now my favorite Christmas album, I was eager to give it to you as a gift.
SOCKS is available for FREE from Amazon Prime if you have it, or you can stream the whole album for FREE on YouTube.
You’re correct, I didn’t spend much on your gift. The reason is that I didn’t want to make you feel bad because last time I checked, I didn’t get anything yet from you. But let’s all remember, it’s the thought that counts, so start thinking about getting me something.
Jim Flanigan Looks at the World 