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The Bouncin’ Snowman Gift
We received our silly “Bouncin’ Snowman” in the mail circa 2004; a Christmas gift from my mom’s second cousin, Gwen. He stood about 15 inches tall, dressed in a red fur Santa-like jacket and green mittens and green hat. He wore a red and green and white scarf, which fell just below a big smile…
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Fairy Tale Love – Then & Now
My heart beats just a little faster when I look back at reading fairy tales as a young girl. There was so much magic; the preternatural in every story. Anything was possible. I entered the dark forest with the characters, watchful, but excited. Or, I hid nearby while watching the elves secretly making shoes in…
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The AI Chronicles – The Holiday Version
Last February, I took my first foray into the world of AI and wrote a post about the experience. I had used ChatGPT to write a story about a girl, art, trauma and writing. It was okay, but repetitive. I had tried PIXLR next, which is one of the many AI image generators, and prompted…
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Flashback Friday
Ah yes, this was my moment in the sun. Or rather, my moment in the dark; close to the Winter Solstice. But I’m totally cool with that. This was the year I first sat on a floor in a recreation room of a church to string popcorn and cranberries together as a Cadette Girl Scout.…
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A Special Place
Driving onto the grounds of the Biltmore Estate last April was an experience for the senses. As we curved up through the winding road, I opened my window to briefly brush my hand against the hanging, soft pine tree needles lining the path; pointing the way to this majestic North Carolina landmark. Glimpses of azalea…
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The Christmas Ornament circa 1999
I knew that I wanted it as soon as I turned the catalog page. The photo showed a large glass ornament; flawlessly round. The glass wasn’t a bright red or blue or green. No, this was a soft, off-white color which set its snowy scene perfectly. The artist had drawn trees, but in a minimalist…
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The 13th Day of Christmas
It was Christmas night 2017. We checked into a hotel for one night after celebrating the day with my husband’s family. We would drive home the next morning. The hotel sat across the street from a city park, and in that moment, it was beautiful. Our dark room’s windows lit up with the bright red,…
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