a wonderfully messy arrangement

It may not be perfect, probably never has been, or will be, but it is ours' in all its glory.   In my minds eye I envision it to be like the Wiliams Sonoma catalog, all picture perfect.  I know the reality of it is that it isn't, it cannot possibly be, but there is a lure to the picture, to the idea, to the perfection.  In truth, I love what I have, my perfectly imperfect family.

Having a houseful of our people is wonderful.  I love them.....

 

 From where we came will always be ours, where we go will always be ours, and ours alone.

Each and every morning when I get up, I grab my camera to take a couple of pictures of my flower.  You can still see how much it has grown from the day before.  By the by, I think that next year I will take pictures both in the morning and the evening. 

I love, love, love hermetic jars.  Mrs. Gallo used them often to hold all kinds of things, I think one of my most favorite food to come out of her hermetic jars was her BBQ sauce.  It was not a red based sauce like BBQ sauce we have, her's was filled with herbs and all kinds of stuff from the garden.  In keeping with her tradition, we made, ok Andrew made meat/vegetable rub for gifts.  I have been shopping for different sizes and shapes of the hermetic jars for gift giving.  There a quite a few different brands of jars in the stores, I only buy the Fido, Bermoli, and La Parfait.  The other brands I don't think are as good, so I stay clear of them.   

The best part of the jars is that I get to make a label on them, I love labels....I think I have a problem.

Another year has passed in the blink of an eye, it was filled with life and death, bitter and sweet.  I am looking forward to a wonderfully happy New Year.

that is our family.