“Some changes look negative on the surface but you will soon realize that space is being created in your life for something new to emerge.”― Eckhart Tolle

Friday, January 6, 2012

The After-Christmas Doldrums and Being Cheerful Anyway

I know, I know.  I'm late.  Again.  I think it is starting to become a habit.  I suppose that's okay.  Others look good in habits, like say a nun.  Although they don't wear habits anymore ...

Marigold!  Stop!

Oh, right.  Sorry.  I guess I have the after-Christmas doldrums.  Do you?  You know, that feeling of emptiness.  Oh, wait.  That's hunger.  Okay, that feeling of there being a void in your life?  No.  That's when there are no Peanuts.  Well, shoot.  You know that feeling I'm talking about, don't you?  

Anyway, it has been so dull and gray here.  Rain, wind, more rain, more wind, then just more gray.  Harumpff!  Well, no matter.  I'm going to be cheerful anyway.  Besides, Penny over at Planet Penny, here, is finally back to being cheerful, so I simply have to link up and put in my two cents.

So, let's see.  What am I cheerful about.  Well, even though the weather has been so grumpy, it has been unseasonably warm and all the plants are becoming confused.  At least they are trying to lend a little color to the surroundings:

and:


And with all the wet weather, there are strange, alien-like plants springing forth.  They are kind of cheery:


And, of course, the Goatmother is cheerful because of this:


I know.  Why get excited about a little run-of-the-mill pine tree, right?  I have to say, though, that the Goatmother is so stoked because this is, in fact, a Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana), sent to her by her friend in Oregon.  This pine bears the longest cones of any conifer and is rarely seen outside its native range because they are notoriously difficult to transplant.  But the Goatmother has three that have actually survived and are finally beginning to thrive!  Go little pine trees!

And lastly, I am cheerful because of this:


Lovely apples still clinging to the tree like forgotten Christmas ornaments.  Soon they shall be mine.  Oh, yes!

So even though the Goatmother took down our decoration.  And even though we ate it.  There is still a lot to be cheerful about.  Be sure to hop on over to Planet Penny and see how others are dealing with those nasty doldrums!

16 comments:

Claire MW said...

It is no wonder that you are cheerful with all that greenery going on. We wish we had that sort of greenery. Although we did get spruce tree bits yesterday, and we are cheerful (not to mention greedy) about that.
*Lucky Nickel & the NS goats*

Millie said...

I do know what you mean about the doldrums. We do have a huge void here because our human has gone back to work. I don't get any green stuff right now either. It's no wonder you're cheerful with your Goatmother and all that greenery.

Marigold said...

Dear Claire,
Yes, we have some greenery, but we don't get to eat it all. The apples are another story, however.

Dear Millie,
I wonder what a green Peanut tastes like? I'm not sure I even know what a Peanut plant looks like. I shall have to investigate that.

Planet Penny said...

What a lovely lot of green and growing things! No wonder you're so cheerful. And those apples look SO pretty, are you sure you need to eat them?

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Sorry about the doldrums.

Watch out! Jan. Full Wolf Moon is coming. And it's already hitting me, with "Full Moon Effect." Computer hook up problems and going to black screen. Eeeeeeek! :-)

"Winter came down to our home one night/
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow..."
~Bill Morgan Jr.

Marigold said...

Dear Penny,
They are lovely, but there really is no question as to whether or not they should be eaten. I mean, if not me, then it will just be the birds. I vote for me!

Dear Auntie,
Oy. Obviously that quote at the end of your comment is wrong. It should read 'loudly clomping in steel-toed boots.'

denise f said...

Well, here's my cure for that filling that after-the-holidays void. I fill it with left over Candy! and Cakes! and Cookies! and, yes, even PEANUTS!!! Tell the GMom that it is imperative -- for your mental and emotional health -- to fill that void! ;]

* said...

Look at all those apples....ours are all long gone, but I reckon they're yours over the birds. We have some really fat looking birds in our garden eating ours, if yo lived closer Marigold I'd send you some.

Hope the doldrums lift!

Marigold said...

Dear Denise,
You don't really think the Goatmother would share a cake with me, now do you????

Dear Faith,
I like your thinking! Mine over the birds! Yes, indeed!

Auntie sezzzzzz... said...

Dear Marigold, please thank the Goatmother for me, for the link to the blog with the recipes. Put some Mincemeat into rolls and roll 'em up, hu? Innnnnnnnteresting. :-)

Oh and Dear Marigold, I know I trust you with a secret... Yes? I can, can't I? Sure I can!!!

My Christmas decorations are still up!!!!!!!! Eeeeeek! Now don't tell a soul will you. I might get *drummed out of* Pretty Blog Land, for being sooooooooooo silly-slow on getting things back to normal around here.

But -sigh- I just haven't gotten into that gotta'-put-this-stuff-away mood yet. -sigh- -pout-

Mmmmmmmmmm, do you think that maybe..... Wellllll.... Maybe.... I have a *PROBLEM*? Hmmmmm...? After all, how many ladies still have their holiday stuff up?
.
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.
.
.
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Well, there's always Monday!!! :-)

"Winter came down to our home one night/
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow..."
~Bill Morgan Jr.

Marigold said...

Dear Auntie,
No drumming allowed! :) I think Mrs. Micawber still has hers up to, so you are in very fine company. :)

Ginnie said...

Hurray for the pine trees! And I'm envious of the primroses.

Mrs. Micawber said...

"They will be mine ... oh yes, they will be mine." Now what movie does that remind me of? Ha! Wayne's World!

I love the little pine - it looks exactly like Charlie Brown's Christmas tree. May it grow tall and strong.

Yes, there is a sort of void after Christmas - especially when the decorations come down. That's why I leave mine up as long as I possibly can.

I hope you get some sunshine soon. It's so much easier to be cheerful when the sun is shining.

Marigold said...

Dear Mrs. Micawber,
'Waynes' World'. Ha! Haven't thought about that one in a long time.
Chocolate and Peanuts. We should rewrite that one, me thinks.
Unfortunately, this being Washington, sunshine is in short supply this time of year. :(

Marigold said...

Dear Ginnie,
Yes! Go little Pines! The primroses are confused, though, so I hope they don't get a surprise and get damaged. Still, they are rather tough flowers, despite how they look. They'd have to be to grow here as we horrible, horrible soil!

Marigold said...

That should be 'HAVE' horrible, horrible soil. Oy.