CHRIST-MAS 12/25/2020 FRIDAY

Introduction

I see a white canvas, on a white Christmas. I will darken this canvas. The canvas outside remains white, as evening brings on the night.

The origin of the term Christmas relates to Christ's Mass, which became Christmas. The divine, eternal plan of salvation was realized when the eternal Word became flesh, born of a virgin, to live his perfect life, to be crucified and die, to be resurrected from the dead, and to ascend to Heaven. We who are ready await the return of our Lord and Savior, when He comes to take us Home. We may go Home, before He returns.

The secular and temporal trappings of Christmas are minor, in the context of eternity. The snow looks clean and pretty. We are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.

Christmas Eve Rain to Snow

Yesterday, the weather, until about 3:45 PM, wasn't very pleasant. It was rain, rain, go away. The snow took over. The ground became white quickly. We enjoyed snow on Christmas Eve late afternoon to today.

The last time I have photo records of snow on Christmas day was in 2010. The snow could have started on that Christmas Eve. If you search my website, you might find my article and photos, from my 12/26/2010 House Mountain hike, in the snow. I'll help you. It's here.

Christmas Eve 2019 was different. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I had visited my youngest brother and his family. It had been a warm “spring” day. We had fun at a nearby park. They played basketball. (My right foot didn't want to join them.) Instead, I “hiked a ridge,” in a T-shirt, as the following photo shows.

 

Christmas Eve 2019 was “evidence” of “global climate change,” as the propagandists try to force on any of us, who are gullible enough to believe them.

So, what does Christmas Eve 2020 prove? The climate does change. It has been doing so for thousands of years. (I affirm the creationist argument of a young earth. I can prove it.) There is more proof of Father Frost (the Russian way to say the guy who brings presents at Christmas) than of MAN-MADE climate change.

Yes, I know. I could not help but toss in a political point, against the propagandists out there.

Christmas Snow

There is no propaganda “snow” from the propagandists this Christmas! We have snow! Early this morning, about 7:30 AM, I measured in two locations in the front yard. Both measured six inches of snow. This was not a little two or three inch snow. This is a good snow!

The sun came and went as the clouds varied through the day, until about 3:45 PM, when the clouds took over and more snow started falling! (Snow had fallen off and on, a little, all day, at times.) About 3:45 PM, the clouds took over fully. The snow started again! At 4:52 PM, the time of this sentence written, it is snowing about like it did this time yesterday!

I took these next photos, with our Kodak camera (not my Samsung cell phone camera) from about 9 AM to 10 AM.

The above is from back deck, looking southwest.

The above is from the edge of the driveway, looking south by southeast. Can you track Molly doggy's prints that are different from mine? Molly had some fun in the snow too! The '08 Honda Civic and my '06 Nissan Frontier are both in “the barn” (i.e., garage). Yes, our garage isn't cluttered with junk. Vehicles are in the garage, where they are supposed to be.

The above is looking southeast, from the deck.

The above, final photo, is looking more south than southwest, from the deck.

I hope that it doesn't take ten more years, to get a Christmas Eve or Christmas Day snow. Santa Claus gets tired of landing his reindeer sleigh on a dry or rainy roof. Snow makes a better, and more quiet, landing. I know. He told me, once I was old enough. I still believe. He is real. He exists. I know him. He sends me an e-mail every now and then.

Conclusion

This Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have been better than 1982 (Papaw Wood), 1999 (Mom), 2000 (Mom), 2002 (Dad), and 2007 (Dad). This year has not been as much fun as many other times (childhood, young adult, adult, etc.). The rain to snow and the “Mask Mafia” hindered or quarantined usual family gathering events. On balance, however, the good memories outweigh the bad ones. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman did talk with the “Mask Mafia” a few times today. (No “Interweb” conferences!) Recently or today, I've talked by phone with my three brothers, my "adopted sister" in Missouri, and one niece. (Are you reading this, Shanna?) We are all "Livin' la Vida 'Rona" (with apology to Ricky Martin, 1999) well enough.

I thought about driving to and hiking House Mountain today. I was wise. My new ol' truck and I could negotiate most of the roads. Hogskin Road, however, was probably too treacherous. Also, in six or even more inches of snow on the mountain, I could have stepped wrong and injured myself or my pride at least. In 174 hikes, so far, I have fallen one time only, back in “pre-metal” bionic days. I know the switchback well. I was alone, on my way down, in the snow. My right foot planted on a rock that I though was covered with snow only. I had taken a careful step. Ice was under the snow. I slipped. My backside landed first, before the back of my head hit the rock behind me. I injured my pride only. If my head had hit first, well, I'd have gone Home, and the others could have either come to get my carcass or left it there, for the buzzards!

What is "Livin' la Vida 'Rona," you ask? Well, I overcome my Corona Myopia Psychosis by enjoying my sarcastic humor! (We all have Corona Myopia Psychosis. Denial is a symptom.) I'm just trying to live the wild, new cold virus life, y'all! The propaganda machine is set to keep running, like a runny nose, for at least next year. I predict that, in 2022, this new cold virus will be in our rear view mirrors – as it is in mine, as much as I can get rid of it, in my mind.

Well, at 5:44 PM, the time of this sentence written, I think that I'll post this article, sixteen minutes before supper (6 PM). I hope that you all had a Merry Christmas, even if a tragic event is happening or has happened recently. I know. I have seen it on several Christmas times. If we have accepted the gift of Christ, we will, in mass, be together at Home, with Him and many others, in time.