Christmas on Friday, 12/25/2020

Introduction

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

The term “Christmas” originated from “Christ's Mass.” The divine, eternal plan of salvation was realized. God, the eternal Word, became flesh. He was born of a virgin, lived a perfect life, died on the cross, was resurrected, and ascended back to Heaven. We who are ready await the second coming of our Lord and Savior. He will come to take us to our everlasting home in heaven. Of course, we may be called home, before he returns.

The secular and temporal trappings of Christmas are trivial compared to the spiritual and everlasting thoughts about Christ's Mass. Outside, the snow looks clean, white, and beautiful. Spiritually, we are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb.

Christmas Eve Snows Yesterday and Ten Years Ago, Contrasted with Christmas Eve Springlike Weather in 2019

This section is about snow on Christmas Eve yesterday and Christmas Day snow ten years ago. Those are contrasted with the springlike weather on Christmas Eve in 2019.

Yesterday's Christmas Eve Snow

On Christmas Eve, yesterday, the weather until about 3:45 PM wasn't very pleasant. It was rain, rain, go away. Then, the temperature dropped, and snow began to fall. The ground quickly became white. My wife and I enjoyed the Christmas Eve snow, which is continuing today on Christmas.

Christmas Snow in 2010

The last photographic record that I have of snow on Christmas Day was in 2010, ten years ago. That year, snow may have started on Christmas Eve. Searching this website finds the 12/26/2010 article about my snowy 75th hike on House Mountain. The article includes fifteen photographs of snow. I had hiked on the Sunday afternoon after Christmas that year.

Christmas Eve Spring in 2019

In 2019, just last year, Christmas Eve was different. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman and I visited my youngest brother and his family. It was a warm, springlike day. We had fun at a nearby park. Everyone but me played basketball. My “bionic” right foot didn't want to join them. Instead, I “hiked a ridge” wearing a T-shirt, as the following photograph shows:

 

Christmas Eve, 2019, was certainly “evidence” of “global climate change,” which the propagandists try to force on all who are gullible enough to believe them. I don't.

So, yesterday, what did Christmas Eve, 2020, prove? The climate does change. It has been doing so for thousands of years. I affirm and can prove the creationist view of a young earth. There is more proof for Father Frost (the Russian term for the guy who brings presents on Christmas) than for so-called man-made climate change!

Yes, I know. I could not help but toss in a political point against the propagandists. They will not desist or go away.

Christmas Snow Today

The climate change propagandists could not “snow” us this Christmas. We have snow! This morning at about 7:30 AM I took measurements in two locations in the front yard. Both measured six inches of snow. This is not a little two- or three-inch snow. This is a good snow!

The sun came and went under a variably cloudy sky through the day. At about 3:45 PM, however, the sky became completely cloudy, and snow started falling heavily! (Light snow had fallen at times all day long.) At 4:52 PM, as I type this sentence, it is still snowing, about like it did at this time yesterday!

From about 9 AM to 10 AM this morning, I took the four photographs below, using our Kodak camera (not my Samsung cell phone camera).

The above is from our back deck looking southwest.

The above is from the edge of the driveway, looking southeast. Can you see the paw prints made by our “old puppy,” Molly? They are different from mine. Molly had some fun in the snow too! Our 2008 Honda Civic and 2006 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 final photograph above is looking more south than southwest from the deck.

I hope that we don't have to wait another ten years before seeing snow on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Santa Claus gets tired of landing his reindeer sleigh on dry or rainy roofs. Snow makes a smoother and quieter landing. I know. He told me, once I was old enough to understand. I still believe. Santa Claus is real. He exists. I know him. He emails me now and then.

Conclusion

This Christmas Eve and Christmas Day have been better than in 1982 (Papaw Wood), in 1999 (Mom), in 2000 (Mom), in 2002 (Dad), and in 2007 (Dad). This year has not been as much fun as in several previous years (in childhood, as a young adult, and so forth). The rain-to-snow and the “Mask Mafia” hindered or quarantined the usual family gatherings.

On balance, however, the good memories outweigh the bad ones. Mrs. Appalachian Irishman did talk with the “Mask Mafia” a few times today. (There were no online conferences!) Recently or today, I spoke by phone with my three younger brothers, my “adopted” sister in Missouri, and one niece. (Are you reading this, Shanna?) We all are well enough “Livin' La Vida 'Rona” (with an apology to Ricky Martin's song in 1999).

I thought about driving to and hiking House Mountain today. Instead, I was wise. My truck and I could have negotiated most of the roads. Hogskin Road, however, was probably too treacherous. Further, with six or even more inches of snow on the mountain, I could have stepped wrong and injured myself or at least my pride.

In 174 hikes on House Mountain so far, I have fallen only one time, back in my “pre-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 thought was covered only with snow. 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 could have died. Someone would have had to come get my carcass or leave it there for the buzzards!

What is “Livin' La Vida 'Rona,” you ask? Well, I overcome Corona Myopia Psychosis, as I call it, through 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 up to keep running, like a runny nose, for at least another year. I predict that in 2022 this new cold virus will be in our rearview mirrors. It is already in mine, to the extent that I can get rid of it.

Well, at 5:44 PM, as I type this sentence, I will publish this article sixteen minutes before suppertime. I hope that you all are having a Merry Christmas today, even if a tragic event is happening today or has happened around Christmases past. I have experienced tragedy and loss around several past Christmas seasons. In time, if we have accepted the gift of Christ, we will be together everlastingly with Jesus and many loved ones who are, even now, filled with everlasting and heavenly Christmas joy.