Today has been a glorious day! The sky was tropical ocean blue, a few blue spaces sketched with thin blades of white clouds. The day was cold but the sun warm as I sat perched in the porch swing watching all the songbirds on the feeders. Titmice and chickadees rustled the scuppernong vines cracking open their seeds one at a time. The cardinals dressed in their finest robes of crimson brought their demure mates to the birds feeders on their early afternoon dinner dates. The little downy woodpeckers feasted on the suet feeders. Fatty the squirrel enjoyed the peanuts and corn in the ground feeder. I scrubbed the birdbaths and filled them with fresh water. Fatty quickly jumped up for a few sips of water, standing erect after drinking, his tail in a perfect question mark before he leaped off. I meant to buy a squirrel corn feeder for Fatty for Christmas but I forgot. Could not pay me enough money to go to town on Christmas Eve. He’ll just have to get a New Year’s present.

Picked up Penelope this morning from middle brother’s vet clinic. She’s jealous of me and the grandchildren so she had been at vet brother’s spa since Friday morning. It’s just easier all around to board her. My oldest son and his family and their dog were here this weekend. I wonder what Penelope thinks when she smells the other dog’s scents on her bed in the lady den. Penelope was happy to be home and Kat was glad to see her. Penelope did her crumb search soon as she got in the house. She knows when you have a dinner party there’s bound to be a few crumbs on the floor.

Had a wondrous Christmas dinner with oldest brother and his girls tonight. We had lively conversations, laughed a lot, and enjoyed a delicious supper at the home of his oldest daughter. I was brave and had a teaspoon of sour watermelon moonshine…delicious! Should have asked for a tablespoon to taste with!

I was watching my oldest niece smiling tonight, happily the lady of the manor, hosting her family in her new home, feeding them a home cooked meal, following a full day at work. She’s soon to celebrate her 50th birthday on December 29. I remember when oldest brother and his wife came to tell us they were pregnant. Daddy called me into the kitchen and said, “Your brother has something to tell you.” Soon as he said they were having a baby we all starting crying. We were so happy to hear this news. The first grandchild of Jimmy and Rosalyn McMurray was on her way. And I was going to be her aunt.

I remember the day she was born. My friend Chip and I were at a party at the Baptist parsonage and Mama called there to tell me oldest brother and his wife were on the way to the hospital in Opelika to have the baby and they were leaving for Opelika, too. I begged to go but they said I had to stay home to await the news of the baby’s birth. Hours later I met my parents when they came through our front door, excited to be new grandparents, glorious smiles on their faces, talking of how beautiful she was, basking in their glow of first grandchild happiness. My daddy was smitten with her and would drop in most mornings on his way to work to get a peek at her.

One of my favorite memories of her was watching her sit on the folding arm rest on the front seat of daddy’s’ big old Buick, perched happily as we motored around. We never heard of car seats. Every time I went around a corner she’d fall off and land in the back seat floorboard. She’d quickly scamper right back up on the arm rest and never failed to say, “I okay!” I was in college during her early years and daddy brought her once with her mother and my grandmother Big Ma to pick me up at Wesleyan College for a weekend at home. It took forever for them to get there to pick me up. Daddy said the girls had to “pee” a thousand times and he had to drive slowly by every southern mansion they passed.

She is a beautiful young woman raising a darling girl with her sweet, devoted husband. I love them and always feel my mother’s presence when I’m in their home. My first niece was soon followed by seven more grandchildren of my parents who are grown and raising beautiful children of their own. I’m blessed to be loved by all of them and I’m always thrilled to seat them around my holiday dinner tables. They all bring so much joy and happiness to my life. I love them dearly.

My daddy loved having company and I know he and mama look down on us with Rosie and Chief and smile when their great-grandson delivers the blessings at our holiday dinners.

Happy Birthday, Jenny! I love you and I’m so proud of you and your family.

“There is a fountain of youth: It is your mind, your talents, the creativity you bring to your life and the lives of people you love. When you learn to tap this source, you will truly have defeated age.” — Unknown