I've started a new tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving and Christmas by myself, home alone. The tradition started one Thanksgiving when I was in such excruciating back pain that I could barely move. I stayed home by myself and had such a soulful time, that I stayed home for Christmas, too. I listened to a poignant Christmas song of longing and loss and created this piece with paints, my fingers, and a toothpick. Then I ate the best lamb pitas ever.
I stayed home with following year, tried a Thanksgiving meal on a plate from the Wedge (fabulous), and watched this for Christmas. Oh, and this, too, which never fails to make me laugh outloud.
Inspired by River from Sarah McLachlan's "Wintersong" album. The bold passage below is scratched with a toothpick into the white "river ice" paint in the piece above. Do click on the image above to see it larger- no details show at this smaller size.
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
But it don't snow here
It stays pretty green
I'm going to make a lot of money
Then I'm going to quit this crazy scene
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I made my baby cry
He tried hard to help me
You know, he put me at ease
And he loved me so naughty
Made me weak in the knees
Oh I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
well, I'm so hard to handle
I'm selfish and I'm sad
Now I've gone and lost the best baby
That I ever had
Oh
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on
I wish I had a river so long
I would teach my feet to fly
Oh I wish I had a river
I made my baby say goodbye
It's coming on Christmas
They're cutting down trees
They're putting up reindeer
And singing songs of joy and peace
I wish I had a river
I could skate away on