Ring out the old, ring in the new --

"Ring Out, Wild Bells" is a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson. Published in 1850, it forms part of "In Memoriam", Tennyson's elegy to his sister's fiance who died at the age of twenty-two. Some think the poem is very negative and dark. I'd like to point out that it's intent is to turn from negative to positive thinking. The poem is typically referred to with a new year, in fact we often sing its words from our Hymn Book on the first Sunday each January. I have highlighted the positive lines in green. Enjoy!

Ring Out, Wild Bells
by Alfred, Lloyd Tennyson

Ring out wild bells, top the wild sky,
The flying cloud, the frosty light:
The year is dying in the night;
Ring out, wild bells, and let him die.

Ring out the old, ring in the new,
Ring, happy bells, across the snow:
The year is going, let him go;
Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,
For those that here we see no more;
Ring out the feud of rich and poor,
Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,
And ancient forms of party strife;
Ring in the nobler modes of life,
With sweeter manners, purer laws.

Ring out the want, the care, the sin,
The faithless coldness of the times;
Ring out, ring out my mournful rhymes,
But ring the fuller minstrel in.

Ring out false pride in place and blood,
The civic slander and the spite;
Ring in the love of truth and right,
Ring in the common love of good.

Ring out old shapes of foul disease;
Ring out the narrowing lust of gold;
Ring out the thousand wars of old,
Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,
The larger heart, the kindlier hand;
Ring out the darkness of the land,
Ring in the Christ that is to be.

Happy Birthday Willie!

It's my boy's birthday today. He is 14. That says it all! But I must point out that 14 marks the beginning of a young man's attempts to finding his identity. This photo represents aviator, Nanook person.

From our house to your house . . . Merry Christmas

Willie commented yesterday that he likes the Christmas preparation and the time leading up to Christmas far more than the day itself. I think he is growing up. We try to do something special for someone or some family every Christmas. This year he was involved in the whole process of the special something, and he said that it really made him feel good inside.

Our Christmas Day lacked the fast paced, early schedule of years gone by. The "Petersen Christmas Breakfast" has been our first event of the day for at least 32 years. This year's events changed slightly because our kids lives are ever changing and we are merging into a new generation of holiday activity. No extended Petersen family activity Christmas morning -- at least not for this year. We started the day with waking Willie up around 8:00 a.m. -- he has never been a Christmas morning early riser. Haley and James made it to our house around 9:30 a.m. We opened gifts with them and then we all had breakfast here at our house -- it was very nice to have Haley and James here. Willie just doesn't find his parentals that much fun. Next, Haley and James headed to Grandma and Grandpa Huber's house and then they went north to Garland (they are not home yet --another story). Karl, Willie, and I headed to the Wood's to talk briefly to Elder Preston Wood who is in the last fourth of his mission (his Mom was to call him at high noon). It was so nice to hear his voice! Preston has had a great mission in Argentina.

Around 1:30 p.m., we headed to South Jordan to see how the little grandson made out for his first "real" Santa Claus Christmas experience. Elliott was so excited to show us his train and his turtle. He was a little overwhelmed with opening more presents! We had a nice visit with Annie and Ross and Elliott and some very good snacks, too. Annie and Ross had over a foot of snow at their house -- in some places closer to 18 inches or more.

We got to my parents house around 4:30 p.m. and they looked pretty exhausted but were very glad to see us. The Howdens joined us there. Elliott is such a good boy -- he hugged a little jogging suit Grandma had for him. We opened presents, watched others open presents, and had some snacks, cleaned up a little and moved some of the tables and folding chairs from the kitchen outside. With eight children, their spouses and kids, it's gets pretty chaotic at Mom and Dad's house on Christmas. Mom makes sure everyone has as many presents she can buy (within her set budget, so she says). It's a pretty amazing thing for someone who is 78 and on oxygen -- not to mention her other ailments.

We finally got home around 7:30 p.m., we had a lite snack and then just chilled and watched the snow. Haley called to report that they were "snowed in" in Garland and that she and James would see us on Friday.

Merry Christmas!

The longest night . . .

It's the winter solstice -- when the sun's position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equator. That means that it is the longest night of the year.

This morning Willie and I watched CBS This Morning with Charles Osgood and he talked about the winter solstice (I knew it was sometime before Christmas) and then he sang the words of Robert Frost's "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" (wherein Frost makes reference to the "longest night") to his own musical compostion. It was very nice. Robert Frost is one of my favorite poets. Many moons ago, I sang in a couple of choirs at the U of U. When I was in the women's chorus, we performed a series of Frost poems set to music -- the "woods" poems. This was one of them:

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
by Robert Frost
Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.
My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.
He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there is some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.
The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

Are you ready for Christmas?

It has been a very busy month at home, at school/work, with family . . .

I realize that Christmas is just a few days away. Everywhere I go people ask me if I am ready for Christmas. What does that mean? Ready for Christmas, hmmmm ?

Does it mean -- do I have careful, creative shopping done for everyone in my gift giving sphere?
Does it mean -- do I have a clean house with coordinated and festively displayed holiday decorations?
Does it mean -- have I done some baking and some cooking and some creative gift making for my friends and neighbors?
Does it mean -- have I mailed warm and friendly greeting cards to family and friends?
Does it mean -- I have all of the gifts (I have done the shopping for) beautifully wrapped and positioned ever so carefully under my designer decorated Christmas tree?
Does it mean -- have I taken time to visit my daughters to see their festive decorations and sample some of their holiday goodies?
What does it mean??????

Nothing -- absolutely nothing! So I politely reply, "I guess I am as ready as I am going to be", knowing deep down inside that I have a million things to do and only 8-9 days to get months of stuff done. The only thing I can say I am "ready" for is a nice long nap . . . . . . .

Merry Chistmas!

Christmas is coming . . .

CHRISTMAS IS COMING
Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat
Please put a penny in the old man's hat
If you haven't got a penny, a ha' penny will do,
If you haven't got a ha' penny, then God bless you!

Away from home --

For many years in December (I think 12), I have been attending national counseling and guidance meetings. This year my meetings have been in Charlotte, NC. It's hard to leave home to go anywhere in December, but my family always manages to survive okay without me. I head home tomorrow but not before some early morning work. I have learned a lot, and I have been inspired by the work of many great educators, but I am so very anxious to get home. Hopefully, some of my knowledge and inspiration will transfer to my family and my work in schools.

I want to get home fast -- to give my boys (Dad and Willie) a big hug, see my girls and their families -- my little grandson needs a big kiss, and I need to make sure my parents and other family members are doing okay. I need to get my Christmas decorations up, get my house cleaned, and a bunch of other stuff done -- like my Christmas shopping.

Irish, yes definitely

I met a new colleague this morning, she is a member of the legislative committee I am chairing at the ACTE Convention in Charlotte, NC. She is Megan Kirkpatrick, thick shoulder length curly red hair, fair complexion, and dressed in a dark green suit -- a person can't be more Irish than that! Unless, the person is Maureen O'Hara (40 years ago). Amazing . . .

The Scots-Irish settled much of the southwest area of North Carolina. In fact, it was a huge draw because of the rich soil and nice climate.