Birds need love too...

As a grown up I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them I learned from my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently finished her first semester of kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned by living. So here it is, a year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. You may not agree with all of them and they may not work for everybody, but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 53 Feed birds in the winter...

I know that you might think this is silly. Especially those of you living in big cities like me. Birds tend to be a nuisance. They hover as you eat your hot dog from a vendor or at picnics in the park. They fly overhead and you are always afraid they will drop something on you. Sometimes they are even downright creepy the way they stare at you with those glass eyes and long pointed beaks. However, birds are a necessary part of our ecosystem. After the final snow of winter has melted, the birds will begin eating mosquitoes and spiders and fly-baggies. To be honest I am not exactly sure what kind of bug a "fly-baggie" is, but that is what we called them growing up.
Every fall my mom and I would go out and collect a basket full of pine cones. Some of these we would cover with glue and glitter and turn into homemade tree ornaments. The rest we would put aside and wait for the first snow to fall. When the first snow fell we would get the reserve of pine cones out from their spot. We would spread peanut butter on them and roll them in birdseed. Then we would tie string to the top and daddy would get his ladder out and we would find the perfect spots for our homemade bird feeders. Mama also saved all of the bread "butts" during the winter and every time it snowed we would sprinkle them in the backyard.
It might seem simple or maybe even silly, but these are some of my favorite winter memories.

Old Fashioned Christmas

As a grown up I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. some of them I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that can only be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really anyone who will listen. You may not agree with all of them and the may not work for everybody but each is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 50 Have an old fashioned Christmas at least once

Growing up, we always had a wonderful Christmas. We had tons of decorations, baked goods and a beautiful fake tree, that was very reliable, but just didn't have that pine scent of a Douglas fir or a blue spruce. One year I begged my parents for the old fashioned Christmas that I had read about in my books. I wanted a real tree and brown paper packages tied up with string, and popcorn and cranberries. I wanted the works of on old fashioned down home Christmas. Finally they gave in. Daddy and I went to the Market Basket parking lot to pick out our prize tree. The nice guy who worked there even "accidentally" placed a "free" tree stand in the back of my dad's truck. We searched and search and then there it was. The tree of my dreams. I am pretty sure that the nice young man either felt sorry for us or was full of the Christmas spirit because for only $10 we left that parking lot with the tree of my dreams and a free tree stand. It was a sign that my old fashioned Christmas was going to be perfect.
We got the tree home and while daddy was putting on the lights, my mom and sister and I were stringing popcorn ( I let them talk me out of cranberries) into strands of garland. We only pulled out our most special ornaments, many of them handmade, and we decorated for our old fashioned Christmas. I have long since moved away from my parents house, but I go back there every year for Christmas and one of my fondest Christmas memories was the year we shared an old fashioned Christmas.
Yesterday my roommate and I along with some friends decorated our NYC apartment for Christmas. We put up our three feet tall tree on its table and then we had an old fashioned decorating party. We made paper chains out of red and green paper, snowflakes out of white paper, and we strung popcorn. We drank hot cocoa and ate semi-homemade cookies, and watched Christmas movies. The entire event probably cost less than $20 total but it was so much fun. everyone should experience an old fashioned Christmas at least once. It is well worth the memories that will be made.
Recommended Read: Old Fashioned Country Christmas

On Traditions

As a grown up, I realize that through the course of life I have learned many valuable lessons. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some of them I learned in school and through expereince. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now, I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are lessons that can only be learned from living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They might not work for everybody and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either live by or wish I did.

#11 Take traditions seriously

I grew up in the south and down there, for the most part, it is a completely different way of thinking. My grandparents grew up on farms in northeast Mississippi. No food went to waste, they quitled to keep warm, clothes were passed from one sibling to the next and then mended until they could no longer be worn. Then they were turned into quilts. Flour came in giant cotton sacks, and when the flour was gone, the sacks were turned into quilts.
I know that this way of life has long since gone to the wayside. However, some things should stay the same. Listen when the older people in your life tell their stories. Write them down if you can. Trends come and go, but it will never again be the way it was when our grandparents, and even our parents were young.
If your family has traditions that have been going on for years, do your best to keep them. Or, create new ones. My family is large and extended, but before it was so large, it was long ago decided that everyone would buy a present for everyone at Christmas. One year, my cousins all got together and tried to change this. The "grown ups" all pitched such a fit that it was never even discussed again. Now everyone gets a present, but they might be very small.
If your family has a watergun fight every Memorial Day, or drinks hot chocolate while driving around looking at Christmas lights, or volunteers as a group to a homeless shelter on Thanksgiving, these are special memories that were created just for you. Cherish them. If you don't pass them on, no one else will.
This can also include hobbies such as quilting, knitting, hunting, and cooking. Take traditions and the skills and knowledge of your elders and keep them, hold on to them, and pass them down for future generations.

Always keep a...

As a grown up I realize that I have learned many valuable lessons in the course of life. Some of them were taught to me by my mom and dad. Some I learned in school and through experience. Many of them were taught to me by my aunts. Now I am an aunt and my oldest niece recently started kindergarten. I know that they say everything you need to know you learn in kindergarten. I disagree. I believe that there are some things that one cannot learn in a classroom. These are things that must be learned by living. So, here it is. A year's worth of tiny words of wisdom for all of the nieces and nephews out there, or really for anyone who will listen. They may not work for everybody, and you may not agree with all of them, but each one is a rule that I either try to live by or wish I did.

# 8 Always keep a journal.

A journal is a glorious thing to have. They come in many shapes and sizes. Leather bound, or spiral notebooks. There are also many ways to journal. Some do it every day. Some do it when they have an experience they just have to write down. Others make lists such as : bands I've seen live, cities I've been to, people I've kissed, etc.
So many things happen during the course of life. Things that planted in our memories and we think we will never forget them.Trust me,you will. Sometimes I leave a room and cannot for the life of me remember what it was that I needed. Perhaps you won't forget all of them, but some of them will fade and blur and eventually you won't be able to tell where one memory ends and another begins.
I have been an avid journaler for over a decade now. I am not always as faithful to my journals as I should be,and I have many different types of journals, but I always write down my experiences, good and bad. I have a record somewhere of all of my travels, all of my relationships, and almost every single fun thing I have ever done in my life. I want to be able to pass on my memories to my nieces and my children, should I ever have them, and my grandchildren.
If we are fortunate, a lifetime is very long and full of many experiences that shape us, and help us to grow. We cannot possibly be expected to remember them all forever.
Writing in a journal helps me to organize my thoughts, plan my next project, blow off steam, and gives me a record to look back at and laugh, or cry, or laugh because I cried. There is something so soothing about pen to paper, that I just can't find yet on a keyboard. Anyone who has ever been significant in my life, or any experience worth remembering, I guarantee that somewhere I have them written down. Give it a shot. What's the worst that could happen?

For journals, I prefer a simple leather bound journal such as the: Journal-tan by Eccolo