Counting Down and Adding Up...

This is my little author tree in my office.

 See the owl ornament on top, the squirrel in the middle and bottom, and the acorn toward the right? Those were all gifts from Nat, in 'honor' of my middle grade novel, Evolution Revolution: Simple Machines (languishing in publishing purgatory). The swan was also from Nat for Sirenz Back In Fashion. The diamond ring in the blue box I bought for Sirenz Back In Fashion.

From another view:

(You can see the ring ornament better.) The two bells are because I play in two, sometimes three bell choirs in my church. I love music, but since my jaw surgery, I can't sing in the choir or play violin in our Festival Orchestra. :( But I have my bells. The red shoe (fabulous!) I bought myself for the debut of Sirenz. Down at the bottom left, there's a Barbie ornament from Nat that is a fashion window that lights up! That was for when we were working on Sirenz, dreaming of the day when we'd be published. The little pink tree under the bells has little ornaments of....shoes! :) I think the hubs bought that one, but I can't remember. The feather is for Sirenz Back In Fashion, from Nat. (You'll have to read the book to understand the significance, along with the ring box.) Underneath you might be able to see my dragon and wizard ornaments (I have a small collection, and a story to go with them).

One more view:

Yep, another squirrel and red shoe ornament. People understand I have this obsession with ornaments and Christmas--both have to mean something. You can't see it, but there are two other ornaments that don't really show up in the pictures: a bronze ornament at the top, underneath the star, depicting the Holy Family, and a Nativity scene underneath the tree which was hand carved in the Holy Land. It's a reminder for me to keep the holidays in perspective. No matter how much success I have, or don't have, not even my little tree is all about me. There are bigger things, like the meaning of the holiday.

So for all you traveling for Christmas, Channukah, the Solstice, the New Year, please be careful, be kind, be generous, be the kind of person you dream you can be.

Holiday Blessings,

Char