Short days brightened by holiday glow of Circle Park

By Darla Buckhannon

Happy birthday to Addison Lincoln, Leann Knuckles, Lester Eichhorn, Ashton Lee, Joshua Griffin, Todd Surface, Phyllis McDonald, Clinton Stroder, Bruce Raines, Matt Glastetter, Melissa Nordin, Wesley Lowery, Audrey Witcher, Donna Biler, Jerome Schlitt, Gina Geggs, Chug Little, Kevin Smiller, Tyree Chapman, Jarret Duncan, Jason Chapman, Thomas Hoering, Charles Turner, Ginny Hahn, Randy Horrell, Christa Spies, Marylou Welter, David Pepple, Marily Mott, Eastin Harrell, Richard Seyer, Mike Horman, Doni Jo Dysinger, James Rodgers, Mike Mantel and June Asmus.

Happy anniversary to Randy and Connie Spane, Douglas and Sharon Hargrove, David and Delores Garland and Gary and Sheila Gilmer.

We welcome the official start of winter, with Thursday marking the shortest day and longest night of the year.

Around town

Circle Park is all aglow and looking beautiful with some heartfelt memorials to those who are no longer with us.

City Council meets 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall. John Burgelin, engineer project manager with Horner-Shisrin, will give a status report on the sewer-collection system.

We remind you to drop by City Hall on Wednesday to pay your county taxes. Collector Mark Hensley is there from 3 to 5 p.m. for only two more Wednesdays.

Wrap it up

We wouldn't want Santa Claus to wrap his gifts because he is too busy. That would spoil the fun of bounding into the living room to see what he left for us under the tree!

During this Christmas season and throughout the year, can you imagine giving or receiving a gift still in the original store package? Part of the joy of giving and receiving any gift is the unwrapping, whether it is Christmas, birthday or wedding.

A few years ago in Dallas, we received a wedding shower invitation requesting all gifts not be wrapped. Richard thought it was a new game. I thought it was a new trend, so I checked with the mothers of the bride and groom. None of them ever had heard of such a thing and thought it was absurd. When we arrived at the shower, I asked the hostess, 'Why?' She responded they did not want to spend time unwrapping gifts! We received another invitation later by the same hostess for a different couple that again requested gifts not be wrapped. We complied once again, and not only did the two young couples save time in not opening gifts, apparently they saved more time by not bothering to send thank-you notes.

Many people have a special touch when it comes to wrapping gifts. My sister Ruth always has had that special knack, which she attributes to her years of working for Hilda Heeb at the JoAnn Shoppe in Chaffee. She likes curling the ribbon for her elaborate bows, and makes it look so easy. My half-brother Wayne and his wife Rena always brought gifts elegantly wrapped in thick, shiny, red paper. We always were excited to have them with us for Christmas, but my sisters and I always remember the red wrapping paper. Eventually, Wayne would bring out the Rise shaving cream and add "snow" to our real Christmas tree. It was quite exciting for us girls, and my mother was a good sport. He, however, left before the mess of taking it out of the house!

No songs in the air

The songbird activity at our house has been light. We have cardinals visiting and plenty of house finches, but where are the chickadees and juncos? Of course Richard has a loft of brown and white birds, those being mookees and Indian fantails -- all interesting to watch. I asked Aaron Horrell why I am not seeing many songbirds, and he said the varying temperatures may have something to do with it. I think it might also be the hawk that resides in the area who likes to sit atop the loft's fly pen. We were thrilled to see a bald eagle fly over our house last week, and I think the word is out -- there are some new menu choices in the area!

The current Paint for a Cause at The Painted Wren Gallery is at the Bollinger County Museum in Marble Hill, Missouri. Aaron Horrell says the gigantic mural of the Veterans Home painted at the SEMO District Fair will be at the home after the first of the year.

As always

Remember to tell those special people in your life you love them -- those three words mean so very much.

We wish everyone safe travel through the holidays.

Please email your news to darbuck2@airmail.net or call (573) 887-6430 or (214) 207-7839.

And then ...

Then there was the spirit of Christmas.