Let Us Never Grow Too Old

Let Us Never Grow Too Old by Nancy Byrd Turner

Oh, Heart, let's never grow too old
To smile anew, when Christmas comes,
At tassels red and tinsel thread,
And tarlatan bags of sugarplums;

To catch that unforgotten scent,
Spicy and gay, without a name,
Of pungent orange peeling blent
With cedar scorched in candle flame;

To draw a well-beloved delight
From one dear melody unbound
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
A glory shone around.

Let's never grow too old, my heart,
To thrill before the jaunty grace
Of stockings hung with careful art
Beside the chimney's homely face:

Above one rim, a lady doll;
Above the next, a woolly cat;
Topping the third, a rubber ball;
Each stoking knobby-toed and fat.

Pure stuff of magic in the sight,
And one sweet legend with them wound:
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
A glory shone around.

Oh, heart, let's never be too old
To feel again the yule log's glow,
To catch the tinkle, keen and cold,
Of silver sleighbells through the snow.

Let's never fail to lean, a space,
Against the frosty window-bar
And mark aloft, in heaven's place,
One solemn, lovely, silent star.

The shadows fall, the dreams take flight,
But every year is Christmas-crowned
When shepherds watch their flocks by night,
And glory shines around!
Last night, was our neighborhood Christmas party. We gathered in a friendly home that was so bedazzled with Christmas fantasy it was a wonder for even the adults. Above you will see the Christmas town, equipped with running train runs half the length of one big wall.
Tiny homes and shops, all alight, as though peopled with tiny elves working late into the evening.
Above a ski-lift for fairy persons and a hill of angel hair for their downward sport.
A Tunnel for the little train that takes it into a hill and back again.
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What to take to these lovely Christmas Get-Togethers that require a covered dish?

Artichoke Dip

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a medium-sized mixing bowl, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, Parmesan cheese and onion. Chop up artichoke hearts, then add them, the lemon juice, salt and pepper to mayonnaise/cheese mixture. Transfer mixture to a shallow baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes, or until light brown on top.

That is basic recipe. I also like to add chopped jalapeno (I let some of my peppers ripen to a red color so it is a bright addition to any dish), and pimento.

Have a wonderful day!
Elizabeth