Neither plenitude nor vacancy. Only a flicker
Over the strained time-ridden faces
Distracted from distraction by distraction
Filled with fancies and empty of meaning
Tumid apathy with no concentration
Men and bits of paper, whirled by the cold wind
That blows before and after time,
Wind in and out of unwholesome lungs
Time before time and after.
Coke Santa, by commercial illustrator Haddon Sundblom (image may be subject to copyright)
Chicago commercial illustrator, Haddon Sundblom didn’t create the modern version of Santa Claus, but in 1931 Coke hired him to do a series of Santa’s (inspired in large part by Clement Clark Moore’s 1822 poem “A Visit from St. Nicholas”) that over time have become some of the most popular images of the jolly old man. From 1931 to 1966, Sundblom created 40 Santa Claus paintings for Coca-Cola, and since Sundblom wintered in Tucson at the Westward Look Resort, the story goes that many of these painting were created here in Tucson. Click here to read more about the Santa image that many of us grow up with was born, in part, here in Tucson.
Now that it’s the day after Christmas, I share the following — might this be your house?
‘TWAS THE DAY AFTER CHRISTMAS
‘Twas the day after Christmas, and all through the house All the fam’ly was sleeping, yes, even my spouse. The stockings were tossed by the chimney with flair Some turned inside out, to make sure nothing’s there.
The children were nestled all snug in their beds, Nintendo DSes tucked under their heads; And I in my bathrobe, MacBook on my lap, Was happy to know there were no gifts to wrap.
When out from the kitchen there rose such a clatter, I sprang from the couch to see what was the matter. I waded my way ‘cross a floor filled with trash To a kitchen heaped high from our Christmas Eve bash.
The sun through the window, it gave quite a glow: (Los Angeles Christmas: We never have snow), It shone on the remains of the Christmas day cheer, The leftover cheese ball, the dregs of the beer. The un-put-away brownies as hard as a fossil, And o’er on the stove, it shone down on the wassail.
Thinking of Edward Abbey On This Christmas Morning — Image by kenne
“If a man can’t piss in his own front yard, he’s livin’ too close to town.”
— Edward Abbey, re Tom Russell
“Ed died one day at sundown, in his Tucson writing shack They wrapped him in a sleeping bag, and drove him way out back Beneath the wild Saguaro, the coyotes chewed Ed’s bones And on the hidden marker, was “No comment” carved in.”
— from “The Ballad of Edward Abbey” by Tom Russell
Benediction: Edward Abbey, by Tom Russell
Be loyal to what you love, be true to the earth, fight your enemies with passion and laughter. ~Edward Abbey
Translations: casa=house, caramba=goodness, que pasa=what gives, con mucho cuidado=carefully, cosas=things, aquí and allí=here and there, y=and, los niños=the children, camas=beds, vestidos=gowns, cabezas=heads, esperando=hoping, waiting, nixtamal=ground corn for tamales, buñuelos=sugar-coated fritters, la estufa=the stove, y como!=and how!, chile rojo=red chile, la familia=the family, feliz=happy, a todos=to all.
You better watch out You better not sigh You better not doubt I’m telling you why Christmas Roadrunner is spying on you co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo
He runs level to the ground Watching your every move Running through this land of brown Always knowing how to sing and grove co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo
He sees you, you don’t see him Quiet when you are near by Sometimes on a low limb Raising a bushy blue-black crest high co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo
You better watch out Cause he may suddenly run at you So, you better not doubt I’m telling you true Christmas Roadrunner is spying on you co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo co-coo-coo-coo-coooooo
At this annual time of transition between calendar years, it is a time of reflecting and acting. A time of year for celebrating from Thanksgiving through the new year. It is the Holiday Season!
It is a time of year for considering “this and that,” (my grandmother’s words when I would ask, “What are you doing, Grandma?”) reflecting over 2013, it is a time to “ing” out the year.
Driving old Route 66 in the foothills of the Black Mountains near Oatman, Arizona, we noticed one of the ever-present Creosote bushes along the edge of the highway was decorated. Figuring this had to be a photo opt, I stopped to capture the moment.
Continuing our drive to Oatman, we saw another decorated Creosote bush: then another and another. I have since learn that this is a Christmas tradition — children decorating the bushes along Route 66 outside of Oatman.
A Texas Christmas — Image by kenne (Back in Tucson from the holidays in Texas.)
Old Pueblo Christmas — Computer Art by kenne
Coke Santa, by commercial illustrator Haddon Sundblom (image may be subject to copyright)
Don’t Tell This Leafing Ocotillo That It’s Winter In The Desert, But Then, It Is Christmas. — Image by kenne
A Christmas Raven As Sun, In The Canyon — Image by kenne
Source — 
“Christmas Greater Roadrunner” — Image by kenne
Two-Year Old Katelyn, Christmas ’05 — Image by kenne
Spirit of the Holidays Still Life — Image by kenne
Image by kenne
“If a man can’t piss in his own front yard, he’s livin’ too close to town.”
— Edward Abbey, re Tom Russell
“Ed died one day at sundown, in his Tucson writing shack
They wrapped him in a sleeping bag, and drove him way out back
Beneath the wild Saguaro, the coyotes chewed Ed’s bones
And on the hidden marker, was “No comment” carved in.”
— from “The Ballad of Edward Abbey” by Tom Russell
Benediction: Edward Abbey, by Tom Russell
Be loyal to what you love, be true to the earth, fight your enemies with passion and laughter. ~Edward Abbey
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