Christmas Gift

I went for a hike this morning, early, armed with a pair of shears, a large basket and my pair of trusty dogs.  The goal was to gather as many wild toyon or California Holly berry bunches as possible, which you will see soon.  Along the way, in the midst of a thorny bramble bush now denuded of foliage, I found a perfectly intact bird’s nest.  Unfortunately, the egg had been pilfered, in the middle of the large and carefully created nest, and subsequently abandoned by Mommy Bird.  Shears in hand, I snipped the nest free and reversed the egg~

A precious egg…in the soft center of the nest…

…there among the careful construction of thorny bramble branches~

In addition to all the holly berries, greens and other goodies from the garden, this nest is a magnificent Christmas Gift, from Nature, to Me.  Thank you, Mother Nature!  The nest now has a prime corner location in my dining room~

The nest has become a sort of a metaphor for me this season, with its harsh exterior protecting the delicate interior.

As I played around with various ornaments in lieu of the egg, I thought of several friends and family, going through a tough time for various reasons this holiday season.

Can we find that sweet spot, in the center of all the bramble of trouble?

How I wish that I could give the gift of good health, could erase grief, eliminate pain, rewind the clock, and clear troubled minds.

I will instead be offering consolation, friendship, kind words, small acts and good food….

I am hoping that everyone can find joy in this season, in the midst of the chaos!