A Beautiful Ending to a Perfect Day

Dear Reader:

Yesterday was such a perfect day… I wish I could have put a bow on it. The spirit of Christmas came early-the gift of time. As I went to pick up supper and was driving back home-the blues and the pinks in the setting sun, with one stray cloud floating by, gave me goosebumps.

Tommy brought me my perfect Christmas tree. He tells me I say that every year but this time it was spectacular!

As soon as the tree goes up… so does Ruthie-the rag doll representing the main character in the book based on an incident from author, Gloria Houston, about a special Christmas in her mother, Ruthie’s, childhood-set in the Appalachian mountains during WWI.

Honey and I decided to follow the route of the characters one chilly trip in January-and while staying at a familiar haunt ( Gloria Houston frequented) I wrote her a letter which she soon after responded to with much excitement. She invited Honey and me to Waynesville for a book reading and Ruthie’s 95th birthday!

Another special letter… like Bill Barutio’s a few days ago on the blog. We all immediately hit it off and texted each other until Gloria’s passing ( rare cancer) in 2016 ( 20 years after her widely acclaimed Christmas book was first published in 1996.)

It is hard to believe Gloria has been gone five years now. She was always sending me prayers for my cancer and interest in my medical procedures and hope for a cure! Gloria fought her cancer valiantly but time ran out before she could finish a sequel to The Year of The Perfect Christmas Tree.

So yesterday I took time to pause and remember the story and amazing people behind the tradition of having a rag doll named Ruthie the Angel on the ” tip tip top” of my tree every year!

Tommy, my tree-cutting and pulling Santa Claus , brought his two favorite elves to help!

Mandy and Eva Cate spent yesterday morning working on a Christmas float for their school-after lunch they said they would come help me decorate the tree.

Jake did a good job decorating but preferred climbing in the Pear tree!

Cousins Rutledge, Lachlan, and Eloise went to the fun Hidden Pond Nursery with mom! A great day for one and all!

So until tomorrow… Sharing Time is one of the best gifts of Christmas!

Today is my favorite day-Winnie the Pooh

About Becky Dingle

I was born a Tarheel but ended up a Sandlapper. My grandparents were cotton farmers in Laurens, South Carolina and it was in my grandmother’s house that my love of storytelling began beside an old Franklin stove. When I graduated from Laurens High School, I attended Erskine College (Due West of what?) and would later get my Masters Degree in Education/Social Studies from Charleston Southern. I am presently an adjunct professor/clinical supervisor at CSU and have also taught at the College of Charleston. For 28 years I taught Social Studies through storytelling. My philosophy matched Rudyard Kipling’s quote: “If history were taught in the form of stories, it would never be forgotten.” Today I still spread this message through workshops and presentations throughout the state. The secret of success in teaching social studies is always in the story. I want to keep learning and being surprised by life…it is the greatest teacher. Like Kermit said, “When you’re green you grow, when you’re ripe you rot.”

View all posts by Becky Dingle →

This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.