"Y'all come back now...."

This is what's great about Christmas... it's not just one day, it's a lot of days, and most of those days bring super-nice surprises.

A friend of mine brought a wrapped gift to me this morning that was so very thoughtful inside and out. The wrapping paper was nostalgic and innocent, with a 1950s-Christmas flair to it. Such pretty paper that I saved it. Inside the wrapping was a gift that she had hand-painted for me.... a smiling, whimsical black and white cat that's saying "Y'all come back now, ya hear..."

Cute as a button that cat is, and you can just hear him purring Y'all come back... as you look into his green eyes.  It's amazing to me that artists can have such talent that their work comes to life as you look at it, whether it's a classical painting in a European museum or a whimsical and loving cat with green eyes sitting by your door in the Hill Country.

That cat painting is now in my breakfast room, arranged with Christmas boxes right near my chair by the table so I can see it every day. After the holidays are over and the Christmas Santa sign comes off the porch, I will put the green-eyed cat by the back door so he can tell everyone to come on back.

Another morning surprise from friend C was a Downton Abbey tea mug that I will use every day for hot tea.... another thoughtful gift, to be sure.  Christmas is as Christmas does, and nothing says Christmas more than hand-made gifts. The Downton mug will hold my tea, but the green-eyed cat will hold my heart.

Speaking of cats, I can just hear the orange cat now......
Knock, knock.
Who's there?
Orange.
Orange who?
Orange you going to tell me who that green-eyed cat is?