Filed under: Family time, Food, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Herbs, Love, music, Sunsets, water garden, Waterfalls | Tags: Baby Jesus, Christmas, Christmas Countdown, Christmas decorations, Christmas Gifts, Christmas is Coming, Christmas Lights, Christmas List, Christmas Love, Christmas Magic, Christmas Music, Christmas Season, Christmas Songs, Christmas Spirit, Christmas Tree, Christmas with Family, Christmas Zen, Family, Family Breakfast, Family Dinner, Family Fun, Family Recipe, Family time, Family Traditions, Friends and Family, God, God Bless, God Bless America, Gods Country, I Love My Family, Jesus, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas Y'all, The Reason For The Season, What is Christmas All About
I’m up early, getting ready for our annual family Christmas Eve Dinner 🥘 In just a few hours we will have about 20 house guests including at least 4 dogs 🐕 🤩 Christmas music, movies, pie 🥧… It’s always nice to spend time with your family ❤️

I hope you have a wonderful day & an even better evening and night! 🎅🏼 And, Here’s to all the good boys and girls out there! Merry Christmas 🎄

A Visit from St. Nicholas
By: Clement Clarke Moore
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her ’kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter’s nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on, Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!”
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky;
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of Toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of Toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a pedler just opening his pack.
His eyes—how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle,
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”
Have a Wonderful Christmas Eve!
Mark C.
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22 degrees this morning when I went down to the Chicken coop… 🥶 Cold, frosty morning with a beautiful Sunrise 🌅 Today marks 1 week till Christmas 🎄 So I don’t really mind the cold right now, it adds to the feeling of the season 🎅🏼 But, it’s fixing to get even colder… And, maybe snow ❄️ Did someone say White Christmas? It may just be in the cards… ❄️

As I write this blog, I’m sitting behind the wheel of my truck waiting on Jo to re-emerge from Krogers… Needed supplies for a Christmas party this afternoon 🎅🏼
As soon as we get back, Breakfast! More coffee ☕️ then it’s back to it! Merry Christmas 🎄
The lakes are covered with ice;
Our trees are full with frost.
It seems as a good nice winter,
but one thing, one thing is lost.
~The Snow-The Snow-The Snow!
The fireplace is a cracklin’,
the moon is full and bright.
The stars are just there twinklin’,
It seems as a perfect night.
But what is there missing?
Maybe the perfect sound?
Nothing but the wind gusts,
blowing the snow around.
The fire goes out;
the babies start cryin’,
The wind picks up;
I start smilin’.
Could it be?
Finally some snow!?
I looked out the window to see a dimming glow.
I drank my hot chocolate,
which warmed my body.
Then, like a lion, I jumped into bed,
and slept.
When the light had shown in,
I sprung out of bed.
So quick, she heard me, my mom said.
I looked outside, and saw no brown.
The ground was bright!
The ground was white!
Whiter than the whitest of rice,
Whiter than the cotton like clouds of the sky.
Maybe, just maybe, winter would be pretty nice!
~ Jocelyn Larrabee
Have a great Sunday! 🎄❄️🎅🏼
~ Mark C.
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Merry Christmas 🎄 I have found myself becoming more and more in the Spirit of the season this year! We have been decorating around the place on a daily basis… Add to that all the food and party’s and plans being made, This year has felt more “Christmasy” than normal 🎅🏼

We still have LOTS to do before the big family get together, but I’m good with that! It’s 2 weeks until Christmas Day! 😮 Wow right… Be ready!
Christmas is Coming! 🎅🏼

“Christmas gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect on the important things around us.”
~ David Cameron
Have a great day!
~ Mark C.
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I have been blessed with overall good health, so when I do get sick 😷 it’s awful… I’m finally getting over a case of the Flu with a Bronchitis kicker… Believe me when I tell you, it sucks! Cough, weakness, exhaustion, etc… But, thank the lord, I’m finally feeling better!
We are officially in December! I’ve been getting my strength back by tooling around the house a little trying to help get ready for the next big holiday 🎅🏼
Our Christmas tree 🎄 is up & quite a bit of decorating has been done as well. I’m actually starting to get that feeling of Christmas 🙏🏻

We’ve got Lots to do before years end! My biggest challenge is to keep a work/life balance through the holidays so I get to enjoy the season with my family too 😊
In any case, Christmas is coming! Be ready 🎅🏼
“May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.”
~ Ada V. Hendricks
~ Mark C.
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The morning after Christmas has now come and gone… Why does it always feel like Christmas is so far away, then you blink and its gone for another year? Hard to grasp… But we had a good family get together and dinner, saw some beautiful lights and decorations, and tried to remember and stay true to the real meaning of Christmas.

Now we have to take all the decorations down, clean everything up and get ready for a new year… Ready or not, here comes 2022!
When the song of the angels is stilled,
When the star in the sky is gone,
When the kings and the princes are home,
When the shepherds are back with their flock,
The work of Christmas begins:
To find the lost,
To heal the broken,
To feed the hungry,
To release the prisoner,
To rebuild the nations,
To bring peace among brothers,
To make music in the heart.
~ Howard Thurman
Have a great last evening of Christmas weekend! 🎄🎅🏻❤️🙏🏻
Mark C.
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Its the last Throwback Thursday before Christmas 🎄 So here’s to looking back at Christmas past.

Have a very Merry Christmas! #throwbackthursday!
“God gave us our memories so that we might have roses in December.”
~ J.M. Barrie
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
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The nights have gotten longer and longer as the days shrank for the last 6 months… Tonight is the longest night of the year! The ”Longest Night” aka: The Winter Solstice happens NOW!

The Winter solstice is the shortest day of year and the official first day of Winter! Christmas 🎅🏻 is in only 4 days! And Spring will be here before we know it 😊 Things are looking up indeed!
“I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December
A magical thing
And sweet to remember.
‘We are nearer to Spring
Than we were in September,’
I heard a bird sing
In the dark of December.”
~ Oliver Herford
Have a Great Day! AND, a Very Merry Christmas! 🎅🏻🎄
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
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I got up a little late this morning… We were up late watching Christmas movies 🎅🏻 Just a few more days till Christmas 🎄 Only 2 days till the Winter Solstice, which make me happy as well! After Tuesday the days start getting longer again 🙏🏻 Come on Spring! Don’t let me get ahead of myself… The real next stop is Sunday brunch!



So much to do this week! Cooking, shopping, wrapping, cleaning, work work work… Sometimes I have to remind myself to slow down, and focus on what this season is really all about – Who its all about 🙏🏻
This has and always will be one of my favorIte Christmas shows ❤️ Its as relevant and meaningful as the day it was released in 1965.
Have a great day and a VERY Merry Christmas!
“Probably the reason we all go so haywire at Christmas time with the endless unrestrained and often silly buying of gifts is that we don’t quite know how to put our love into words.”
~ Harlan Miller
Peace,
Mark C.
Filed under: Family time, General Blog Entry's, God Bless America, Love, music | Tags: 2021, Christmas, Christmas 2021, Christmas Countdown, Christmas is Coming, Christmas List, Christmas Love, Christmas Magic, Christmas Music, Christmas Season, Christmas Songs, Christmas Spirit, Christmas Tree, Christmas with Family, Christmas Zen, Family, Family Fun, Family History, Family Pictures, Family time, Family Traditions, Friends and Family, Grateful, I ❤️ Music, Merry Christmas, Merry Christmas Y'all, music, What is Christmas All About

Every year I try to refine my ‘Top 10 Christmas songs’ to enjoy for the season. Christmas music is playing as I write this 🎅🏻 I hope you enjoy the music of the season as much as I do…
Top 10 Christmas List for 2021…
1- Hard Candy Christmas – Dolly Parton
2- Tennessee Christmas – Alabama
3- Christmas in Paradise – Mary Gauthier
4- 25th December – Everything but the girl
5- Thankful for Christmas – Hayes Carll
6- Christmas Island – Jimmy Buffett
7- Christmas in Hollis – Run DMC
8- Merry Christmas from the Family – Robert Earl Keen
9- Please Come Home For Christmas – Eagles
10- Jingle Bell Rock – Daryl Hall & John Oates
This list should get you tapping, singing along, smiling and crying!
Merry Christmas y’all!
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
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In the interest of good communication I want to post next weeks Retail Nursery hours. You may not believe this, but next Friday is Christmas Eve 🤩 WOW how time has flown…
We will be CLOSED – Friday December 24th through Tuesday December 28th in observance of the holiday and will re-open for our normal Retail Nursery hours on Wednesday December 29th.

The whole team at Carters Nursery, Pond & Patio wants to wish you all a Warm and Merry Christmas 🙏🏻
God Bless,
Mark Carter
Carter’s Nursery, Pond & Patio
2846 Old Medina Rd.
Jackson, Tn. 38305
Ph.# 731-424-2206
http://www.cartercountry.com
YouTube pg. –
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6dPkQiE04jcr385SOL0gkw
Facebook pg. – https://www.facebook.com/mark.carter.775
Pinterest pg. – https://www.pinterest.com/cartersnursery