Hillbrook Farm | The FOURTH Day of Blogmas!

Even though we were just in the farmhouse parlor, the room felt the same as all the Christmas Eve services before it. Grandma’s vintage tree flushed behind me with its faux-candle lights encircling the branches, casting a shadow of light around our circle. Specks of birthday candle light flickered from person to person. Even the farm participated in our circle, glowing from the reflection of the moonlight on the snow. Dainty icicles like thin drips of candle wax skimmed the bushes and bare tree branches.

A thin skin of slush glazed Turner Road running by outside. Not nearly as treacherous as forecasted, but not likely to be cleared until a dedicated man with a tractor got out to plow. I had to smile, thinking about the powdering of snow that kept us at the farm for Christmas Eve. I couldn't help but thank it.

On the fourth day of Blogmas, Leeann's blog gave to me:

memories filled with snow, one blog tag, the best study tips, and 10 Christmas songs to sing!

Time to Deck the Halls!

Oh you know, just checking in to make sure you haven't forgotten about me :) Now that December has finally come, I'm in all-out Christmas mode. My little desk corner is filled with holiday clings, Merry Christmas banners, and my mini tree. There's nothing some decorations can't fix, if you ask me. One of my roommates also decorated our door with Santa wrapping paper and stockings for the four of us.

I love Advent.

The lead up to Christmas is just as wonderful as the actual day. I love my daily Advent readings, Christmas songs, and the anticipation of a new beginning. Another semester comes to a close, the weather settles into it's winter state, and everyone gathers together to celebrate. I've always found something magical in holiday spirit, and I refuse to let that go as I grow up.

While I haven't been blogging much this semester, I want to record my favorite time of the year. So get ready for... the 12 Days of Blogmas! I will be posting 12 days in a row starting December 14th. They might be festive photos, an account of what I did that day, a book review, a gift list--anything Christmas related! If you have any requests, leave them in the comments below.

I hope you are all having merry holiday seasons! I'll see you on the 14th :)

Below the Line

Today is kind of entirely a Below the Line post, and I'll tell you why:

Coming to school has been quite the change for me. I have an entirely new schedule to get used to, a new living arrangement, and new food. I'll be honest with you, I'm struggling to get back into the swing of things. I'm already behind on my homework, and it's the fifth day of school.

I've also had some diet changes thrust at me just this weekend that I'm still trying to process and understand amid all the other changes I'm dealing with right now. I can talk about that later, if you want, but right now even I'm not sure what it all means.

Basically, I haven't had the time I would like to work on this blog. I miss it, trust me- I miss it a lot. But now my madly typing fingers need to focus on nature writing and literature and history analysis.

If things go as planned (fingers crossed!) expect a regular blog post on Friday. But if not, bare with me. I'll get it all worked out!

On Location | Landmark for Peace Memorial

If I was a poet, this is the place where you'd see a lovely lyric about the meaning of the Landmark for Peace, what it was like to be there and maybe even a flashback to Robert Kennedy's speech.

I am not a poet (and I probably never will be). But there was something cool about seeing the Landmark for Peace Memorial. I've been taught for years about the speech Robert Kennedy gave in Indianapolis the day Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. How his speed is accredited for stopping any riots that might have occurred.

But this sculpture is more than that. A couple from Michigan was at the memorial at the same time my friend Jordan and I were there. The man couldn't look away. His wife had already walked back to the car, but he thoroughly read both signs and looked up at the two men reaching out towards each other. He seemed deep in thought, and I felt as if I was intruding.

It's when I see this picture that I get what that guy was thinking. How these two people, both important in the Civil Rights movement, reach for each other, but can't seem to touch. How, even now, their dreams are not fully realized. But how easily the space between their hands could be filled- if only.

I got to stand there with one of my best friends, who actually suggested we check out the memorial. I didn't even know it was there. But I also got to stand there with the thousands of Hoosiers who stood there before me, hearing the news that Martin Luther King was killed. They had a choice how to react, and they chose peace.

And I thought, "Surely one day, the hands can close."

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Hello Below-the-Line readers! I hope you enjoyed this post. I thought I would try a little writing exercise, taking a photograph from the past week and freewriting about it. I'm thinking of doing this more often, if it works out.

Also, if you haven't already, check out the Scribbling in the Margins' Twitter at @scribblemargins! I tweet out new posts, as well as little random tidbits throughout my day.Think of it as a little "behind the scenes."

Happy Tuesday!