OHVELLO

Christmas. A season of glad tidings, and joy. A season of peace and goodwill. A time to share love, gifts, and food. A time to gather with family and friends.  At our house, the lights are lit, the decorations are in place, the eggnog chilling in the fridge.  All is calm, all is bright.    Art by Adeline Except for one thing. This is the year 2020. A year like no other we've known before. This is the year we have had to wear masks and socially distance ourselves, and the year when masks became political. This is the year words like "mutant virus spoils Christmas" make headlines and create panic.  It appears that Marvel movies have jumped off the big screen into real life, our lives.  And so, in as much as we will try to make Christmas as Christmassy as possible, it will not be the same. Our lives have been disrupted, changes have had to be made, we have all lived through months of uncertainty, lockdowns, separation from loved ones, and toilet paper hoarding...

Fall has always been my favorite season. It is sublime, subtle and whispers of cozy evenings by the hearth complete with hot chocolate and whipping cream. There is the crisp, cool tinge in the air that signifies the end of summer while winter is still yet to come. Fall, the twilight of the seasons, a marker that the days are shorter and the year is coming to a close. Fall by Adeline Oh Velarde As we soldier on into the future with time leading us in the march, I would like to turn my thoughts to the small things that make me smile and pause to give thanks. I will always be thankful and grateful for the people in my life, those closest to me, and those who are still with me today, along with the things in life that I sometimes take for granted, like a home. This time, however, I want to focus on the little things, the things we don't always think are important, but will miss when we find ourselves unable to do them or have them. My top 5 things are: 1.  Being outside and watching th...