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Thursday, December 24, 2020

Thankful and Poetic Thursday #51 Christmas Eve 2020

Thankful Thursday hosted by

I'm very thankful for the  most wonderful 4 legged friends we met
on our walk at Shelley Lake yesterday, December 23rd.  
As we were trekking up the trail toward the  parking lot lo and behold we were greeted by two of Raleigh's Mounted Police on the most gorgeous
I think I might have been at least if not more excited than the children on the trail.
I am very THANKFUL I had my camera and especially THANKFUL for having the opportunity
to meet  two and four leggers on Raleigh's Mounted Police.
They graciously agreed to pose for lots of photos.
Ike is a German Warmblood** and Willow is a ***Percheron 
The police lady on Willow said she was small for a Percheron.
They have one other horse at the stables, a Belgian.  Don't know its name. I have never seen either of these breeds in the furs.  I'm easily pleased. Evidently as weather allows it sounded like they ride about the trails near Christmas.

**A warmblood is a term that covers any horses for sale that are not a coldblood (the draught breeds) or a hotblood (a thoroughbred or an Arab). However, it is generally applied to a range of European horses, perhaps the best known being the Dutch warmblood (KWPN), the Oldenburg, and the Hanoverian.

***The Percheron is a breed of draft horse that originated in the Huisne river valley in western France, part of the former Perche province from which the breed takes its name.

When we got to the parking lot we saw their truck and horse trailer


Now for my Christmas Eve Poem...

  Today we join Two  SPOLED CATS 


Angel Sammy and Teddy for their poetic pictorial poem.

Here is our inspiration


Today I'm going to 'try' to tell you a true story, via a Poem.

In case the font above is too small, I have it below in a larger font.
Twas Christmas Eve in NC
Back in the year 1956
with my Annie Ma* we lived.
Next door lived my Aunt and Uncle
and cousin Carol.
Carol was older and she thought wiser.
A few days before Christmas,
She was overheard telling gullible me
That Santa had no sleigh 
and reindeer could not fly?
Oh my what was I to believe...
I was about to cry
My uncle and my daddy were clever men.
No worries, they had a plan.
The Ladies were to keep the
children at the front of the house. 
The men vowed,
we'll be as quiet as a mouse.
Bed time came, stories were read
and we children were tucked snug in bed.
As our eyes became heavy,
and pillows cradled our heads
There was a sound bells ringing  
and a thump thump thump on the roof overhead.
The children asked what is that clatter
The ladies shook their heads
asking what did it matter?
We proclaimed with glee
it must be Santa and his reindeer.
We pulled the covers over our head and 
quickly to dream land we went.


******************************
Side note: Carol age 10 once again became a believer
It was many years before we discovered the source of the 
thump on the roof and the ringing bells.  My daddy was on the roof walking over our bedroom and my uncle was running around the house shaking as set of bells.
*Annie Ma was my maternal Grandmother.  The first grandchild could not
pronounce "G".  Grandma became Annie Ma.




25 comments:

  1. that was a sweet poem... my cousin was such a girl too... she said that santa will put me in his bag to carry me away... I screamed like an air raid siren as santa came... well she was a real cow-sin LOL we love da horses!!! and a percheron from france? maybe a relative of the big V's from poupounette blog?

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  2. What a lovely little poem/story about Santa. I struggle to remember whether I ever truly believe in Father Christmas. Neither of my parents were very into what they called "make believe" and I suspect they didn't try to hard to insist on the myth. And then, I have an elder brother of course!
    I suspect those policemen get asked to pose for many photos on their beautiful and immaculate mounts.
    We have a sprinkling of snow here in Aberdeen this morning, so at least one aspect of Christmas feels right!
    Cheers, Gail.

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  3. We loved reading the story poem about Santa - I remember being little and so very excited that Santa was coming to visit our house every year. I would listen and listen for noise in our living room that might be Santa leaving gifts and one year I heard him making quite a racket and I could hear his voice sounding a little angry! That was the year that I got a metal doll house that obviously needed a lot of assembly.....I guess it was a lot of work for Santa and he was tired and cranky??????? I also absolutely love the beautiful police horses. How nice you got to see them up close! We wish you a very MERRY CHRISTMAS !!!

    Hugs, Pam (and Teddy too)

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  4. Luv the horses. Beautiful. I'd like their job.

    lol...your Dad and Uncle....I can just see 2 men In My Mind's Eye stomping and shaking bells.

    Merry Christmas to you and your husband and family.

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  5. That is the sweetest poem to read this morning. It starts off Christmas Eve with a warm feeling of happy memories when I was younger and it is a truly fun story to hear about your past. I believed for a very long time and I still believe in the spirit of Christmas. Ike and Willow are gorgeous! First picture, Ike looks like a giant. He is a BIG boy. He looks like he has to be around 18 hands... if you are riding on Ike you have a long way down! Lucky you to run into them! And thanks for sharing the pictures. I love horses... I was one of those lucky little girls that got a horse for Christmas. Merry Christmas Eve!

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  6. That's so awesome that these two officers took the time to let you get pictures. Those horses sure are handsome, too. Your story poem was a joy to read, Cecilia, and dad said it brought back pleasant Christmas memories from his youth and growing up with 7 siblings, leaving cookies and milk for Santa Claus and all that other fun stuff. What a lovely morning read. Thank you!

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  7. a precious story of santa and his sleigh. your parents cared a lot and knew how to show it. My maternal grandmother was Gonnie, because i could n ot say granny... that is the only word on her tombstone. that is what she wanted. i am so jealous, i would love to have seen these horses and their riders. we have mounted police here also, but i have never seen them, the work the crowed places with tons of people and we don't go there.

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  8. What a lovely poem to capture a wonderful memory! Merry Christmas Eve!

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  9. Thanks for sharing Ike and Willow with us. Nice poem!

    The Florida Furkids

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  10. What a lovely story. Merry Christmas!

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  11. How cool to see those horses and that was such a nice poem. Thanks for joining our Thankful Thursday Blog Hop!

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  12. hari OM
    such a heartwarmer of a tale - thank you for shedding a little magic into Blogville today! YAM xx

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  13. Those horses are so beautiful. We loved your poem about one of your "nights before Christmas". We're glad your dad made it off the roof safely too.

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  14. The horses are just beautiful and we love your story! Merry Christmas Eve!

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  15. Love all of it, but the side note was my favorite. How clever.

    Have a fabulous Thankful Thursday, my friend. Love and hugs. ♥

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  16. You made me laugh out loud with glee! My Dad did the same thing when I was 9 (and my little sister was 4). I even saw deer foot prints in the fresh snow on the front lawn the next morning! I have to thank you for the wonderful memory! Our family wishes you love, joy, and peace … today, tomorrow, and always -- Merry Christmas
    Barb

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  17. Oh my goodness, what a fantabulous memory and great job turning it in to a poem!

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  18. Those are lovely horses!!! And I loved the poem.

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  19. What a lovely story in your poem. How lovely to see the police and their horses.
    Virginia at The Poupounette has 4 Percheron horses.

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  20. Love seeing the horses with the police- handsome horses! Great poem too!

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  21. Jackie at Memories of Eric and Flynn suggested we come over to see the Percheron horse. There are four of us here at Poupounette Central!

    Neighs,
    Vidock, Violette, Hotesse and Heloise (the 4 Percherons)

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  22. A wonderful story thanks so much friends. Have a Meowy Christmas
    Timmy and Family

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  23. That was quite the story from your childhood. Poor Carol, we bet she is sorry she was not so nice, but we can see she learned her lesson well.

    The horses are stunning. Our friends at The Pouponette blog have Percherons - BIG and handsome horses indeed.

    Merry Christmas from all of us. We hope Santa leaves lots of goodies for everyone.

    Jolly Jingling Woos - Lightning, Misty, and Timber

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  24. I've never heard of a German Warmblood--will have to look them up. Ike's a handsome horse. I know Percherons and Belgians are both large horses. What a great story. You were loved very much. Oh, and I could not pronounce my Aunt Anna May's name -- we were very close -- so I always called her Nan Nan, then Nan for short even as an adult.

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Please leave a meow or bark for Angel Madi...her assistant (aka Mom) will respond in a timely fashion. =^..^=
Life is short, spend it with those who make you laugh
“Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy.” (Leo F. Buscaglia)
TONS OF HUGS
Cecilia and Angel Madi
Email: candb214@att.net