Around Ascension for Dec. 23, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com – The Advocate

A pandemic Christmas

I'll admit it, I don't have much Christmas spirit this year. Between the coronavirus, the election and changes in my life I'm not feeling too jolly. Not one Christmas decoration has been placed on the mantel and my annual family party had to be canceled.

I tried to change that the other day by mailing some holiday cards. My husband's 91-year-old aunt, who lives in Nebraska, creates cards using recycled parts and pieces from other cards or magazines. They range from quite simple to elaborate, with her original drawings and custom envelope. I was feeling a bit joyous as I walked into my post office, but that joy soured quickly as I overhead a conversation that sucked all the happiness right out of me. Let's just say, the woman on the phone was having a bad day.

I decided to take a different route home and drove by the homes of old friends and neighbors I haven't seen in years. I began to reminisce about my childhood and closeness I once had with those families down the road. It's a road I traveled every day as a child. The school bus dropped off the dozens of kids, most of them my friends, along the crocked country road bordering a bayou.

I passed by the old house of one of my relatives, I believe she was my maternal grandfather's cousin. The house has been empty for decades. Memories rushed back of me running on her porch and playing in the yard while my grandma worked on a quilt inside with her friends. As I pulled into my driveway, I remembered Christmases past when every yard had holiday lights and decorations and my dad made sure we had a tree and lots of colorfully wrapped gifts under it.

Thoughts of my mom's silver Christmas tree with the color wheel brought a smile to my face. I felt a glimmer of Christmas spirit. Then, I learned that two more friends have the coronavirus. Spirit crushed.

But I'm determined to have a happy holiday season. The burst of cold weather should help. I decided to count my blessing instead of concentrating on all the negative. That helped. I'm still able to work in a profession I love and I have lots of friends and family to lean on.

Here's hoping all of you have the holiday spirit and time to enjoy the ones you love during this festive time of year.

So, put on your holiday face mask and enjoy the season.

Bringing a wide variety of books, movies and other services to a location near you. Visit the mobile library at parks and community centers across the parish. Social distancing will be practiced, and masks are required onboard the vehicle.

Hickley Waguespack Center: Dec. 23, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The LSU AgCenters Sweet Potato Research Station produces foundation sweet potato seed annually. These seed potatoes are to be bedded in the row to produce slips or cuttings, which are then transplanted to the field to produce the crop. All varieties are certified to be free of viruses. The varieties available for sale include Beauregard B-63, Beauregard B-14, Orleans, Evangeline, Bellevue, Bayou Belle, OHenry, Porto Rico and Texas Porto Rico. The top two varieties recommended for our area are Beauregard B-63 and Evangeline. Additional variety information can be found on the Sweet Potato Research Station website http://www.lsuagcenter.com/portals/our_offices/research_stations/sweetpotato/.

The cost of a 40 pound box of seed potatoes is $18.50 for Beauregard and Evangeline; and $25.00 for all other varieties. Call Mariah Simoneaux at the LSU AgCenter for more information or to place an order at (225) 621-5799. Orders must be placed by Jan. 8. Potatoes will be ready for pick up in mid-February.

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Around Ascension for Dec. 23, 2020 | Ascension | theadvocate.com - The Advocate