Endings and Beginnings 2024-2025 #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time for the last Music Moves Me of 2024.

Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post may be labeled "No Music".)   

Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.

Tomorrow is the last day of 2024, and that means music about endings and new beginnings.

I have had this song before but I love it so, here it is again.  Rod Steward and Auld Land Syne (Live at Stirling Castle).  This song makes me want to spend New Year's Eve one day in Scotland.

Chicago - Beginnings. It's not about New Years Eve but it is about the beginnings of a relationship.

U2's 1983 classic New Year's Day is a political song but I am also including it because of its title.

And that's a wrap, as we look ahead to 2025.

Wishing all of my readers a Happy New Year.   May it be better than 2024.

Boxing Day Snow Shadows #ShadowshotSunday

 Shadows on snow at a local park December 26.

The sun made an appearance.  You can see a lot of sledding tracks plus tree shadows.

But when I was there, the park was empty.

Joining Lisa at Lisa's Garden Adventures for her #ShadowshotSunday.

A December 17 Sunset #SkywatchFriday

For the last Skywatch Friday for 2024, I am choosing a sunset from December 17.  I am also (due to circumstances) publishing this post on Thursday instead of Friday.  Hopefully, I'll be back to my normal publishing schedule next week.

We had blue skies with puffy clouds that day.  It was also mild for a December day.

The end of an unusual day.

A reverse sunset.

Back to the sunset.

The end.

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for the final #SkywatchFriday of 2024.

Happy New Year to all my skywatching friends.

A MacKenzie-Childs Christmas #WordlessWednesday

For this Christmas Day's Wordless Wednesday, we go back earlier this year to a visit to MacKenzie-Childs in Aurora, New York.  

 They had a room set up for Christmas, although Christmas was (at that time) several months away.

Checkerboard heaven.

Enjoy.

So hard to believe this is the last 2024 #WordlessWednesday, brought to you by Sandee at Comedy Plus,  Time has gone too quickly.

Today is special to both Christians and Jews, and so:

Merry Christmas to my readers who celebrate Christmas.  And Happy Hanukkah to my readers who celebrate Hanukkah.

May today be a special day for all of my readers.

When Holidays Collide #MusicMovesMe

It's Monday and it's time for more holiday music!

Today I am joining up with other Music Moves Me bloggers (and you can join us at the linky above). We are a group of music loving bloggers who blog about music each Sunday or Monday (or even later in the week). If you have music to share with us, you are most welcome to join! (Music Posts Only-meaning at least one music video, please! Otherwise, your post may be labeled "No Music".)   

Our head host is Xmas Dolly, and our co-hosts are Cathy from Curious as a Cathy, joined by the knowledgeable Stacy of Stacy Uncorked and, last but not least, me.

Christmas begins in just three days, and, this year, so does Hanukkah (on the evening of December 25).

So let's celebrate both holidays in this post, although I will concentrate on Hanukkah.

 An all time Christmas favorite of mine - The Pogues and Fairytale of New York. I can't get past the first verse without crying although I am not of Irish descent. "I can see a better time when all our dreams come true...."

And now to Hanukkah.  The a capella group Six 13 does a song parody based on something modern each year.  This year's song is A Wicked Chanukah and it's a bit more serious than some of their previous offerings.

From 2005, a modern classic - Saturday Night Live's Christmastime for the Jews, sung by the incomparable Darlene Love.

And that's a wrap....wait, before I wrap, there's this modern Christmas classic from the 1980's.

The Waitresses and Christmas Wrapping.  And now that's a true wrap.

To all my readers who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas.

To all my readers who celebrate Hanukkah, Happy Hanukkah.

Join me again next week for another episode of Music Moves Me.

Oh Christmas Trees #ShadowshotSunday

Today, my Shadowshot is from a previous year, since I was not able to go visiting my two favorite places that are decorated for Christmas.

So, from a past display, this is one of them.

This is part of an annual celebration of the Holidays held at the Roberson mansion (now a museum) in Binghamton, New York.

Joining Lisa at Lisa's Garden Adventures for her #ShadowshotSunday.

Dam Diner Skies #SkywatchFriday

Yes, it's Thursday, but I may not be able to comment much tomorrow, so I am posting this today. 

This is the next to last Skywatch of 2024.  The year has gone by so quickly.

Wednesday was an incredible day - sunny skies and temperatures in the 50's F (10C)

A friend took me out to lunch at a diner that has windows overlooking a dam called the Rock Bottom Dam located on the Susquehanna River near its confluence with the Chenango River.  This dam has quite a history (some of it quite tragic) but it also makes for a great (safe) view from the windows of this diner.  There was once a bridge, too, long gone now.

Oh, did we enjoy the view, and the skies. (My friend, incidentally, calls the diner the Dam Diner).

Downtown is on the other side of the river.

A closeup of the dam with some reflections

Now, the cold weather is back and this weekend it's going to get bitter cold.  By then, of course, it will be winter, so what do I expect?

Joining Yogi and other skywatchers for #SkywatchFriday.