I came across this video that reminds me of the quiet of snow when curling up with a good book next to a fire is a great idea. In case there isn't any snow this Christmas whereever you are, here is what snow can look like in rural Ohio. This is time-lapsed photography from Mt. Orab. When I saw this I thought, wouldn't it be lovely if whoever created this video had set it to Pachelbel's Canon? On the other hand, enjoy the silence.

This video which was a OH 10 New Media Center Report on December 13 of this year captures it all. Warmth, love, good cheer and fireworks. Merry Christmas. Grab a cup of hot chocolate and enjoy. I hope your town, whereever you are feels like this one and Santa comes down your chimney or through your front door.

Sunita Williams is one of the women mentioned in the Twelve Days of Ohio blog as one of the four women astronauts born in Ohio. As I was listening to the radio, the other day after I wrote the blog, I heard her name mentioned in a news story. Sunita is in space, as in right now. Somewhere she is above our heads living in a space station. She was on a space walk the day I heard about her fixing some sort of equipment or piece of the station, or was it the space ship? Regardless, she was floating outside the ship fixing something that would not fold up properly. She was jiggling it. Her voice was part of the broadcast, and I don't know if the astronaut she was working with and she were having much luck. They said things like, "Now you try."

More Sunita Williams facts: Williams was born in Euclid and is the second astronaut to be of Indian decent. She'll be in space for six months as part of a three person team who is conducting experiments. Somehow, I missed that there are astronauts in a space station right now so this broadcast got out a message. Blogging has certainly helped me keep in the news loop a bit. If I hadn't written the earlier blog, I may have missed this bit of news all together.

For any film history folks, or history folks, or news folks, or pretty much anyone who looks to look at vintage film footage, here's a tightly packed snippet of film stuff about Mike Gittinger, a newsreel cameraman in Toledo from 1928-1949. Not exactly the paparazzi of the day, but still a guy who made his bucks freelancing by capturing people on film, Gittenger's job was too look for interesting stuff to make the newsreels shown before feature movies. If there wasn't anything interesting going on from time to time, he made something interesting happen. This is bit of film history, personality profile and humor rolled into one. The clip is a WGTE Preview.

Cleveland has a lot to do with Christmas trees and holiday lights in the United States. First of all, in 1851 Dr. Henry Schwan, a Zion Luthern minister headed to the woods near Cleveland, chopped down a tree, set it up in his church and decorated it-- complete with candles. I think they were candles, or maybe they were lights. Regardless, rumor has it that this was the first decorated tree in the U.S., or at least in this part of the U.S. and some loved it and some hated it. Some thought it very unChristian. Well, people got over it.

Then in 1911, General Electric took up shop at what was once a vineyard at what is now 1975 Nobel Road. One thing led to another until 1925 when GE began putting up Christmas light displays at Nela Park, its home and the first industrial park ever. By 1970, the lights went for several blocks--and I'm not talking about any old lights. They are so grand that one of my sisters-in-law used to go to see the lights when she was a kid and took her kids every year even if it was just to drive by quickly.

Each year there is a different theme so the ornaments are created just for that year. A couple years ago after I heard about Nela Park, I had a hankering to head to the east part of Cleveland to see the display myself. That year the theme had something to do with years gone by. The year before that, I think, had something to do with around the world wonders like the Taj Mahal. The light display is unique in another way as well. Since 1922 Nela Park has provided the lights for the National Christmas Tree in Washington, D.C.

I think when I was looking for an inflatable Santa image I came across a shop near Kings Island that looks like a destination store, and you only have until the end of the year to get there before it closes until April. The Kings Mill Christmas Shop has been featured in the Toledo Blade, The Cincinnati Enquirer and Michigan Living to name a few publications. From the photographs on their website, it looks like one of those totally sensory rich places that are fun to browse around. If you're looking for specialty Christmas items, I'd head here. It seems they have ornaments to fit any theme. The merchandise also includes 150 different kinds of Santas and snowmen. I don't know if they have any inflatable stuff though.

Finding this shop got me wondering about others.Here is another shop I came across. This one is in Hocking Hills, and it is also only open every day until the end of the year and won't open again during weekdays until the spring. The Christmas Treasures Gift Shop is in Logan, OH. Besides Christmas related stuff, this one has all kinds of goodies, some Ohio-themed and some not.

For a mega Christmas shop experience, head towards 'Tis the Season Christmas Shoppe near Berlin, OH. This one is open all year around and is considered the biggest one in the state. There are 200 decorated trees, for starters. I can't imagine it's possible to walk into the store and then leave without buying something. The website has a video as well to get you in that shopping mood beforehand.

Let's say you're looking for the perfect something for that four-legged family member of yours. You know, your best friend. There's a store in Grandview that fits the category of best places to buy your pet a treat. Sure you can troll the aisles of Petland, but it's the holidays so why not make what's under the Christmas tree a bit more upscale than that rawhide bone or the same ol' same ol' catnip ball you were thinking of?

Heidi's Homemade: Dog and Cat Treat Bakery, an establishment that will be 10 years old in 2007, cooks up homemade organic pet treats for both cats and dogs that sounds good enough to eat yourself. Zara's Peanut Butter Dog Treats for one. You can also buy commercial organic dog and cat food. The idea of organic dog and cat food came about after the owners' dog, Heidi developed cancer. They treated her by feeding her organic food, and sure enough, enhanced her life so she was able to live for two more years. She never did have that chemo.

Last December there was a Kwanzaa Celebration at the Columbus Zoo. A friend of mine was a dancer whose group was part of the performance offering enticed me to go. Since this was a perfect outing opportunity, I took my kids. Although I knew about Kwanzaa, I hadn't had much personal experience with it.After going I found out that Kwanzaa is one of those holiday traditions that fits perfectly in this time of year when we're supposed to be vowing to live better and be better. Plus, it was a great time. I checked out the zoo website to see if there was a repeat of this, but there's not--at least I couldn't find it. There is another opportunity in Columbus I found.

The King Avenue Arts Complex has an all day event that is part of the Winter Arts Academy: Taste of the Soul. While the Taste of the Soul is from the 20th to the 29th of December, December 27 is a day event open to everyone as part of a citywide celebration. Scroll down the events list on the King Avenue website to find it.

Each day of Kwanzaa has a different principle that is emphasized. On the 27th, the focus is on the value of self-determination which in Swahili is "Kujichagulia." You can read more about Kwanzaa on the official Kwanzaa website. In case you're wondering though, Kwanzaa was created by Ron Karenga and first celebrated in 1966. Its purpose is to tie in traditional African values and principals with American culture, particularly African American, although ideally, this is a tradition that can be celebrated by anyone. The idea is not to dump other religious traditions at this time of year, but to offer ideas that can be blended in. Kwanzaa is not an either or. It's a both. This is a great way to also learn more about traditional African culture and traditions and see how well they fit into the values Americans hold dear.

On the 8th day of Christmas my true love gave to me. . .

Eight Ohio Presidents

That would be odd to get 8 Ohio presidents for a present. There is a game about the Ohio presidents you can play on-line. You do need Adobe Shockwave Player which you can download. Okay, I played this game and I'm TERRIBLE at it. Basically, you need to know things like "Who was the 29th president" and who was the last president to serve in the Civil War, or some such thing. I knew a few items, but guessed up a storm. Every wrong guess costs points until, eventually, you are booted out of office.

This is fun game to think back to your Ohio history classroom days. Besides the game, there are fairly extensive biographies of each president. Here is one fact per each president to get you started at being a game winner.

William Henry Harrison – The 9th president. Even though it was raining, he delivered the longest inaugural speech in history.

Ulysses S. Grant- The 18th president. His first name was really Hiram.

Rutherford B. Hayes – The 19th president. He used federal troops during a railroad strike.

James A. Garfield – Was the 20th president. He was assassinated and died four months after he took office.

Benjamin Harrison- Was the 23rd president. He served in the Battle of Atlanta during the Civil War.

William McKinley – Was the 25th president and was liked enough to be voted in for two terms, however someone didn't like him and he was assassinated.

William Howard Taft – Was the 27th president. Was the only president to also serve on the Supreme Court.

Warren G. Harding – Was the 29th president who was the owner of the Marion Star newspaper.

You can buy a decanter like the one in the photo from the Jim Beam Decanter Club.

When I contacted Applied Imagination to find out about getting a picture of the train display at Krohn Conservatory, I found out there was a train closer to my own backyard. Paul Busse's creation in the downtown Columbus Huntington Bank building on the corner of High and Broad Street across from the Statehouse is spectacular. The receptionist has the most awesome display right at her back, and it's the only one of its kind in town.

Busse is the creator of the Krohn Conservatory train as well. While there are similarities to the two displays, the one in Cincinnati gives a nod to the buildings there, while the Huntington Bank version is a Bavarian town on the Tauber River. Seven trains wind along the tracks that also include a waterfall, an 8-ft. castle and miniature people, snow and evergreens. Here's an interesting piece of information I just read on the sheet you can pick up at the display; the cathedral represents the Frauenkirche which is the Church of Our Lady in Dresden. The church was destroyed during WWII, but has been recently reconstructed. Huntington Bank helped with fundraising the reconstruction funds.

The only time you can see this exhibit is during the regular banking hours between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. After Dec. 31 it will be taken down until next year. You can also register to win a train set. For more about Paul Busse and his train displays, here is an article from Kentucky Living Magazine.

I did blog about the Christmas light display in Pickerington a few weeks ago, but after my up close and personal experience this past Saturday night after my friend and I took our two sons to see it, I wanted to emphasize again-Go! (And if any of you read my blog about ice-skating at the Statehouse, yes, this is the same day with the same friend and the same two boys. And yes, the house stayed a mess in the spirit of continuing with holiday cheer.)

In my past blog, I mentioned that last year there were four houses that had synchronized lights and the aim this year was to get almost the whole street involved. Happily, they did and the street can't be missed. First, of all, you'll see the lights as you head into the subdivision. The string of cars crawling along waiting to get onto the street and back out is a good clue as well. My friend parked the car so we could walk. The slight problem with this was that we couldn't listen to the radio station that plays the Christmas music you're supposed to listen to while you see the lights. I did see one family who was also walking. They were pulling a wagon with a radio tuned in. Smart!

We felt bad that we didn't have any canned goods to donate when we got to one of the original houses. When you go, you'll see a huge wooden box for donations. The elves passing out candy canes to passerbys who were also collecting the donations said that they empty the box a couple times a day and one of their garages is filled with canned goods for a Pickerington food bank. When we were hanging out waiting for Santa to come back outside, someone donated two cases of green beans. I think they were green beans. They were canned goods at any rate. Most everyone who passed handed the elves money. We hung out for awhile since the elves were friendly and the night was downright balmy. I think folks passing by thought we were involved somehow since, from time to time, we got a thank-you.

Evidently, this street is big news. It was on the CBS Sunday Morning show, I think. The elf informant told me it was going to be on between 9 and 10 AM. It's also been written up in the New York Times. One thing that really warmed my heart was the house that had a large inflatable menorah out front and blinking blue and white lights. It struck me that if we all had synchronized blinking lights all over the world we'd probably cheer-up. This light display is run by a computer. I wonder if world peace through synchronized lights is something Bill and Melinda Gates might consider?

The street is Hail Ridge Drive. I did see an inflatable Santa like the one in this picture. The deer and Santa move. Here's the link to the New York Times article. The Pickerington street is the last one mentioned and there's a picture of some of the houses and the mastermind.

Saturday I had a list of things to do. I was firm with resolve that I would do them. That was until my neighbor and friend suggested ice-skating down at the rink outside the Statehouse with our two sons. Let's see, clean house or ice-skate? Rough choice. It didn't take long for me to dig out my ice skates in the basement and end up at the ice-rink lacing up my son's rentals. This was three hours of sheer joy. (Unless you count the interlude where he pulled his gloves off saying he was too hot, and then a few seconds later insisting that he needed them back on.)

When you skate at the Statehouse, it helps if you think a little small. It's not a big rink, but it's adequate. Noticing the way the capitol building is reflected in the windows of the building across from it is part of the pleasure. I pretended I was in a Bing Crosby movie for awhile, particularly when songs like Silver Bells wafted out into the warm air. It's an amazing thing to think that you can do outdoor skating when it's almost 60 degrees. This skating was about the most pleasurable thing I've done this month. From watching my son learn to skate, to honing up on my skating backwards skills, this was a 10.

By the way, if you go, there are lockers there to lock up purses and such if you feel the need, and the adjoining tent is heated. There is hot chocolate, coffee and hot cider to buy as well. Honestly, this is stellar entertainment. You have until January 1 to enjoy. This skating rink is thanks to The Chiller Ice Rinks. Around Ohio there are other outdoor rinks. If you have one, I'd go.

For the hours of the skating rink and other things to do around the Statehouse, check out this Experience Columbus press release. The rink is open longer when school is out. Oh, the photo is on the Statehouse website and was taken last year. Hint: Look at the snow.

If you're looking for something other than the tried and true, something that is a creative twist and will leave you thinking that you've seen something fresh and new, try "Black Nativity." This is a Langston Hughes piece that is a retelling of the birth of Christ, but with a contemporary theme and set to Black Church gospel music. The dancers are from the Cleveland Contemporary Dance Theatre and the Cleveland School of the Arts.

The Karamu House Performing Arts Theatre where this is being performed has a series of plays in the 2006-2007 season under the theme of "Speaking the Gospel!: In Black and White.

The Karamu House, originally "The Playhouse Settlement" has been around since 1915 after it was started by Oberlin graduates, Russell and Rowena Woodham-Jelliffe to promote a place of "common ground" where people of all races could come together. The arts proved to be the best venue. Today it offers workshops, classes, and performances which continue with the original mission. New workshops in dance, the visual arts and theatre for all ages start in January.

Now, this is clever. Honestly. The Cincinnati Ballet has come up with a way for people to win either discount tickets or free tickets to this year's production of The Nutcracker. You can either do your own nutty dance to The Nutcracker ballet music for a chance for free tickets, or vote for one of the people who are in the Cincinnati Ballet video for a chance for $10 off. The video is a hoot. Besides getting a chuckle, it's fun for enjoying snippets of the ballet's music. You can vote for your favorite dancer or submit a video of your own Nutty Dance on You Tube. In case it's too late to vote, this video is worth watching anyway. It's professionally done.

Imagine going into Mozart's Café on Indianola in Columbus to meet up with a contact for a magazine article interview only to find it half-filled with 5th and 6th graders-very well behaved 5th and 6th graders. Pressed and dressed and charming. At first I wondered if this was a deportment class I'd read about in the paper a month or so ago, the kind of class that teaches manners and social skills to youngsters. Nope, these folks were on a Victorian Christmas field trip from West Liberty Salem which is about 50 minutes from Columbus. Mozart's was their dinner stop.

As a person always looking for things to write about, my interest was piqued. Here was a ready-made travel itinerary tailor-made for anyone ages 10 and above. One of the co-teachers in charge, Tonya McGuire , who along with Mrs. Wartman, the gifted teacher, planned the trip, passed along their plans to me. In case you want your own Victorian Christmas, follow in their footsteps.

First stop was the Kelton House Museum and Garden at 586 E. Town Street in Columbus. The museum, run by the Junior League, used to be owned by the Kelton family that, by the looks of the house, owned a boatload of money and were living a fine life during the Victorian era. A trip to the museum is a chance to look back in time at the decorative arts, imagine the family's comings and goings, as well as, learn about the house's role as a stop on the Underground Railroad. I can't believe I haven't been to this place before. Historic houses are right up at the top of the "Things I like to do list."

Then Mozart's Café for dinner. By the time I was done with my interview, I was salivating from the yummy smells and sorely tempted to start sneaking bites off these kids' plates. I just looked at the Mozart's menu and think this might be a fine eating night out. Schnitzel is their specialty and Mozart's serves it from traditional Weiner Schnitzel style to a Greek version. Their food also ranges from soups and salads to specialty sandwiches.

After Mozart's the kids with chaparones in tow were heading to Ohio Village for a tour. School groups can make arrangements for tours outside of the special event hours-I'm pretty sure. If you can't visit the village though, the Ohio Historical Center right next door has exhibits that provides some information about "way back when." The way back goes as far as the geological history to more modern times through permanent and rotating exhibits.