2023 Christmas Letter
December 5, 2023
Friends, another year has
nearly come to its completion. I don’t know about you, but it seems that the
calendar pages have flipped more quickly than ever before. Here it is with
Christmas so near, and it feels like summer had only finished the day before yesterday.
But it is December and once again Jackie and I reach out to you.
Where to begin, that
always seems to be the hardest part in describing a busy year. Let’s start at
the beginning, or near the beginning. For March 7th was the date for
the release
of my third novel,
With the
Sun’s Rising. I felt compelled to pick that date for it was my father’s 98
th
birthday. I sometimes wonder what he would think of my writing. He was a man
that had always made his way by sweat and toil, and might not understand the
whys I push so hard in this endeavor. Yet I believe he would see the importance
of these stories I tell.
Jumping ahead I go to
April and our first getaway of the year. Our first choice of road_C_ADx2_800.jpg) |
| Lower Falls, Hocking Hills State Park |
trips
unraveled even before we got the suitcases out of storage. So instead, we
directed our eyes and feet in a totally different direction. Jackie and I had
promised ourselves that this was the year we would go to Hocking Hills State
Park, Logan, Ohio. After seeing pictures of the park, we longed to see for
ourselves. Though it rained, and rained, and rained, we donned our rain gear,
our hiking boots, and poles, and ventured the trails of the park with care.
Though the weather was
less than perfect, particularly for the photographer in me, the rain fed the
streams. The trees and foliage were bright with what Mom called, “new green,”
and waterfalls were fantastic. We spent three days wandering six trails and saw
many of the wonders of the area. If you love the outdoors and like hiking among
rocky cliffs and flowing water, go to
Hocking Hills.
In June Jackie and I set
our sights northward to one of our favorite areas. We planned another four-day
escape with Holland, Michigan, as our temporary base. Stopping in St. Joseph on
our way north for some shopping and a walk along the Lake Michigan shore. The
following day we visited Saugatuck and several of the interesting shops in that
artsy community. That afternoon found us hiking out to the Saugatuck Dunes on
an intensely hot day, but the views of the lake were incredible.
Of course we went to
Windmill Island on this trip. I find many reminders of my family’s culture
there. Perhaps it had rained while we were in Ohio, but the weather at Lake
Michigan’s shoreline may have been a bit warm, but in every other aspect it was
fantastic. We drove up to Grand Haven
and wandered about among other tourists through the quaint downtown. The trip
concluded with a stop at South Haven as we headed southward, another one of our
favorite places. We would have taken more time, but our precious wonder dog,
wasn’t feeling the best when we left. We had entrusted her to some dear friends
that loved her nearly as much as Jackie and I, but all the same we felt the
four days enough of a parting.
A short time after our
return from Michigan, Cloey, a dog that was so much more than a pet, took a
turn for the worse. It should not have surprised us, for our small dear friend
had not been well for at least 2 years. But she had recovered each bout in the
past, and we had hoped that she would rebound once again. But though she
rallied a few times and we were certain the crisis had passed; the end came
quite suddenly during August’s closing days.
Even now I am not certain
we will ever fully recover from the separation. I still want to call out her
name as I enter what had been her domain. But we feel so fortunate that we were
able to share those 13 and a half years with the small dog with a large heart.
It was mid-September
before we ventured down the road once again. Another hiking
vacation was the
plan. We drove down to Turkey Run State Park, near Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Though the leaves were changing it was a little too early for fall’s color
peak. None the less, Jackie and I dared to hike trail three, one of the more
rugged trails. Our intentions were to tackle a trail or two in Shades State
Park the following day, except the rains began during the night. We had walked
a bit in that park before and it did not seem wise to clumber along slippery
stony trails along cliffs, so we postponed those hikes for another trip.
Instead, we took in the Park County Indiana Covered Bridge Festival.
Rain did little to dampen
the spirits of those that took festivals seriously. We don’t, you understand, but it was interesting
to see the thousands that seemed to have no problem slugging through muddy
parking lots and going from tent to tent to tent. The festival is spread
between 10 communities, we visited three. I consider the Mill in Mansfield the
high point to our day.
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| Ogle Lake, Brown County State Park |
That pretty well covers
our out of time adventures.
Jackie continues to help
at the pharmacy, as a fill in when needed. She says those obligations will
likely cease in the coming year. Time alone will tell.
Nick remains in the
Denver, Colorado area. He continues to work for ConMed, as an engineer in the
research and development department of the surgical device company. He so
enjoys the city and its location. Our son has fallen in love with the mountains
and hikes as well as other outside activities (read golf).
As for me, I give all the
time I can to my writing. I am working on the fourth book of the Misty Creek Series. Time at the keyboard
and a wide variety of Author’s Events fills nearly every moment I can spare,
and more than I should allow.
So, that gives you just a
taste of our lives this past year. I leave you with these few words: know that
you remain in our thoughts and prayers. It is our hope that this coming season
fills you with all the joy and light it can, for Christmas is a very special
time. And as we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, our Savior, we are
reminded just how much God loves us. For God is revealed in love and love is the greatest force in the universe.
It is our hope that you tap into that love, that you share it with those you
care about, as well as your friends and neighbors.
Have a blessed Christmas,
The Vander Veldens
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