Signs of the Season

Over the past couple weeks the most wonderful thing has started to happen. As we wander down the streets, I keep noticing little signs of the season: Christmas trees for sale, twinkle lights outlining windows and filling trees of homes and and businesses in our neighborhood. We city folk aren't the only ones jumping on the holiday bandwagon a little early. I noticed a tree already decorated in a home down the street from my parents'. The "sign" that started the wave of holiday cheer for me was one that I have looked forward to every year that we've been in our little nest here on the hill. It's one that we can see from any of our west facing windows. Here's the view from the kitchen...

It isn't the clouds and all their texture. It isn't the ferry boats crisscrossing the water. It isn't even the Space Needle! It's that big yellow sign on the side of the theater pronouncing that it is officially time to get your tickets to see the Nutcracker! Can you see it in the view from our window? It's right there on the right side of the picture. Here it is a bit bigger...

I have the most wonderful memories of going to see this as a kid. Before Maurice Sendak created the current scenery, the King Rat was actually played by a dancer who did this fabulous dance just as he was dying. It involved his feet and arms repeatedly shooting up in the air and falling down as he lay on his back. Not that it isn't wonderful now, because it most certainly is! In a couple years we'll have to take Lily so she can start building her own memories of Sugar Plum Fairies and a magical Christmas.