This year's Christmas Card

**unixken** · 20th December 18, 10:19 AM

Each year I select a photo of myself, dressed in one of my kilts and taken at any point throughout the year, to serve as my Christmas card, to family and friends.

For this year's card, I selected a photo taken back in early Spring. A friend of mine owns a sheep farm in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, near my home. Whenever the farm holds events open to the public, I volunteer to help out when I'm available, and I always wear a kilt. This past Spring, a magazine was at the farm doing a story and a photo shoot about the farm, and Laura had asked some of her regular volunteers to be a part of the photo shoot. After the photographer and reporter left, we all retired to the farmhouse for a little socializing.

This photo was taken in Laura's house, as I was bottle feeding "Emma". Emma was, at that time, a six week old preemie Dorset Sheep. She was born more than a month premature, and had a twin sister. Being so premature, her sister did not survive, and momma's body had not yet begun producing milk. So Laura began bottle feeding her. In this photo, Emma is about the size of a house cat.

These days, little Emma is doing fine. I see her often enough that she recognizes me, and will often come when called. It just seemed fitting that I should honor this little fighter with a place on this year's cards.

The kilt I am wearing is my hand-sewn 16oz 5yd box-pleat, by Matt Newsome, in Lochcarron's Buchanan tartan, in ancient colors. Also shown is one of Scotweb's excellent Shepherd's Check plaids.

Below is the original image, and the card.