Cranes and Christmas, part II

The cranes have landed in the Elmhurst Public Library!

The origami cranes finally landed on the last day of November in an elegant tree at the Elmhurst Public Library.  They are nestled in among the silver balls and snowflakes. White feathers and Karen Exiner’s  hand painted studio ornaments hang amid sparkling white lights, all joined together in holiday cheer to make these lucky cranes feel right at home perched on high. I must admit, they  behaved quite nicely while awaiting their turn for a featured branch as five enthusiastic Elmhurst Garden Club members worked for more than three hours trimming the tree.

I feel privileged to have been a small part of the process.

Elsewhere in the library, there are other decorations.  There are more trees and a sled decked with presents in the children’s library, where some of us finished out the day, and I know there were decorations elsewhere, I just didn’t get a chance to check them out today. You and I will just have to stop by, have a cup of cocoa in the cafe and take a quiet look around.

Quite a few members were also decorating today across the park in the elegantly restored Wilder Mansion. Wilder Park is a hidden gem of landscaping and museums, tucked away just a block from the downtown area and the train tracks. Now, I know this is starting to sound like a travelogue – or a press release – and I really don’t mean it to. It’s just that it is a lovely little spot in the western suburbs. 

Can you imagine an organization decorating a library for more than 50 years! While the original ladies no longer do the decorating, it is with the same spirit of beautification and community spirit here in the year 2009 that the task is done. I hope I can last as long as some of these tireless women today, however, for tonight, I am beat. My bones ache, my “dogs are barking”, I’m glad I didn’t trip over anything, including myself, and I’m sipping on lots of water to rehydrate.  It was a good day and I’m as pleased as these lovely cranes at having been a part of a the bigger picture. 

 Now, I hope there is something worth viewing on the Hallmark channel tonight, for I’m the mood to relax a little and get into the holiday spirit as I embrace the season of Advent.