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Brrrrr... it's cold this a.m. in central Alaska. Ho-ly Cow. Okay, it's not even down to freezing yet but that's comin' up soon! Wait. Ain't it still technically SUMMER here in the northern hemisphere? Yes, tis true, tis true indeed. Fall ain't here yet (so close) but this morning it feels like how winter feels in much of the Lower 48. Then again, the Arctic Circle is only just about 120 miles (195 km) north of here. One would be a wee bit on the foolish side, sonny, for thinkin' it be all SPF-45, hey, wanna have a clam bake and go swimmin' weather. No way, José. Not even close, bud.

What it is, according to my trusty 8 quid thermometer, is 44°F (7°C) and that's enough to get people firin' up their wood stoves overnight for some toasty warmth while sleeping. A wonderful smell that is, beautifully dominant in the damp air while I sat on my porch listening to some tunes, sippin' on my daily coffee, first mug-full. Even with music in my ears I could sense the quiet stillness around me. No traffic to be heard. No bright lights glaring. Sure, Fairbanks is coming alive right now with people going to and fro, but not on this street. Ahhh, if it was only snowin'. Wouldn't that just make this setting serene squared. Just rainy, though. rizzly really, dark and black, the dawn coming with less and less sunlight each day. Under the porch's overhang I was nice and dry but quite bundled up to help keep the chill off. Ahhh, fleece! In Key West right now I'd be barefoot in shorts and a t-shirt. This is a lonnnnnnnnnng way from Margaritaville, that's for sure.

A long way from Texas, too. I'll never be a Texan but these tunes sure help me feel like one in spirit.

George Strait

Merry Christmas Strait To You

1986





White Christmas
There's A New Kid In Town
Winter Wonderland
Merry Christmas Strait To You
Away In A Manger
For Christ's Sake, It's Christmas
Frosty The Snowman
It's Christmas Time In Texas
Santa Claus Is Coming To Town
What A Merry Christmas This Could Be

An excellent little bunch of tunes from this legend from Texas. This is George's first collection of Christmas songs, released way back when, pretty much early on in his career. He'd had a handful of albums reach #1 on the country music charts but this one only made it to #17. I say that's not too bad for a Christmas album! Most of the songs are beautifully country before country got Nashville weird. Once again, here's music that makes me want to be a Texan and not living in Dallas or Houston, not even Austin or San Anton... but out there on the plains, with prairie all around, horses and cattle, ridin' fence on the ranch. I think I envy those who live such a life and in my Lone Star fantasy, this album would be in regular Christmas rotation helping make time stand still in this crazy world, helping bring Christmas back to what it should be about, which ain't presents and money and corporate greed. No, George Strait reminds us that isn't Christmas at all. He gives us the real Christmas with these tunes and to Mr. Strait I offer up my thanks for such a wonderful soundtrack to a simpler and more peaceful Christmas.

dload @ 320 kbps right here
George Strait - Merry Christmas Strait To You