More photos from Sunday's party

Sunday afternoon we met new neighbors and we all had a great time making the Lighted Christmas Balls - recently referred to as a tumbleweed of wire and lights. Neighbors and folks who came to the party contributed $5080 to Urban Ministry and $1058 to Second Harvest. That's a great way to kick off the food drive. The food contributions were significantly more than in past years. Thanks to all of you who came and many of you who simply stopped by and made a contribution of food. ( Photos from Jan Lukens - on Kensington)

On Line Photos 2009

The photos from November are online. More photos will be posted as I turn, crop, reduce size etc.

Hard at work making Lighted Christmas Balls

Newcomers and experienced Lighted Christmas Ball makers gathered side by side to bend chicken wire, push, and poke into a roundish shape. Lights go on next and voila.. all one has to do is connect the ball to power and get it into a treetop.

Now seen in Beaumont Texas - Lighted CHRISTmas Balls

We received this happy email from a new friend in Beaumont Texas on Saturday - I uploaded his photos in collage format. Nice work (is it work?) maybe we should say Nice Play! They do look terrific.

Jonathan and Anne,
I saw a link to your site on how to make the balls on lifehacker.com.
I watched the video and was so taken with the story that I had to bring it down here to the Gulf Coast.
I hope it catches on here like on your street!
Merry CHRISTmas.

--Steve Dallas Johnson

Fun on Ridgeway Drive

When Alison Hassard said she wanted to make a potato launcher, she wasn't just kidding.  A trip to the internet, Home Depot and this is her creation.  It makes a very cool whooshing sound and as the Englars exclaimed, we can now get the string up higher than ever before and all the friends came out to play.  We now have many strings in the neighborhood.  There will be Lighted Christmas Balls up soon.  Nice Day!

Lighted Christmas Balls in Historic Charles B. Aycock neighborhood

Four generations of women bask on the porch following an awesome Thanksgiving feast.  Mamaw and Susan went back to Raleigh, Grayson went down for a nap, and Millie and Anne watched Justin and Jonathan use a super-sized slingshot to pitch an 8 oz. canvas throw bag over high limbs in one of Historic Aycock's pecan trees to pull binding twine up and over its branches before finally tying it off.  

Next steps: connect grounded extension cords to light balls, tie each binding twine "halyard" to its respective ball, hoist, and tie off. 

Last 100 visits to LCB

World map showing last 100 visits to Lighted Christmas Balls blog.  'afternoon, Australia. 

Happy Thanksgiving

Peeps renews the mini lights on Toad Hall's light sign.  MayMay puts new multi-function lights on Show Off ball.  River the Golden Retriever, long passed out on ottoman.  Georgia the Boykin, she disappears when her eyes close.  She's next to MayMay.  Excited about making preparations for Sunday's Lighted Christmas Ball Workshop in the morning.  Lighted Christmas Balls already appearing in the neighborhood already.  Lots to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving.