Thursday, December 25, 2014

Merry Christmas






Merry Christmas



Wishing You Peace and Joy



This is not one of my photographs.
It is the cover of Dharma Crafts Holiday 2013 catalog.
I thought it was lovely.
More importantly it says what I want to say to you.
Wishing you joy and peace during this Christmas season and the happiest New Year.

I'll see you next year. 

Be well.





Sunday, December 21, 2014

All Through The House





"Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."
~Clement Clarke Moore




Twelve Days of Christmas Santa


"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.
To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy,
is to have the real spirit of Christmas."
~ Calvin Coolidge



Ho Ho Ho



"Christmas is the day that holds all time together."
~Alexander Smith



Ornament Collage


"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful."
~Norman Vincent Peale



Christmas Collage




Wishing YOU a Cozy Christmas
and a New Year
that's warm and bright.



I'm joining the lovely Judith for Mosaic Monday.




Thursday, December 18, 2014

Christmas Magic




Flowers
From the kitchen table


Christmas Magic

Are we too grownup to feel a thrill
As we light the Christmas tree?
Are we immune to cookies,
Christmas cards and Christmas glee?
Are we too adult to "Ooh" and "Aah"
At the Christmas candle's glow?
Are we blasé about our gifts;
Do we shun the mistletoe?
Are we too mature for carols,
For merry or for jolly?
Do the decorations leave us cold,
The ornaments and holly?
Fat chance! We'll never grow too old
To love the Christmas magic.
A year without a Christmas
Would be boring, even tragic.
So bring it on! The candy canes,
The feasting and good cheer;
O Christmas, lovely Christmas,
You're the highlight of the year!
By Joanna Fuchs


Teddy Mug with Friend
Beary Christmas!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!




Little by Little





Sunday, December 14, 2014

Christmas Present





This is my fourth Christmas without Mr. Dragon.
The first two, I put up three trees, decorated inside and out.
I made pots of chile and had folks over.
In other words, I kept myself very busy.

Last year I put up two trees, decorated inside and out and made chile.

This year I put up one tree -- the smallest.
(My back and joints prefer one tree -- the smallest!)
I decorated outside and am still playing inside.


I always have a amaryllis.
This one is from Trader Joe's -- a good deal and pretty, too.


Amaryllis


Santa is at the front door with his own tree waving at the neighbors as they go by.


Santa


This year I pulled some boxes filled with old decorations out of the back of the closet .
Fun and full of surprises and memories.

The little snowman has been on a Christmas tree since I was a very tiny child.
Scrooge reminds of the years we lived on Galveston Island.
Dickens on The Strand is held every year on the Island .. fun!


Ornament collage

The Santa is from a set that was made by Sears many, many, many years ago celebrating different cultures and celebrations of Christmas.
"In Holland children believe that St. Nicholas rides on a beautiful white horse to deliver present on his feast day."
Gelukkig Kerstfeest

The church is a model of the Old San Ysidro Church in New Mexico.
A reminder of my 23 years in New Mexico.
New Mexico is also where I met and married Mr. Dragon.


That's a brief look at Christmas Present.


Christmas collage




Wishing YOU well and much joy.

A big thank you to the lovely Judith for hosting Mosaic Monday.

Merry Merry and Ho Ho Ho!





Monday, December 8, 2014

Bodhi Day






Where ever Buddhism has traveled, 
it has picked up customs and bits of culture from each country.
Bodhi Day - the day Gautama achieved enlightenment is celebrated on December 8.

I've done a little incorporating of holidays -- compassion bringing them together.


Bodhi Day

The Christmas tree is all set up to celebrate Yule, Christmas and other Holy Days.
On December 8 the lights will represent enlightenment.
Multicolored lights representing the many paths that may be taken to enlightenment.
Under the tree, a Buddha as he sat under the Bodhi tree.

I plan on spending the day quietly.
Some meditation.
Curling up with the kitties to stay warm.
A cup of tea -- or two.
A candle glowing.
A wish for peace for all.




Sunday, December 7, 2014

Christmas Past




Not long ago, my blogging friend, Vee, had a post about the perfect Christmas.
That got me to thinking.
Is there such a thing?
Like Vee, when I think of Christmas I think of snow, a farm house, 
twinkling lights, carols being sung. 
All of those "old-fashioned" things that I used to see on Christmas cards when I was a kid.

While putting up my little tree and looking at "old" ornaments,
I got to remembering Christmas Past.... Christmas at Granny's house.

Her Christmas tree was real. Those were the days long before fake trees.
She had a church under the tree that would illuminate.
It also played silent night.
I would sit on the floor staring at the church and listening to Silent Night.
I wonder what it was that so fascinated me as a very little girl.


Bubble Lights
Original image from Vermont Country Store.
Then there were the bubble lights on the tree.
I loved the bubble lights. They made me smile.


My aunt always came with something sweet to eat.
Do you remember the gum drop tree?


Gum Drop Tree
Original image from Vermont Country Store


I remember the gum drops disappearing quickly!
I think I still have my Mother's tree -- somewhere.


This is the modern version of the green ceramic tree that welcomed us as we walked into Granny's house.

Ceramic Christmas Tree
Original image from Vermont Country Store.



I have a green tree that my Mother-In-Law gave me.
It welcomes one and all when they enter my home.



Christmas at Granny's.
That's about all I remember.
The most important part -- it was a happy time, full of magic and wonder for a little girl.

*

Another one of my memories is of one Christmas when my Daddy came home with a big box marked Christmas Tree.
I had horrible allergies as a child and was allergic to the "live" Christmas trees.
He brought home one of the first metal trees, with the revolving light.
We had all blue ornaments on the tree.

This is the modern tinsel version.


Tinsel Trees
Original Image from Vermont Country Store

I may have to get one of the smaller trees.
My days of putting up big trees are over.
A four foot tall tree looks good to me!


Christmas Collage


That's my short visit to Christmas past with help from the Vermont Country Store.
The images belong to them and I did some tweaking here and there.


Tree Mosaic

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Ho Ho HO and a Merry Merry

Thank you to Judith for hosting Mosaic Monday.

**

P.S. Did you watch the Orion launch?
WOWZER!
We are off into space once again.
Explorers we are.