Wishing You A Merry Christmas!

Wishing YOU well and much JOY!

Happy New Year, too!

Keep Calm Santa Is Watching

Come walk with me around the block.

The holidays would not be complete without these two on the swing.
They've been in the neighborhood as long as I have.

A new neighbor.
Can't have too many teddy bears!

He worked his magic when the fairies dusted with snow!

Santa and his guard cat!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Amaze Me Monday

Mosaic Monday

Their Version Of Powdered Sugar

It's not winter yet,

but we got a surprise.

Once every eight years

(or after a particularly bad hurricane)

we get this:

Yes, that is snow!

It didn't last very long,
but it was pretty while it lasted.

I'd like to thank the fairies for dusting us with their version of powdered sugar!

Now it  "feels" like the holidays!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!


Mosaic Monday

What I Found On My Morning Walk!

I thought I'd take you along with me on my morning walk.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

The world good certainly use a little more Hope and Love.

Wishing YOU well and much joy! 

Willy Nilly Friday

Mosaic Monday

SaveSave

From My House to Yours

This a cropped version of the cover of the Dharma Crafts Holiday 2013 catalog.

Merry Christmas

American Christmas Trivia

A Little American Christmas Trivia

The first American Christmas tree can be credited to a Hessian soldier by the name of Henrick Roddmore, who was captured at the Battle of Bennington in 1776. He then went to work on the farm of Samuel Denslow in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, where for the next 14 years he put up and decorated Christmas trees in the Denslow family home.*

The first Christmas tree retail lot was established in 1851 by a Pennsylvanian named Mark Carr, who hauled two ox sleds loaded with Christmas trees from the Catskill Mountains to the sidewalks of New York City.

The first president to set up a Christmas tree in the White House was Franklin Pierce, and the first president to establish the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the White House lawn was Calvin Coolidge.

In 1882, the first tree lights were sold in New York City.

In 1836, Alabama became the first state to declare Christmas a public holiday, and by 1870, President Ulysses S. Grant designated it a federal holiday, partly as an effort to heal the rift between North and South following the Civil War. 

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five on Friday

Willy Nilly Friday

Monday Social

Amaze Me Monday

* From the Almanac article that can be read here.

Count Down to the Big Day

Part of my count down to the big day is sitting down
and sending out Christmas greetings.


It's so nice to settle down
with a holiday mug filled with tea
carols playing in the background
on an especially cold and wintry day (for the tropics)
and pick out just the right card for the folks on my list.
Some have been sharing greetings of the season for years.
It's a wonderful time for memories and smiles.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!


Home Sweet Home
Little Things Thursday

Start Thinking About Christmas In January

I've been busy knitting.
I finished another shawl except for the blocking and
started another.

Will I have enough made before Christmas?
Not sure,
but they'll be ready for Christmas 2017!  

The finished shawl is made from some stash yarn: Bernat Satin Sport in Jade.
Very soft and light weight - perfect if you live in the "tropics" like I do!
(Otherwise known as the Texas Gulf Coast.) 

The off white shawl is made with Patons Classic Wool,
DK Superwash in the color Aran.
Heavier and will go to live with someone who has cold weather.


*

As it gets closer to Christmas,
I'm trying to decide what my next crochet project will be. 
I spent too much time at pinterest and came up with these as my first choice.






The pattern for the snowman afghan can be found here.




The pattern for the teapot cosy can be found here.

The Gingerbread Family ornaments can be found here.

Decisions  decisions! 

It's obvious I should start thinking about Christmas in January 
if I'm going to make wonderful things. 

From the Fortune Cookie Journal:
"You can't start a new chapter if you're stuck at the table of contents."

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Mosaic Monday

Monday Social 

Yarn Along 



  

Settle All Arguments With Ice Cream

Outside my window this morning, 
the sun is shining.
Fall made a quick fly by yesterday bringing us cooler weather and rain.
Cooler weather for three days is better than none.


I'm enjoying the water garden.
The water lilies are on their last blooms.
They like a lot of sun and as the sun moves toward winter
the lilies just don't get enough light.

A new fur-babe has been added to our household.
His name is Oliver. 
He is a Rag Doll with a little Siamese thrown in.
Oliver is a cuddly, sweet boy who has done a good job at
ignoring the hot air being blown at him by his adopted siblings.
He simply raises his fluffy tail and marches right through the middle.
Zoom!

Christmas is just around the corner.
Pure Wow had some helpful ideas on how to shop early for Christmas.
You can read the entire article here.
Here's six suggestions:

Make your gift list now.
Listen attentively to family and friends for hints.
Build a gift giving line into the fall budget.
Know everyone's sizes.
Buy in bulk. This one is for those who know they will need hostess gifts.
Consider Thanksgiving weekend your shopping deadline.

I finished the dark blue shawl and started another.
The dark blue shawl was made with Patons Classic Wool Mallard Teal.
The light color is Bernat Satin Sport that I found in my stash.

A few words of wisdom from the Fortune Cookie Journal:
"Settle all arguments with ice cream."

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Five on Friday
Willy Nilly Friday
Monday Social
Mosaic Monday

Leftovers

I just finished Trader Joe's Peppermint Pretzel Slims.
Thin, cruchy thin pretzels with a creamy coating and peppermint sprinkles.
Boy, were they good! 
I figured if I listed them here in the Land of Blog perhaps I would remember them for next year! 

I still have some TJs Mini Gingerbread Men -- gingerbread cookies with white fudge icing.
Also very good.

I'm really not a big lover of shortbread, but I loved the Santa tin -- especially the reindeer running around the bottom. 

Friendly Village by Johnson Brothers is one of my favorite patterns. 

I love that I can use this pattern from November into the winter months. 

When Johnson Brothers was founded in 1883 by Frederick and Alfred Johnson, their goal for the Staffordshire pottery was to produce an earthenware called "White Granite," which is marked on many early pieces as "Semi Porcelain." It was a great material for dinnerware because it looked like china but was as tough as ironstone. However, the firm would become the most famous for its transferware like Friendly Village.

I'm always on the lookout for more pieces to add to my small collection.

I'm enjoying my leftovers from the holidays, including Comfort and Joy Tea by the Republic of Tea. 

It is black tea leaves blended with spices and fruit. Yum! 

"Who would then deny that when I am sipping tea in my tearoom I am swallowing the whole universe with it and that this very moment of my lifting the bowl to my lips is eternity itself transcending time and space?"
~ D.T. Suzuki

I'm joining:

No Place Like Home.

Bernadine's Tea Time Cottage and Garden Blog Party

Wishing YOU well and much joy! 

Snowmen take over!

I celebrate the Christmas holidays through Epiphany.
I did take down the snowman and Santa Claus from the balcony.

I left the lights and garland around the balcony door.

Talking with my next door neighbor, we decided things will look very dull and drab when all the lights are down. 

Perhaps we should leave them up a little longer.

After all, it is winter! 

It's cloudy, rainy and cold (for here).

Some sparkly lights will make us feel better.

Right?

***

My Christmas cactus started blooming before Christmas.

Almost waited too long to take a photo.

Snowmen will take over the indoor decorations for the month of January.

***

I really like English Muffins.

THOMAS bakeries makes a special edition English Muffin for the holidays -- Cranberry.

I bought extra packages this year and froze them.

You never know when I might need a special edition treat! 

Hope your New Year (sweet 16) is off to a good start.

I'm joining Kim at

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Invasion

Invasion by Reindeer in my village.

New decorations for the holiday shopping season.








Fun! 

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

I'm joining:

Mosaic Monday

On The Sixth Day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas,

I'm sharing with you ....

Two Wise Guys!

The owls flew in from Wisconsin for the whole holiday season.
A gift from my pen pal.
It's the Little Things! 

Wishing YOU well and much joy in 2016! 

I Need It To Keep Me Warm

I realized that, as much as I like Emma Bridgewater,

I didn't have an Emma Christmas mug.

So, I got myself an early present and have been using

the mug and my Portmeirion Holly and Ivy teapot

all month, drinking Harney and Sons

White Christmas Tea

(a blend of white tea, almonds and vanilla).

When I'm finished drinking White Christmas,
I get to start on my new teas.

My BGD (beautiful god-daughter) and her handsome knight
sent me Fearrington House Afternoon Tea.
It smells so delicious: Black China Tea
 with carmel, grapefruit, and lemony bergamot.
Plus, Fearrington House Jam:Raspberry, Star Anise, Thyme.
The Fearrington House is one of their favorite places for a romantic get-a-way.
Looking at it in the magic of cyberspace --
it looks like a wonderful spot for tea and belted cattle gazing! 
You can check out the Fearrington Village and Inn here.




More tea!
Liliuokalani tea from Serendipi Tea:
Organic China Black Tea, Safflower Petals, Orange Blossoms, 
and Tropical Fruit Flavor.

Taylor Maid Farms: Pacific Coast Breakfast - Organic Yunnan Black Tea.

There is a cold front blowing through.
I'll need all of this tea to keep me warm!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Thank you Martha for hosting
Tea Cup Tuesday.

Thank you - Tuesday Cuppa Tea.

Thank you Bernideen
for Bernideens Tea.

Thank you Sandi for hosting
No Place Like Home.