From My House to Yours

Merry Christmas

The Tropical Version of Christmas!

This is what Christmas looks like on my street.

The neighbors are ready for Christmas

and 80 degree weather!

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore.
"Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't
get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Love the simplicity!

"I have always thought of Christmas time,
when it has come round, as a good time;
a kind, forgiving, charitable time;
the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year,
when men and women seem by one consent to open their
shut-up hearts freely,
and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow
passengers to the grave,
and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
~ Charles Dickens





"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, 
and we are better throughout the year for having,
in spirit,
become a child again at Christmas-time."
-Laura Ingalls Wilder





"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow




Wishing YOU well and much joy this Christmas season.

A Happy Yule and Solstice to you,too!

I'm joining Sandi at
No Place Like Home

and

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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

"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

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

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

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

(All the images were taken during a shopping trip with one of my sisters by choice.)
(No, I didn't buy anything! It was hard to pass up the skates!)

Santa Is Arriving

Santa is appearing around the house.

My forest Santa has taken his place by the teacups, 
surrounded by Christmas mugs.

My new mug is the Ho-Ho-Ho mustache mug.
I found it at Pier One and it made me smile.

Merry Merry and a Happy Happy! 

Thank you to Sandi for hosting
No Place Like Home.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Happy Tea to Me!

This holiday season Santa and his elves supplied me with tea
just in time to celebrate the month of January as Hot Tea Month!

I had a big surprise when I won a Yixing teapot from Tea Time Magazine.

They were celebrating Christmas on Face Book with a few give-a-ways.

I have several Yixing teapots and this tiny beauty will be a nice addition to the collection.

While we are talking about Yixing teapots, here's some information from a Tea Time article:

"The most delicate of teapots are likely the Yixing pots often used for steeping oolongs. These Chinese clay pots are porous, and over time, the clay retains the flavors of the tea. A tragic tea faux pas would be to steep Earl Grey in one of these because it would mean that every tea steeped from that point forward would be tainted by the flavor of oil of bergamot.

Yixing pots have for centuries been used for only one specific tea. An Asian tea drinker might keep one teapot for a Taiwanese Bao Zhong, one for a Chinese Big Red Robe, and another for a Chinese Ti Kwan Yin. Soap is never used to clean these revered utensils. They are simply rinsed and allowed to air-dry. It is said that some ancient Yixing pots could make tea today simply by having hot water poured into them. The accumulated flavors of past steepings would add their flavor to the water, and tea would magically appear!"

*

The god-kids sent tea from Tin Roof Teas in Raleigh, NC.

Tin Roof is on my list to visit when I get to Raleigh.

I made a promise to myself -- I can't open any new tea until I finish the 

wonderful Harney and Sons Cranberry Autumn.

Soon I'll open Tin Roof's Cloud Catcher.

Isn't that a great name?!

It is a fruit tea: apple pieces, freeze-dried kiwi, sour cherries, cranberry slices, coconut flakes and natural flavor. 

Sounds like fun!

*

And, lastly, a gift to myself from Crop Circle Clay

a handmade, wheel thrown "Believe" mug.

Cloud Catcher tea in a "Believe" mug sounds like the perfect pair!

Wishing YOU well, much joy and a wonderful cup of tea!

I'm joining several parties today:

Tea Time Tuesday

Teacup Tuesday

Friends Sharing Tea

Tuesday Cuppa Tea

Share Your Cup Thursday

Happy New Year!

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

"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

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

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

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

I'm joining the lovely Judith for Mosaic Monday.

Christmas Magic

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

Beary Christmas!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

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.

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

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!

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.

Wishing YOU well and much joy.

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

Merry Merry and Ho Ho Ho!

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.

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

This Year They Did One Better

Friday night the zoo was open to donors for a sneak peak at Holiday Lights 2014.

There were two million lights last year and this year they did one better--

three million lights!

These are large revolving globes near the African Forest exhibit.

I didn't take as many photos as I have in the past.
It was just so lovely walking through the zoo with good friends.
There were several repeats from years past like Mr. Deer who pops up now then when you least expect him.

A trip to the gift shop is always in order.
They had lovely trees decorated with toy animals.

Last year the temperature was 89 with a high humidity.

This year the temperature was 44 and no humidity.

Over 700 had RSVPd for the event, but I'm guessing not half that number showed up.

Too bad.

There was no wind and it was really quite a lovely evening.

I'm joining the lovely Judith for Mosaic Monday.


Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Sun Lit Sunday

I walked into the Village yesterday.

Lovely sunny day and I took my little point and shoot thinking about Sun Lit Sunday.

Didn't find anything on my walk that grabbed my attention.

While waiting for the Seahawk game to start,

I looked into the kitchen and there it was -- the sun hitting the Christmas Cactus.

My Christmas cactus was late blooming this year.

Better late than never.

I love the color.

Hope the sun is shining where you are today.

Won't you join us for Sun Lit Sunday?

Wishing you well and much joy.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

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.

Potpourri

It is warming up around here -- high 70's.

I did learn something during our last cold snap:

When your car tells you it is cold (low outside temperature),

it really is cold.

**

Speaking of frosty air, here is
another reproduction vintage postcard.
The artist was Margaret Evans Price and it was published around 1922.

"I part my casement curtains

And place my candle there

To flash a Christmas Message

Across the frosty air."

Thank you to the lovely Beth for hosting Postcard Friendship Friday.

***

One of my photos was featured at Focusing On Life.

I've been smiling all week.

How cool is that?!!!

****

On my last visit to the Farmer's Market I came home with

beets, turnips and strawberries.

I can't bring anything home without the kitties checking it out.

In addition, I brought home this lovely bowl.

(No, Mina -- it isn't your new food bowl.)

I got an early Christmas present for myself and made a donation to a good cause.

The bowl was created by a local artist and donated to Empty Bowls Houston,

benefitting the Houston Food Bank. They raised $2,365 at the Farmer's Market.

 This will provide 7,095 meals to the hungry!

*

I've watched White Christmas three times so far.
Scrooge was on last night as was The Christmas Carol.
Looking for The Bishops Wife and then my holiday movie watching will be complete.

*

Last, but not least -- Random Five Friday is back!
YeeHaw!
Thank you, Nancy!

Wishing all of YOU well and much joy!