A Find

With a son on a mission for the LDS church, I found this blog interesting, and I’m going to list it over to the right.  I recommend reading it in order from the first post.  Study the dates on this blog to see what is going on.  It’s kind of like reading a novel; I keep wondering what happens next and wishing I could read more NOW!  Let me know what you think.

Manger Scenes

The most iconic Christmas decoration of all, the nativity scene, reminds us of what Christmas is really all about.

This porcelain bisque set was given to me in increments, over 8 years, for my birthdays.

It looks pretty when the sun shines through the window onto it.

I like this set because of the quilt patterns on every piece.

My kids played with this one when they were little. The pieces in the set go to a carol.

The Friendly Beasts

Jesus our brother, kind and good
Was humbly born in a stable rude
And the friendly beasts around Him stood
Jesus our brother, kind and good.

“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown,
“I carried His mother up hill and down;
I carried her safely to Bethlehem town.”
“I,” said the donkey, shaggy and brown.

“I,” said the cow, all white and red
“I gave Him my manger for a bed;
I gave Him my hay to pillow His head.”
“I,” said the cow, all white and red.

“I,” said the sheep with curly horn,
“I gave Him my wool for His blanket warm;
He wore my coat on Christmas morn.”
“I,” said the sheep with curly horn.

“I,” said the dove from the rafters high,
“Cooed Him to sleep that He should not cry;
We cooed Him to sleep, my mate and I.”
“I,” said the dove from the rafters high.

“I,” said the camel, yellow and black,
“Over the desert, upon my back,
I brought Him a gift in the Wise Men’s pack.”
“I,” said the camel, yellow and black.

Thus every beast by some good spell
In the stable dark was glad to tell
Of the gift he gave Emmanuel,
The gift he gave Emmanuel.

This really tiny set belongs to my mom, but it is here in the house. I particularly like it because it is plain and humble.

I have a book of “creches” and I know there are millions of different types out there. In a store just the other day I saw them from Thailand, Africa, Jerusalem, Italy, Mexico and the US, all very different in style. What is yours like? When you think about it, it’s rather amazing that the message transcends nations, cultures, languages, and customs. The baby born in a stable and laid in a manger brought redemption to all mankind. No wonder people everywhere make their physical representations of the event.

A Dusting

From my front porch

I wish my real village was as picturesque as the cute Christmas mini villages. In actuality my street is a far cry from scenic. Yesterday when it started to snow, I snapped a picture from my front porch. Afterwards I realized it looks like I live in the middle of an industrial zone. I don’t, really, just a hospital, a clinic, a dentist, a bank and a funeral home are on my block.  Which makes it really convenient if I ever get hurt, get sick, get a cavity, get some money, or get dead.

 

 

A-wimoweh, A-wimoweh

The next category of Christmas decorating is peaceful villages. Because it takes a village to make a good Christmas.

This little tin village sits on the glass end table in the living room. It is a Hallmark ornament series I collected a few years ago, but I’ve never hung them on the tree. There are only nine little buildings in this village, and I use some miniature Hallmark ornaments like some reindeer and some cars, planes, and fire trucks in the village too.

Here are the David Winter cottages that sit in the dining room. They are cast of a solid stone-like material and are quite heavy. Don’t they make a charming English village?

The toymaker’s shop and the clocktower.

Sadly, neither of my villages are in current production. The tin village mayor enacted a building moratorium, and so the town is as big as it is going to get. The David Winter village sometimes gets a “new” house thanks to the “Interweb Real Estate Co.”

The Christmas books, most of them children’s storybooks, sit underneath the David Winter village.

I buy a few new books every year, and we read them too. I guess if I still had little children we might get through them all at bedtimes during December, but now that we are all big and busy, we are lucky to read through a few of them together during the season.

Oh well.

Pillow Wollip (that’s a palindrome)

I was a good girl today and went for a session with the trainer, so I know I’ll be sore tomorrow. That’s OK though, because I’m still having so much fun putting out the Christmas decorations. The category here is pillows in the living room, because they might come in handy when I’m really sore! The living room is decorated in colors of peachy orange and cream. That orange is not exactly harmonious with all the red of Christmas, but who said I was the harmonious type? I love me some pillows. And my pillows love me back.

Yes, these pillows are all done in real needlepoint, with wool yarn no less. No, I did not make them. Got ‘em at Parkview Pharmacy in Irvine years ago when I lived in California. I think that little store is still there; they always had a wonderful gift and decor section, especially at Christmas time.

Next, a follow up to the last post about the Christmas tree in which I mentioned three of my favorite ornaments. Here they are, so you can see why I like them.

A mitten with rabbit fur

 

German figurine ornament

 

 

Swingy beard Santa

I love the mixture of materials and textures on a decorated Christmas tree. For me it’s definitely one of those things where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, or whatever that phrase is. You know what I mean. Well, I have more to show you, but that’s enough for today. I hope you are having fun with Christmas too!

Tannen bomb

My Christmas tree is up and decorated! It’s a big job. It took two days and a little help from the girls, but it is done.

Thirty years of ornaments

Some of the ornaments I really love. Like the mittens with rabbit fur trim that I got in Alaska. And the whimsical German figures that I’ve gotten in the last few years. And the Santa with the swingy fringe beard. Those favorites go in front where I can see them. Then there are the butugly ones that I can’t believe I bought. I hang those in the back of the tree just so it won’t seem bare. The total effect was never master planned. Are you kidding? That would take a level of organization of which I am not capable. It has just evolved over the years to look this way. The result is kind of a mish mash, but I like it!

Happy Pie

Another year older, another year wiser? Jo made this lovely birthday pie for me, and it was delicious with a capital K.

This year I did some smart things and some dumb things. For instance, I:

• scraped the snow off my driveway with my own atv snowplow–smart
• took care of those tunnels in my right arm, carpal and cubital–very smart
• got declared fully recovered from back surgery by Dr. Bess–smart
• rode my motorcycle for the first time in over a year–smart and dumb
• started working out with a trainer–smart
• stopped working out with a trainer–dumb
• started working out with a trainer again–smart
• said good bye after 10 years to the best dog ever–just sad
  
• saw my dream house start to take shape–makes me feel smart
• killed a deer with my car–dumb (me and the deer)
• got a speeding ticket–really dumb
• put my ipod donut away so safely I cannot find it–I’m an idiot

The next year is going to be awesome, even though I don’t think I’m much wiser for having survived the last one. And I hope I can find that ipod thingy before my next birthday!

Jingle Jangle

Oh boy, time to get Christmas going! I love the decorations, the music, the cooking and celebrating. I have so many decorations that some years it takes me two weeks just to get them all in place. This year I have a goal to get it all put together by December 1st. With the shopping, however, I’m hopeless. It will take me until Dec. 23 or longer.

Tonight my little town got officially all lit up with a night time parade.

Some of my favorite people watched it with me in the freezing cold.

Daughters Rosie and Jo, friends Niccole and Tim

 

Nieces and nephew

 

My sister Connie and me

We warmed ourselves up with pizza and a game of bowling, keeping score the old fashioned way. Now I’m ready for Christmas!

 

Who Wants Pie?

Here is that delicious Huckleberry Pie, as promised two days ago.

Givingthanks

My wonderful parents hosted Thanksgiving for any of their children that wanted to come. Five out of their seven daughters were there with their families and a couple friends. We had a yummy, funny, happy time. Mother and Dad raised us girls in a loving, safe home with wonderful traditions. They taught us how to live by the example they set. The older I get, the more I realize how blessed I am to have such wonderful parents. They help me when I really need it, they never interfere when it’s not their place to do so, and they truly know how to give unconditional love. They are fun, interesting people as well. I can only hope to be as good a mother as my mom. My Dad is my hero for the way he has lived his life.

Two of my greatest blessings.