Saturday, December 31, 2011

Let's Celebrate the END of the year

It's December 31st!
We barely unwrap Christmas presents and send our thank you notes and it's the end of the year!  Many of us look forward to New Year celebrations and all that is ahead of us.  Yet, do we take time to linger over the past year?
  Do we take time to CELEBRATE some notable events, changes, blessings and challenges we have overcome?

 First, wouldn't it be nice to celebrate with cake?
                        Why not!
            Those "healthy diet' resolutions are for NEXT year, right?
We saw this in the bakery and could
not resist.  It is just right for the two of us.

Notice the size of the cake next to the teacup.
I could eat this myself but I will share it with hubby.
Brew a cup of tea, sit down and enjoy.  Periodically I bring out my very favorite cup that says, "It's good to be Queen."  Every now and then I have to remind myself that I am special ... wonderfully made ... with gifts and talents.
 We need to CELEBRATE them!

List your talents and those things you love to do.
You might be surprised.
Are you volunteering where you love to help?
Do you feel like you have made a difference?
What about an artistic flare?  It is amazing how creative we are and don't even know it.
The simple act of blogging is a creative challenge for me but I enjoy it.
When I teach I seem to bloom.
 I love to find creative ways to motivate others as we all grow in our Christian walk.
Creating 'beauty spots' around the house is another way to express the JOY of our creation.
Fabric and Blooms bring JOY to my heart.
Nothing beats a 'beauty spot.'
 I plant Paper Whites every year to bring the garden inside.
 Ahhhhhh, the smell floats through the air and grabs my attention when points of green burst into bloom.
When I sit in my favorite chair I notice the perfect white flowers ... each the same ... bursting with perfection.  Six petals with a little cup in the middle that holds three tiny yellow stamens.  The light dances on each petal as I marvel at their beauty.  So delicate to the touch, so fragrant, a sight for aging eyes.  

I am actually sitting in that chair now.  I try to focus on the past year but get distracted by the beauty of the flowers in front of me.  Today is a time to rethink the blessings and challenges of the past year.
         The weather, always a conversation piece up here, did affect so many of us.  Our small town is still suffering from the flood of September.  Soggy ground refuses to give way to cold weather.  One of these days we will get snow and the ground will freeze beyond surface frost.
      To focus on self ... that is the toughest challenge of all.  I survived a challenging year.  I even thrived.  God brought out the best in me creatively.  We cannot complain about our good health . . . nice home . . . no real needs.
     I sign off on many emails . . .  God is good, Life is good, We are good.
Each day is a gift and whatever comes forth in each 24 hour period is a reminder of God's precious presence.
                             And that reminds me of presents.
Add all the reminders of God's presence in my life  and I have received plenty of gifts this year.  In fact, today I happened to open some beautiful gifts.
No matter how a gift is wrapped, I like to set it out and look at its wrapping.  Sometimes, when we find a challenge in front of us, all we need to do is step back and see how it is wrapped.  Often, the wrapping hides a very precious gift inside.
Cake and gifts.  What a way to end the year!
 A present and God's presence are two different things.   Or are they?
Each is a priceless gift.  When we acknowledge God's presence in our lives, He shows us how He loves us in so many ways.
 Someone who takes the time to give of themselves also shows us love in so many ways.  These presents, below, are a priceless gift from my sister . . .  a botanical artist.  She shared her artistic gift with me.  She did all the work.  I simply find JOY in them.  What a treasure.
Gifts of beauty to enjoy forever.
 So, by now you might wonder . . . why am I lingering over cake and gifts?
IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!
I get to recall all the blessings of the past year while celebrating precious presents ... or is that our precious present?
      Phone calls, cards and emails offer gifts of love and remembrance.  I am surprised that so many have acknowledged my birthday!  Today my friends remind me that they are a precious gift and have filled this year with numerous blessings.   I am now ready to dive into the new year.
May your New Year be filled with blessings . . .  CELEBRATE this precious present.

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Christmas Blessings

It's Christmas Eve!

  I found this 'link' and enjoyed watching the Anglican choir.

If this link does not work, just cut and paste.  Hopefully that will work.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xRobryliBLQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


 The choir is singing 'In the deep mid-winter.' The Christmas Eve service is a beautiful setting for this song.
Christ gave His life for us.  We
are invited to give our heart to Him.

 This shot of our little church was taken before
 the leaves began to fall.  We have yet to see snow.
The church is not decorated until just before the Christmas Eve service.
It still is a place of beauty.
An intimate setting for worship
Tonight we will see candles and greens and Poinsettias.  The Creche will be at the front of the church for all to gaze upon.  One of the children will bring the baby, Jesus, forward at that special moment when we light our candles.
                               The 'light' of Christ enters the world.
                                                          Oh JOY!

In the Anglican church we celebrate Christmas from December 25 to January 6, Epiphany.  That's why some of us keep our decorations up long after others have taken them down.  This is also our time to sing those glorious carols that celebrate Christ's birth.  Most of our merry making takes place through the twelfth night, when we watch the arrival of the Wise Men.  This year we will have a grand celebration on Sunday, Dec. 8 when the children lead us to the Christ child.

May the Blessings of Christmas be abundant and spill over into the New Year.

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Four Advent candles light the darkness!

The darkness that seeps into every corner of our house is interrupted by sparkles of light . . .  little twinkles in a sea of gray.  Technically, today, December 22, is the shortest day of 2011.  And so, the Advent candles, all four, pierce the darkness and remind us that more light will shine tomorrow . . .  and even more the next day.
And then it will be Christmas and THE light will shine in the darkness.

We light the 'Christ' candle, in the middle,
on Christmas day.
We noticed the darkness yesterday as it rained all day.  I still went to the food bank and helped place 'Christmas Dinner' in each of 140 boxes.  The turkeys would be added when the boxes are delivered.  Cookies went on top.  We were so busy that I forgot to take pictures!

When I got home we went to the most beautiful . . .  and fun  . . . performance I will ever see.  I could not take pictures of this either!  The Amish were sitting in neat rows in the one-room school house . . .  lots of moms and many dads . . .  and little babies held in laps.  The 28 children sat quietly on benches placed on each side of the large room.  When it was time for each . . .  or all  . . . to perform, they scooted up behind the white curtains, hung so that they could be opened and closed with each performance.  Poems, songs, hilarious skits  . . . voices so loud we could have heard them a block away.  Well over an hour of delightful entertainment.  Then, at the end, they had a skit where all the children created a 'Christmas Surprise.'  The baskets, filled with fresh fruit, were handed out to the parents of each of the participants.

I've had this Amish hat forever.
It's the only reminder I have of that
delightful moment with people who cherish
God's creation so much that they offer what they
produce as Christmas gifts.

     Throughout the performance we noticed that it was difficult to see without artificial light.  Only natural light was available.  We could focus on the children and listen to their voices and laugh with everyone else.  There was no clapping for the entire hour or so and then there was only a very short spurt of applause at the end.  It was as if it is not good to give too much praise.  The sea of 'white coverings' remained seated.  No standing ovations here.  You could tell the children were loved dearly and needed no further encouragement.  It was nice.

We 'English' left shortly after the performance ended.  As we left, we gave hearty thanks to the 'elder' men who were sitting by the door.  The younger children came out on the porch to wave goodbye to us as their parents lingered inside and enjoyed socializing.  What a special 'light' in these dark days.

My little paper whites are a good reminder that
we can grow blooms even in the darkest of winter.
The Clementines have sustained us and remind us
that sunshine is soon going to overtake these dark days.
The Amish gathering reminded me that we could give sprigs of Holly Berries to friends, neatly tucked into lovely baskets of fruit.
This was taken in October, when we last saw snow.
I think this year will be a very 'green' Christmas
as it is almost balmy!  

There is always my faithful Holly Bush.  I have cut
loads of sprigs and given them away.  Little pieces
are all over the house. They dry so nicely.

And so we wait for brighter days, filled with light.  All too soon we will complain that the sun wakes us before we are ready to get up.  I will not complain.  That means more time in my garden.  Until then, we continue to enjoy the many celebrations that lead up to Christmas.

Tonight we visit a tree farm with acres of special light displays.  The weather is almost warm and the deep dark that comes too early will dance with light as we creep by with all the other vehicles . . .  and some Amish buggies . . . in the midst of these sparkling delights.

Thursday, December 15, 2011

O JOY!

Celebrate!
All the symbols of Christmas.
This goes in our entryway every year.




The minutes spin past us as we try to take moments here and there to enjoy this Advent season.  Last Sunday we lit the third candle of Advent, the JOY candle.  It's the pink one.  It's a reminder for us to take a time-out to celebrate . . . to bring a little more light into our lives.  







During this most busy time of year we decided to take a little detour.
   We went to the 'big city' of Baltimore . . .  the harbor.
       We got sticker shock the minute we tried to find parking.  Of course there was nothing on the street.  Even an open parking lot was the same price as a lovely covered garage right under a grand shopping center.
    On this rainy day we chose the parking garage . . . $23 for three + hours!

Needless to say, it was not a good day to take photographs but I could not resist this shot.  Occupy Baltimore!  These hardy souls pitched about 23 tents on this tiny triangle of land between two very nice plazas where one could linger as long as they wanted . . .  inside . . . where it was warm.
    I did not see a soul so my guess is that the occupants either went to work or came into this six story, open, inviting plaza with tons of shops and restaurants and places to sit and people-watch.

This colorful 'Occupy' site seemed to nestle
quite nicely in between the harbor and
a couple of shopping plazas.


I read that these 'Occupiers' were invited to leave this spot this week.
 They did so quietly. 
 Perhaps they were also motivated by the cold, wet air.

We strolled over to the very large Aquarium and delighted in all we saw.  
For a few moments I forgot I was 'up north' and lingered in the tropical atmosphere.   We spent a lot of hours there.  What fun.



Once back home, we begin to put up decorations.  These are some that my sister made for me over the years.  In fact, most of them were created years ago.  There is something special about decorating with hand made gifts from those we love.
We pull out this 'kissing' ball every year.
The words on the back say, "Christmas weaves its loving art,
 and leaves its magic in the heart." 

I have manger scenes all over the house.  We were given
this one long before we moved near the place were
 these figures are created.
 
Patient hands created this
lovely reminder of Christmas Joy.
Every corner of the house has something.

I can't linger too long.  I have yet to write our Christmas letter.
At least I finished teaching for this month.
We still have other commitments and preparation for Sundays and, of course, the Christmas Eve service.
But, there is always time to eat a cookie or add a 'piece of light' to another dark corner.  Maybe we will even put up the tree!




Friday, December 9, 2011

Cookies and relish and bread, oh my!

Perhaps the reason I do not have the big tree up yet, or the Christmas letter started or much else done may be that I am having too much fun!

I got a new mixer to replace my 'vintage' 50 yr. old mixer that almost caused a fire when I plugged it in.  Actually, I am being dramatic.  The plug just burned up.  I guess the electrical tape I'd used to patch the cord over the years was just not enough.  I opted to find a way to attach a new cord but my precious husband took me right to the store where I found just what I needed.  It is so fabulous that mixing is really a joy.


I use a lovely silver spoon inherited from my mother
to scoop up flour.  It makes the task so much more
enjoyable.  You see ingredients for my Ginger Krinkles
(I like to spell it with a K when we sell them)
I make each year for our Sweet Shoppe at church.
 See the cookies in the previous blog.

So, for the first time in years I actually enjoy baking!  Living in a much colder climate might also be a reason.  The kitchen warms up and . . . voila  . . . we are warm and cozy AND have fun things baking in the oven.

A friend gave me these cute 'gingerbread man' scissors.
They don't cut worth a darn but they sure are cute!
That's my paper plate I use for sifted flour.
I have had it for years!

Tis the season for Cranberry Relish.  We use it on salads
or simply on our plate when we have chicken or turkey.
The minute I see these in the store I grab several
and freeze them for use throughout winter.
Gotta have that vitamin C !

Just cut oranges in quarters and pop them into the
food processor.  Blend 'til mushy.  Add Cranberries.
Blend with oranges until ... see the picture.
Then place all in a bowl and add sugar (calls for a cup
so I use 1/2 cup to balance the tang.)  Let stand in
fridge overnight.  Then place in cute jars to give to
  friends and neighbors as thank you gifts.

Hummus is not a Christmas delight but an absolute
necessity in our house.  Tony eats this so fast that
I make about three batches every two weeks.
I skip the Tahini as I am not that impressed with it.
Cloves and Cumin spice it up nicely.  A BIG splash of lemon
juice enables us to use less olive oil.

Throw in that olive oil until you have a nice, juicy paste.
Love it!

VOILA!  Pop this stuff into any container and leave
some for a cute serving dish.  Put a little out with
each meal or place a dollop on your salad.
I make a mean sandwich with pita, hummus, tomatoes
and cucumbers.  Hmmmmmmmm, good!

Of course I prep apples almost daily for dehydrating.
The Cranberry Relish is ready to give to a friend  . .  .
along with some Irish Soda Bread I baked in a heartbeat.
No, I'm not Ms. gourmet.  It was a package and I just added
a couple ingredients, mixed it in my new mixer and baked it. . .
 forever!  45 min.  My friend served lunch.  I brought HOT bread.
Well, I have lingered far too long with this blogging.
 I think I was making up for several blogs I should have written earlier.

We are off to another Craft Show.  Our neighbor makes primitives and duck decoys.  I always find something cute.  In fact, he made the Tree in my blog, O Christmas Tree.  One day I will show you all the little goodies I have purchased from him over the past couple years.  They are so inexpensive as he is retired and simply carves for enjoyment.  His works give ME joy.  O JOY!

O Christmas Tree!

O
Christmas
Tree, O Christmas
Tree ... OK, so this is totally
 tacky. That's where I am right now.
Too many other things going on to put up a tree, yet.
So, I found this tree I bought from a friend and stashed in the
 corner of our little den last summer.  I carefully unwrapped my 'stained glass'
 angel that my sister gave to me umpteen years ago.  I keep it in a safe place,
away from the other decorations because it already has a broken hand
that I
 taped 
together.  

A 'Peanuts' Tree?

I love the ball hanging from it.
A local glass blower was selling them
at our 'Ladies Night' at the hardware store.
I just could not resist.
It's actually blue and when the sun
is out it glistens.

We helped set up and lingered at a bazaar at the small church in our neighborhood that got flooded in September. (See  Sept. blog, Two Little Churches.  This is the white one.)   Tony was a huge help as there were so few 'able bodied' workers to move furniture to make room for tables of food, poinsettias and all sorts of sweet things for sale.

I bought the cute sugar cookies that are sitting on top of
some of the eleven dozen Ginger Krinkles I baked.

 I picked up cookies and some delicious soup the next day when I was going from bazaar to bazaar.  It was the day for Bazaars!  This was also the day I picked up the little church that you saw in my previous blog.

The next day, Sunday, was the big day at our church about thirty minutes drive from where we live.  (See Sept. blog, Two Little Churches, the brown church.) This historic town opens several of its homes for a Christmas Tour each year.  Our little church invites sightseers to join us for worship before the festivities begin.

We open our church for people to worship, relax, eat a good meal and then shop at our 'Sweet Shoppe' for lots of goodies.  That's why I baked eleven dozen cookies.  That was nothing compared to the 30 pounds of Peanut Butter Fudge that sold out within a few hours!  We made lots of good money that will be donated to the local food bank and help pay for our electrical wiring and windows that were newly installed . . . thirty years after they were deemed 'hazardous'.
 The church is getting fixed and the people are growing spiritually.
 It's a nice feeling to see what God is doing in our midst.






The second week of Advent

A simple vignette with candles and berries and voila, an Advent wreath.
I just moved our bowl of clementines and it was put together in a minute.                             










 Twas the second week of Advent, almost to the third, and nothing was completed, nothing seen or heard.
       We managed at First Advent, to get our candles out,
and light them on each Sunday, since waiting is what it's about.
  One light each week reminds us that more light will pierce the dark.
 Two more weeks of waiting until Angels sing, "Hark, Hark!"

At night the wreaths sparkle with tiny lights.
As each day brings more darkness we try to add more light
 by creating scenes outside that entice in breadth and height.
      So we threw our holly berries into the old watering can
and added little wreaths to our bird houses where they always stand.
       I found this lovely angel that does not match at all
        but gives a little glisten as it stands so very tall.
The tiny church and the big church I found at our local bazaar
 and could not resist them as I love how cute they are.

So primitive compared to neighbors but we love it.
A closer look will show you how to stretch a simple site,
to make it look more festive, this season of de-light. 

               
I put up this simple berry wreath in the Fall.
 In December I simply add a bow and tiny lights on
 with battery pack I turn on an off when  I choose.


We went to the bazaar at the Moravian church and could fill our shopping bag for $5!  I just could not resist this cute little church.  I stuffed Holly Berries in the bird entrance just to add a bit of whimsy.
 And then there is the Manger scene with all its various pieces.
We put this up each year as we linger in this pageant of Jesus.
The baby is not yet in his crib nor are the wise men there yet,
We move the pieces 'round each week . . .  the closer we get,
to the glorious moment when we celebrate the Christ Child's birth.

This story in Luke is important for us to read.
That is why all this fuss, the real meaning for us to heed.
But with all the feasts and celebrations in this Christmas season,
We try to remember a little each day that Christ's birthday is the reason.

My husband's dad brought this simple Cresh back from Germany after WWII
We can't seem to locate our family Manger scene that was quite elegant but this
scene in all its simplicity tells the story quite adequately.
So I close this endless poem so that I can begin
all the other sights and sounds and let Christ's light enter in.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Advent is upon us

ADVENT . . .  the coming,
anticipation of the "Light of Christ" breaking through the darkness.
 It is a time of waiting, an expectant time.
It is a time to look back at what prophets foretold as well as  a time to prepare and renew our hearts to welcome the Christ child.
 It is a season of joy and wonder.
 Most of all, it is a time to ponder . . .  to pause.
So much else gets in the way.
I was able to linger a moment and gaze at the beauty of this tiny church before the expectations of this season became a frenzy.
The beauty is breathtaking and was not grasped well with my little camera.
It was a lovely moment.

I visited a very old church in a small town
 that still has the altar against the wall.
This is very rare for a Protestant church.

AND THEN .  .  .  BEFORE I COULD BLINK . . . 
it was Ladies Night out at the hardware store.

OK, before you fall off your chair laughing, this is THE place in town.
Unless we choose to drive thirty minutes into the city, this is our saving grace!
Everyone in town was there.  It was packed!  
Every time I turned around I was chatting with someone.
I got more socializing done than shopping.
But, that's what it's all about.

The High School chorus sang four-part harmony  acapella!
 
Dressed in our finest, waiting for the doors to open.

Anything you could ever want for the tree ... and so much more.
This was one of dozens of aisles of fun stuff.
And then there was the garden dept. filled with glittering trees.

These hats are the rage.  So cheap here.
We are having the warmest December in years so
they were not flying off the shelf.

Of course, the rental dept. offers the average farmer and
gardner a whole range of tools and machines.
This is a local, family-owned, store that specializes in meeting
the needs of the locals.

 
I did not take pictures of the first graders playing their violins for us . . .
or the freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that were
 served by the male employees
as they wandered the store in their fancy suits and ties.
 One wore a tuxedo.
The crowds were too thick to capture these moments.
 What can I say.
This was the kick-off to the frenzied part of Advent.
What fun!

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A lovely end to November

It's the last day of November.  What a month!
We transitioned from the snowy end of a cold October to a spring-like November.  It was a nice interlude before the cold winds of winter sweep in.
         We truly gave THANKS for God's balmy days this past month.
  I wore my skirts and flip flops more days than my clogs and jeans.

This warm reprieve offered us the opportunity to stop and take note of sights we pass almost daily.  
This covered bridge was actually flooded in September
 and had a snowy entrance in October. It's nearly in our
back yard and leads to a lovely park.
Imagine driving by and the barn door suddenly flies open!
I could not help but stop the car and see what was inside.
Look carefully.  What do you see?

Ahhhhh, the smell.  Musty yet so much a part of these peoples' lives.
I wonder how long it took to pick, bind and hang this by hand.
A labor of love.  Part of me wants this lovely leaf to remain in the barn forever.
I know what it does to the lungs when inhaled.

These two barn doors belong to two different openings.
This one opened suddenly so I clicked away.
Note the old tractor with iron  wheels.
It's as if they live in another century. 

This barn door suddenly opened wide.
I took a quick shot.
This machine looked fascinating.
I have no clue what it does but it does look old.

The sun glistens on this tobacco for just a moment
before the clouds roll back in.


What fun I am having.  I am still outside
 as my camera sneaks into this quiet place.
Not a sole is around.  I could only hear the breeze behind me.

I took this last shot before all the barn doors
closed.  It was as if I was given a moment
to explore another era.  And then, before I could linger longer,
all the doors slammed shut and I was back in the 21st century.
 What a delightful end to Fall.


Saturday, November 19, 2011

Fall in November

October was very cold and ended with a heavy snow storm. 
 Then November popped up with balmy days and lots of sunshine. 
 Go figure.  
What a delightful Fall ... finally.  
  The crops were not even harvested fully before the snow came. 
 So, I linger a little longer each day as I watch the slow changes.   
Then I thought of a grand idea to expand our garden!
Oh My!
This is all happening as I begin making apple chips for the winter.

Can you see the combine harvesting corn?
Soon these fields will be bare.
 As the cool and warm air collide, the haze lingers over the farmland until almost noon.  Then the sun burns it off and the light glistens across the fields. Obviously I did not wait for the sun light to 'glisten' over the fields.

These are the last days for the cows to linger in the meadow
as they chew on sweet grass.

I love to watch each row being scooped up as the
husks are blown back onto the field.
A 'haymaker' machine will then pick up anything left on the field
and turn it into huge balls that are stored for use during the winter
 to feed the cows.  Nothing is wasted.

My sister sent me this shot when visiting
a monastery in Greece. 


























                                                                              






The Garden

We saw some tiny spaces that the monks filled with God's creative beauty when we visited monasteries in Italy.

 I decided to design my new herb garden to look like this but ... alas ... mine is not quite so fine.  Perhaps in Spring, when I plant, it might bloom into something as delightful.




The dark mulch will suffice as pathways until we find
slabs of slate to make a more substantial walking path.




 





As you see, we dug out lots of grass.  I got tired of seeing it burned out in the middle of summer so why not plant flowers and herbs that thrive in the hot sun! We moved the Gaillardia and Coreopsis (lower right corner) to the long light-brown patches to the right.   I scattered Day Lilies in between.




Bags of hummus await blending with the rocky shale.  We dug 12 inches down ... with a pick ax ... in order to amend  the soil so that herbs and flowers can grow properly.
I am taking this shot from our wall above the garden.  The fence casts its shadow on this sunny day.

 We are getting there.  Hours of backbreaking work already looks well worth the effort.  Now to transplant all those plants from the shade of the Leyland Cypress to a sunnier spot.
All done amending soil.  A few pieces of slate dot the path.
We are now ready to transplant what we can.
We moved the bench over into the shade of the Leyland Cypress.
Our 'new' garden is already full of transplants!
It will be interesting to see what happens in the Spring.

 St. Francis remains in his same space for now.  The little wild rose next to him seems to climb up his side with sweet little buds.  Who knows where he will end up.  He is now tucked away from the elements for the winter.
A better shot of the herb garden, ready for Spring.
It will get good sun.
Day Lilies and Rose bushes against the wall
 will be a nice backdrop.
In the Spring we will fill these four little triangles with herbs and some colorful annuals in hopes of looking like the little Greek garden pictured above.

                                                             APPLES!
 In the mean time I dehydrate apples daily.  It takes about 30 minutes to prep each batch.  Then I let my little dehydrator do its thing for about eight hours.  Voila ... Apple Chips!  
Cortland apples are HUGE and the pure white insides
make for really nice 'chips' ... as they call them in this neck of the woods.
I have had this little dehydrator for about 30 years and it still works well.
6 Cortland or about 8 Gayla apples fit into each batch.
I keep fresh apple chips handy at all times in this
delightful wooden 'crock' my sister gave me.
It's amazing how we nibble on these until they are gone.
I get about 20-28 chips per apple, depending on the size of the Apple.
It is getting a bit crisp outside so the gardening is done.
                                        I will now be busy until January making Apple Chips!