Thursday, December 27, 2007

Tidings of Comfort and Joy










































































































































"During the wintertime there's often, for those who are sensitive, a
very heightened sense of the sacred. You can feel it in the air. The
whole environment is pulling one's consciousness beyond the appearance
of things into what is prior to manifestation, to that light of being
which is presence itself." — Adyashanti

Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Crafty Things

This is not my work. This is my fourth graders handwork project. Sweet, no? Every section of this ball has a little embroidered picture. I love it, but it is not for me.



















Ok, these are mine. Made from sweaters of course, and presented in those Martha Stewart cupcake boxes.



















For a dear little girl, by request.



















There's more, but this is such a time of year for secrets. I just wanted to display that my hands have not been idle these winter evenings.

O Christmas Tree

It was raining in a drizzly down your collar sort of way instead of snowing in a White Christmas Sleighbells Jingling kind of way, but a promise had been made and so it was kept.
















There was enough residual snow to suggest winter, and certainly enough for Skaterboy to scrape together enough snowballs to annoy his sister, and so we set off across the fields last Sunday to find that perfect tree.



















We walked and walked, perusing White Pine, Scotch Pine and Blue Spruce. "Here's a nice one" and "What about this one?" was interspersed with "You guys are so stingy - this is the perfect $60 tree" and "You've got to be kidding me - that tree looks pregnant", and as it grew dark we despaired for the perfect tree.















But then, as dusk fully fell and all our toes succumbed to frostbite, the perfect tree was discovered. Dave made us sing O Christmas Tree and dance around it before he would cut it down, which even the twins were embarrassed about, but luckily it was too dark for anyone to see us by then. Finally, our Christmas Tree was hauled triumphantly back to the lodge and wrapped to come home.















Then the decorating commenced. With happy fervor the tree was set upon, and all our decorations hauled out to be remembered and reminisced over before being set carefully on the tree.



















We did bemoan our lack of fireplace, but cranked up the heater and made do.






































Once the tree was decorated we turned out the overhead light and performed Pagan rituals around it, like dancing wildly to Wham - 'Last Christmas' and Frank Sinatra, until bedtime.



















It's very beautiful, standing there in the corner of the living room, and I don't think it will matter how many times I do this, I'll never quite get over the shock and delight of rediscovering that there is a real live tree, covered in twinkly lights, actually in my house.

More From The House

Because my Mum said that more pictures wouldn't be boring. I love the way light loves this house. I thought it would be dark because of the panelling, but the sun slides in across the floor in the most soothing and sweet way.



















Here is where I sleep. This room is at the front of the house, with lots of windows and those wooden shutters. One morning I woke up when it was still dark and thought I saw a UFO. When I got up to look more closely I realized that it was the morning star slipping in and out of clouds as it set.















On my kitchen window sill.

































The happiest holiday thrift find to date. I love these three little carolers so much that I have forbidden the twins to play with them. Which means a lot, because traditionally at our house anything is fair game. But I have drawn the line at discovering these wrapped in washcloths in the play oven.

And Now We Are Six

My twins are six years old.






































We partied,


































blew out candles,















and gathered around to watch them tear through stacks of presents.













They are sweet, beautiful and wonderfully innocent. If only they'd stay six now for ever and ever.