A few minutes ago my husband said, "Just think, in 20 days, Christmas Day will be almost done."
Yikes! I don't want to think about that. This is such a special time of year and rushing it along does me no good at all. This week I've finished sewing two nightgowns for my little grandgirlies. I've begun baking - Rugelach and Peppermint Bars are in the freezer. Marshmallows are simple to make and taste better than store-bought.
Decorating is beginning. We will put our tree up next week, but for now the tiny lights draped along the mantels and the piano brighten up the dark days and evenings we've experienced. Oh, the rain! Dark and dreary day after day. Today the drizzle let up and the sky brightened. Glorious!
One Hellebore is blooming already, much earlier than usual. And see the sunlight creating shadows? I was happy to go outdoors with my camera for a short while.
Christmas reading is underway. I've asked myself if I really want to read Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher again this year. The answer was quick to come - of course! Here are a few others I'm enjoying just now:
Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater
Let it Snow by Nancy Thayer (a sweet romance)
Rumpole at Christmas by John Mortimer
(just purchased at a used bookstore)
Letters to Father Christmas
by J. R. R. Tolkien
(new-to-me and barely begun)
There's a link to Christmas reading at the top of my home page, a list compiled a few years ago that likely needs some revision. I also have a collection of December issues of Country Living UK, and Victoria magazine that are fun to peruse.
Sadly, one recent book didn't live up to my expectations. A Christmas Witness by Charles Todd was disappointing. Inspector Ian Rutledge is a wonderful character, and I've enjoyed the other books in the series, but this one left me feeling flat. Too much repetition and little action.
I've been painting a little bit each evening on the Advent Calendar created by Harriet de Winton on YouTube. In the morning I open the video to see what picture will be painted and I anticipate it throughout the day until evening when I sit down and paint. I also open the Jacquie Lawson digital Advent Calendar in the mornings. A fun little treat to look forward to.
Tomorrow we will be celebrating two grandchild birthdays, our eldest and our youngest, born 10 years apart. We celebrate midway between the two dates. For dinner I'm making grain bowls with brown rice and a variety of toppings - shredded chicken in barbecue sauce, roasted butternut squash, sauteed brussels sprouts, roasted beets, lightly pickled red cabbage, sliced spinach, and a dressing of some sort. It's a meal that everyone can tailor to their own liking.
As the second Sunday of Advent approaches, I wish you all the peace of God.
Lorrie - what a talent you are and with so much energy too. Love your little illustrations for the Advent Calendar, I have never thought to make marshmallows - yours look delicious, and a Hellebore flowering in early December is incredibly early.
ReplyDeleteHappy birthday to you little sweeties. Love the dinner menu! Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWinter Solstice is being read here too, but like you I did consider if I had actually read it so many times that I almost knew every sentence! But there is always a new thought to find.
ReplyDeleteYou are well on your way in celebrating this month.
ReplyDeleteI think I've read all the Ian Rutledge books so unless A Christmas witness is a new one I've likely read it. I recently read another by that mother/son team that features the young nurse (name escaping me right now) but though I finished it I found it lacking in any mystery and repetitious.
I've never heard of a digital advent calendar before. I checked out the one you mentioned, and it looks so fun. The one you're painting is truly lovely, too. That seems like a manageable creative practice for this season. If only I could paint!
ReplyDeleteYour advent calendar artwork is wonderful. What a nice thing to do each evening. Happy birthday to your December Grands. Peace to you...
ReplyDeleteLife sounds wonderful in your world! Very beautiful. I love the Jacquie Lawson calendar and do as you do. I save the old ones and sometimes go back to "redecorate" my space. Now I have a new one to decorate! I love your advent calendar and your reading list sounds great. I keep old Christmas magazines and it's like every year they seem new!
ReplyDeleteThe digital Advent calendars sound like fun. I have that Charles Todd book on order at the library. I'll read it and see how it goes but it is disappointing to know that it isn't as good as all the previous books. I wonder if the death of the mother has made the difference in the writing of this book.
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness everything looks beautiful . . . homemade marshmallows, you are so clever, I've never tasted them but I've heard that ever those of us that are not marshmallow fans fall in love with these homemade ones.
ReplyDeleteI love you Advent calendars . . . again you are so clever and talented :)
Merry Christmas!
Yum, that makes me feel very hungry. The advent calendar is delightful and a treat for you each day. No tree here yet either. I’m a little behind this year. Hope the birthday meal goes well. Happy family times. B x
ReplyDeleteHow lovely your mantel looks and the Hellebore is so pretty. I have Nigel Slater's Christmas Chronicles and was watching his Christmas cookery series the other day whilst doing the ironing. I hope the birthday meals went well:)
ReplyDeleteYour are finding the joy of the season in so many ways! It never crossed my mind to make marshmallows, now you have me googling on how to do that!
ReplyDeleteYes, let s enjoy Christmas to the fullest 🍎 Let's not rush.
ReplyDeleteThe spruce decorations are pretty 🎄
We have very different baking traditions for Advent and Christmas... Marshmallows and peppermint bars sound good – I'll look for a recipe :-))
ReplyDeleteYour Advent calendar, which you paint yourself every day, is great. What a wonderful idea, I love it...
Warm regards from Viola.
I wish you a continued happy Advent season... so nice... I love.
I never eat marshmallows, but yours sure do look tempting.
ReplyDeleteHow fun to celebrate two grandchildren's birthdays. I'm sure it was a fun time for all.
Those dark and dreary days are the current situation here. I'm so ready to see the sun again.
Your decorating looks so festive and pretty.
I'm also trying to savour the Advent season.
ReplyDeleteI did put up my Christmas tree early (last month) so I can maximize my enjoyment of it.
I used to enjoy watching Rumpole on the television ...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your book Rumpole at Christmas by John Mortimer.
Happy birthday wishes to your two grandchildren.
All the best Jan
I like the idea of painting on an Advent Calendar and having it as a keepsake to save with each year's photo Christmas cards. I never tried making marshmallows and will have to remedy that. Hope your grandchildren had very happy birthdays!
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