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| See how it glows... I should have an applet that shows gently falling snow. NOT the freezing wind- wow, the picture doesn't capture THAT! |
Well, nothing like your mother bringing some friends to show them YOUR house... all I needed was a little motivation and out came a few Christmas decorations. I didn't intend to put up any- too much work, my back is too sore, no one's coming, I'm not going to be here all Christmas, etc.
Bah humbug...
That didn't last too long - someone's coming!
Time to dig out something pretty!
(And yes, mop the floor...)
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| I love this little set from Sculpey "clay" Purchased in South Dakota years ago Why are figures so much more appealing without faces? Is that just me?? |
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| My pomegranates from Israel celebrating Jesus. |
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| These are my dad's favorite Tony Lama cowboy boots. He added a zipper to get them off easier. Bill's little red tractor from his childhood. My Christmas books. All at home together. |
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| I LOVE this set- a gift from my sweet sister in love, Terry. They look so wonderful against the slate of the fireplace. They won't live there forever... grandbabies starting to come! |
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| Yes, this is my Christmas "tree". It's a piece of fresh pine branch, lit with mini Japanese paper lanterns (that were on my staircase) and stuck in a cardboard kindling box. Mom found a cool tree skirt . Voila! |
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| Another gift from Terry. I love that the book behind it has the world on the cover ... |
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| Even the bathroom has a Nativity cross ... trust me, that's what it is and a candle, of course. |
And a few pictures just of other rooms since they have been requested.... it has been great fun to put this place together.
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| Not Christmas but.. a really cute bathroom with Ikea pieces. Thank you, fabulous-est sister Janet! |
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This is another Ikea moment- LOVE this map. This is my hmm... family room? Most rooms are pretty ill defined. This is the space outside my art room. |
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| Same room, just back the photographer up a few steps. See the artsy room beyond the door. I hardly go down there- too cold! Summer time... |
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| This can be YOUR guest room. Relax surrounded by treasures collected from the Orient. Relax, the screens are well secured (right, Janet??). They should not fall down on your sleeping head. |
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| Another view of the Asia room. More |
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| Asian rooom comes furnished with a fully covered dresser top. Good luck finding a place for YOUR stuff. |
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| Alright, already- enough with the Asian stuff. Yep, your room has LOTS of Asian stuff. Pretty cool stuff, the owner might add. |
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| Or you can enjoy a restful night in Africa. The animals are tame. |
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| Batiks from .... some place in Africa. Ask Drew Cleveland- he bartered them and gave up his shoes. Good choice- who still has shoes from 2004? |
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| The animals are not dangerous. And there is a globe in every room- find the globe, Waldo! |
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| Back to the kitchen. Red just says Christmas! |
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| Love this German piece. Forgot the fascinating history.... sigh. |
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| This is my 2012 Nativity addition! I love this art- she makes her own paper from old corduroy pants. |
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| We three kings.... I've requested shepards and sheep for next year. Finish my set of thre, of course... It IS the Trinity! Artist, Earlene McNeil Larson Cedarosa Studio Mission Hill, South Dakota |
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| OK- just back the photographer up and REALITY comes into focus... beauty really is in what you chose to focus on. |
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| Not much Christmas to look at here- and is that really a Christmas tree? Pathetic.... |
So- look around at your house. The books piled on the table, packing boxes, the not-quite-what-I'd-like look. Then zoom in on the small piecs of beauty. If you can't find one- take a moment and make a place of beauty. A rest, a feast for you eyes and your soul.
It doesn't have to be big or fancy.A few apple in a bowl. A candle in a dish. Some leftover red balls in a hand me down wire tree form. Your grandpa's fishing pole, your dad's cowboy boots. A piece of fragrant wood. An electric candle in the window.
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"Blaise Pascal said: “In difficult times, you should always carry something beautiful in your mind.” ....
Perhaps we are going too fast. Perhaps the beauty which we seek can only reveal itself through the kind of deliberate pace that we take when we recollect. For in recollection we pull together all the scattered parts of beauty that nourish us."
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I left out the wonderful body of Harmon's reflections on keeping our minds at rest through prayer and contemplation. But just the beginning and the end also speak to me of the need to have small, beautiful things to carry in my mind. We can chose to focus on the one bright spot, the one red apple, the single leaf or the glimpse of beauty.
We can recall beautiful moments and recollect- bring back together the fragments into the whole.
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May you be sustained this holiday season with small glimpses of beauty. May your heart be at rest, at peace as we - Wait Anticipate Wonder Advent ...an arrival or coming, especially one which is awaited |
I gobbling up the views, peaking through the windows, remembering the stairways and stone. Ahh, to see the western snow again and the funny nosey gray deer in the back pasture. Counting out the time until I can run away again and perch in the loft, looking over the vast peacefulness and enjoy your extraordinary company. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe house looks fantastic!!! I can't wait to visit again. Next time I'll be bringing a grand baby!
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