Well, just as I thought....No time to blog lately. I will do better after the holidays, promise.!

  This is what we woke up to this morning! 22 degrees, windy and 14+ inches of the good ole' white stuff.
'It's beginning to look alot like Christmas!'
And my husbands snow blower won't start! UGH.... I think it's a good day to just sit tight and wait for a neighbor with a plow to stop by!

 

TWELVE DAYS AND COUNTING!

  The Christmas clock is tick, tick, ticking down quickly.  No time to think about things....time to get into action!
  I spent yesterday afternoon making swags for all around the yard.  Every post, door and fence has been
adorned with greenery, pinecones and bows.  The scent of the pine is fabulous and really put me in the holiday spirit !   I made them HUGE this year, since the Christmas tree man down the road was kind enough to let me have so many cuttings.  And it was COLD outside yesterday! BURRRRRR!

 
  We had a small winter storm this week. It was gorgeous in the wee hours of the morning.  But, then it turned to drizzle and became just a big ol' mess.  It was a very heavy snow which  made a lot of tree branches crack and fall out in the surrounding woods.  You could here them crashing down through the trees!

 Iris'  had her best friend  Casey come over for a visit. I'm not kiddin', these two are like long lost sisters.

       They Love each other!  We tried our best to get them to sit quietly beneath the tree for a photo...but that just was'nt going to happen. (Casey was good, but Iris was more interested in the treats! LOL) This was the best I could do.

 

A Sea of Blue.

All done.   I could sit here for hours with a cup of coffee and soft Christmas tunes  playing in the background.

...Bring on the Bling!

  I finally found  my way back to the blog this week.  As mentioned earlier....spare time is far and few between. 
 Better late... then never! 

Today will be spent giving the tree its 'Bling'.  It's in position , lit and ready for my treasures.

   Over the past twenty-eight years,  I have been obsessed with collecting Christmas ornaments.  Just ask any one one of my family members.  They will vouch for that!  The bigger and more unusual, the better! I can remember where and when I purchased each and every one.  Memories of special occasions,  loving gifts I received from others and purchases made on one of  the many memorable  afternoon shopping trips with my sisters and my Mother.  Gosh... I miss those afternoons together.  Very special memories.  (That just made me tear up...we miss you with all our hearts Mom. xo)  My father gave me my first one in 1981.  It's a Hallmark 'Father~Daughter' ornament and is very special.
  Once on the tree,  placed ever so carefully on just the right branch,  the  tree slowly  comes to life and surely 'speaks' to me!
  Memories galore!   Time to get started...

This is a mysterious treasure.

  Years ago,  this small wooden basket was found in the ceiling rafters of my Grandpa Scherber's workshop.  I just love it!  I wish I knew exactly where it came from, but I don't.

  I'd like to think it was a special gift,  handmade lovingly, for a very special Christmas, one hundred and thirty one Christmas's ago!  My father does'nt know anything  about it.  I think I recall him saying " he never even saw it before?"  Possibly a gift from my Great-Great Grandfather,  to my Great-Great Grandmother?  I'll never know and can only imagine.  But, it will be unpacked and displayed for many Christmas's to come.

Time to unpack the lights.

 It was a quiet holiday in our house. A nice breakfast, mimosas and a delicious dinner for two later in the day. Very relaxing. We have all had enough turkey and stuffing for this year!


Now, with the Thanksgiving holiday behind us,  it's time to unpack the lights.
Ooooh the lights!

  The tree is nine feet tall. Artificial, yet beautiful when lit with my sea blue lights. Hundreds of them!

But it is a long process of assembling the actual tree and then lighting each branch one by one.

  Someday, maybe I will  invest in a pre-lit tree.

  Years of fresh cut trees have proven difficult in our home.  The wood burning fireplace burns continuously, heating the downstairs. Thus, drying the hec out of any fresh tree long before Christmas morning!

 Over the next  few days, I will work at it. Slowly. Patiently. Trying not to get too frustrated by the strands of lights that choose not to work at random.  Iris will keep me company throughout the process.

  When it's complete,  it is a calming sea of blue that reminds me of the ocean.

~I have just recently realized there is a world of creativity available for our viewing enjoyment!
Wondering how on earth, those of you find the time to blog?
....but, it is a tool to keep the creative juices flowing.

So, here begins my contribution to the 'world of blogging'!
I will try my best over the upcoming long winter months to keep up with it & be creative,

expressing myself and share my life through my photography

...and lifes simple pleasures.