Christmas reading and viewing

I have been enjoying dusting off some of my favorite books and movies to assist in the Christmas mood around here.  Although tonight I took time off of Christmas as my son stopped by for dinner and brought his copy of The Social Network (good movie but not G-rated, if you get my drift).  Both my kids remarked how interesting it is that this guy changed the world when Facebook was invented.

Anyway... I digress from the actual reason for writing... Christmas.  I've watched a few shows on TV including last night's classic Rudolf the Rednosed Reindeer.  It's corny but I still love the whole "misfit as hero" plot and listening to Burl Ives as narrator.  For us baby boomers, it brings back lots of nostalgic memories.

Yesterday I watched my An Avonlea Christmas DVD after the dinner dishes were finished.  I love this movie but Stephanie didn't care for it as much when she watched it.  One of the subplots is that Felix is MIA in WWI and it follows Janet as she becomes angry and bitter over the war.  But she doesn't stay that way and there are happy endings all around.  The TV series was one of my favorites, especially as the years went by and the children grew a little older.

Tomorrow I plan to watch Christmas Eve on Sesame Street (the original from the 1970s) which I love.  Yes, I own the DVD and I have no little children around... and your point is???  I miss the 70s, a great decade. ;)

I've also watched Muppet Christmas Carol recently on TV.  I taught Dicken's A Christmas Carol our last year in a homeschool co-op and had the teenagers watch the movie.  They loved it.  No one does a better Mrs. Cratchett than Miss Piggy.

Christmas Reading

I pulled a few books off the shelf, dusted them off, and now have them stacked to enjoy from Thanksgiving through New Years (and perhaps beyond).  They are...

Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus edited by Nancy Guthrie - This is an advent devotional that I used last year and gladly pulled out again.  I can't remember who recommended it but it's wonderful.  Nancy Guthrie explains that she wrote the kind of advent book she wanted to read with chapters by Puritans, Augustine, Francis Schaeffer, John Piper, all the way through to the final chapter by Joni Erickson Tada.  Love this one, highly recommend it.

Winter Song Christmas Readings by Madeleine L'Engle & Luci Shaw - This book is similar to a devotional in that it contains poetry and prose by two favorite authors and takes one through the end of autumn through Advent.  If you like L'Engle and Shaw, you'll love this book.  I'm not really using it as an advent devotional so much as enjoying the writings for the Season.

No Holly for Miss Quinn by Miss Read - Just the loveliest Christmas story about a young English woman who never married who is called upon to help her brother and his family out at Christmas.  Miss Read has two or three other Christmas books which I have read in the past but don't own (but I should look for at the library).  I have re-read this one at Christmas the past few years.  I've read some other Miss Read books and hope to read more in the future.

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon - I think this is my favorite Mitford book.  I've also re-read it each Christmas since it was published.  Even though it is part of the series, it can also be enjoyed as a stand alone novel.  Father Tim purchases an old and battered nativity set (LARGE set) and works to restore it as a gift to his wife.  There are the usual subplots of Mitford characters which add warmth and depth.

A Cup of Christmas Tea by Tom Hegg - It takes just a few minutes to read this little story about a man who visits his elderly great aunt and rediscovers the Christmas of his childhood.  A lovely little classic!

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens - What can I say, one of the best books ever written.  When I taught the book to my class, I had it read aloud as it should be.  I loved how even the teenage guys became enthralled with the characters.  One of them told me it sparked his interest to read other Dickens' novels.

Did you know in the Christmas song "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year", when they talked about "scary ghost stories" they were talking about this book?  For years I wondered what ghost stories had to do with Christmas and when I found that out, it answered a lot of questions.  :)

The Dean's Watch by Elizabeth Goudge - I'm hoping to get to this book in December, otherwise it is on my January list to re-read.  While not technically a Christmas book, it takes place around Christmas and I felt like I was in an English village in December.  It's a story of Redemption, which is what Christmas is all about.

By the way, A City of Bells also have lovely Christmas scenes in it.  I just read it again last month and I still smile as I think of it again. 

I used to re-read a few Edith Schaeffer books in December... especially The Tapestry and her two books of letters (With Love, Edith and Dear Family).  While I no longer read them around Christmas, I do re-read these autobiographical books and a few other nonfiction books each year as I have time.  She was the most influential author in my life as a young wife and mother and has remained so through the years.

I also have a stack of Victoria Christmas books and a few other Christmas decorating books to peruse (most purchased at library sales).  I also love to read the Christmas issues of favorite magazines.

I only own a couple specifically Christmas cookbooks but both are favorites...

My newest such book is Holiday Fare: Favorite Williamsburg Recipes by John Gonzales (the chef Stephanie and I took the cooking class from in Williamsburg). I wrote about it recently but it does have many, many good recipes in it which I would serve all year.  The pictures of Colonial Williamsburg at Christmas makes me want to visit again.

The book I've had for years now and LOVE is called Christmas Thyme at Oak Hill Farm by Marge Clark (a long ago gift from my sister-friend, BeBe).  It is a fabulous book, especially for those of us who love herbs and all things tea time.  It contains lots of wonderful recipes and beautiful pictures, a book I highly recommend.  It is one of my all time favorite recipe books.

Marge unexpectedly left us a few years ago in a car accident but I always felt I knew her through this book and her cookbook The Best of Thymes, which I go back to all the time for recipes using favorite herbs.  Both are written with her chatty prose in addition to recipes.

Hmmm... no wonder that stack of books looks like it is going to fall over soon.

Comments Q & A and links

The above picture... my buffet this year.  I think it has a Victoria feel about it.  :)

I was admiring some of the decorating last night and thinking how it has changed over the years and then the thought came to me as to WHY... there are no small children or teenage boys around to break things. All but the little elf container on the lower right side of the picture (a vintage family heirloom of hubby's) came from thrifting, garage sales, or on clearance shelves.

Do you like the teacup?  It is the only Christmas teacup I own and I saw a tiny Christmas tree displayed this way in a magazine.  It took about two seconds to decide I would do the same thing this year.

I've skimmed through a few comments and I'll try to answer those I can.  

First ... a couple of links.  You know how I fell in love with Colonial Williamsburg?  A sweet blogger sent me a link to her Colonial Williamsburg pictures... here.  She is fortunate to live near enough to visit often.  By the way, her blog is great!

Also, I've decided I'm going to make these Christmas yo-yo's which Karen Andreola shared... here.  I have a lot of small pieces of Christmas fabric... perfect!  I also love Karen's blog but then again... she is one of my favorite authors so it's not surprising.

Yes... I did get that flu shot on Monday.  I thought it helped me a lot last year but we'll see how it goes this year.  My sister, Bonnie, avoids them like the proverbial plague after getting very sick from her shot a few years ago.

This picture is Family Circle by Lee Stroncek.  It was our Christmas card one year and I saved one to frame.  I've since tried to locate a print but all I could find (at the time) was the puzzle version.

I make tea with my fresh herbs (in this case, lemon balm) by unceremoniously slipping a large handful of leaves that I've torn apart into the tea pot and pouring water from the kettle (which has just sung to let me know it was ready) over them.  This teapot makes about three or four cups.  I let the fresh leaves brew about four or five minutes.

To prepare my fresh herbs for either drying or to use immediately in tea, I fill the sink with cold water and put a big splash of vinegar in it.  I then put all my stalks of herbs in it and let soak about five minutes.  It will also soak an hour without hurting them if one forgets but it takes longer to dry... ask me how I know.  ;)

(If I can't do this immediately after cutting them in the herb garden, I rinse them off really good and lay them on the dish drainer until they can have their vinegar-water bath.)

I then look over each one to make sure any rotten leaves are detached, as well as any dead bugs which may have clung to the leaves (the vinegar in the water is suppose to help clean the herbs, or so I have read).  I then shake off excess water and lay them out on a big, dry towel.  It gets rolled up to absorb all the excess water until I can get back to them (sometimes a few hours).

I then take a towel to the kitchen to dry everywhere the water went when I shook the stems.

If they are to get dried, I bundle them together and tie with a rubber band at the top.  I hang them from a hanger on my shower that is never used.  Right now I have the last of the apple mint still hanging and I cut off some for tea (but it is far better to put them in containers as they shed all over your floor).

This biscotti jar used to be filled with cookies all the time.  I figured it deserved cookie cutters in its' retirement.  This is a large jar but I've seen pictures of a smaller version filled with pretty cupcake liners of various prints.  This jar has a collection of new and vintage cutters.

Yes, that is an old (very long) drawer that holds the oils and other kitchen items.  I love the way it looks and it is very practical.  Sometimes I think my decorating style is "Early Fleamarket".

Last... but certainly not least... a little more brown transferware chatting.  In researching the china, I've seen a lot of discussions about the way the new patterns are different than the vintage dishes.  So many seem to regret they have to "settle" for the newer transferware.

Yes, for the most part they are not as delicate (that gorgeous "feel" of vintage bone china) but I do have to say there are good points in their favor.

Although I have to wash all my dishes by hand regardless... the new dishes can be put in the dishwasher.  I certainly would not do so with the vintage items.  My teapot and tray are new, as are one set of bowls and two mugs from Churchill.  I think they look just fine and are much more practical if you have a young family.

I read an interesting article about brown transferware in an old Victoria magazine recently.  It said the brown color was the least favored of any of the transferware before the earth tone colors became more popular in America.  That was from a 1990's issue and they seem to have become even more popular now.

I plan to... Lord willing and the creek don't rise (or get frozen)... be back soon with a couple book posts.

Don't forget to check out the two blog links I wrote about near the top of this (LONG) post.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

I have been re-posting this the Sunday after Thanksgiving (or just before) for years.  :)

I remember coming to the end of a Christmas season about ten or twelve years ago and wondering at my frustration.

There were no severe money trials that season, nothing that should have kept me from enjoying Christmas but... I couldn't put my finger on it... there was this sense of a lack of satisfaction... an unsettled feeling.

Soon after that, I was reading an article (magazine... book?) about this very thing. In it, the author said she learned to write out what it was she wanted from the Christmas season, what was most important to her. When I started doing that, I realized why the previous season had been lacking in joy.

It had been a rushed Christmas, the "doing" of many activities I felt I should do and not "being" the person I wanted to be that Season. My frustrations stemmed from a lack of getting away, alone beside my Christmas tree, enjoying that which comes from prayer and study and reading of books. I also had not said "no" to some outside activities that did not bring peace and joy.

Since that time, I have enjoyed making a list each season. My list has changed since that time due to health and finances but only in the "big" things. My list back then included attending a Christmas concert that I loved each year. However, it became too expensive even when we did have a regular income. It wasn't that much of a priority that I'd spend more for tickets to a concert then I would on a week's worth of groceries.

Another item on my list that has gone by the wayside is hosting a big Christmas party. I loved decorating the house and having a lot of people over but that season is now behind me. 

 

I remember one very magic (Narnia magic) party in our former house when we invited over Stephanie's college group. There was a tree in the family room and one in the living room, a fire was burning in the fire place, food placed in various areas, conversations were going on in many rooms of the house.

Later that night, as the young people were leaving, one student came up to tell me that night will be one of his "perfect Christmas memories" when he leaves college. It is one of my perfect memories, too. :)

I have found by making a list of those things I love about Christmas, I can make certain what means the most to me (and for my family) becomes a priority for time and money. Here are a few for this year, written out on paper before transferring to my scrapbook journal. Of course, I can't do them all but any of them on the "wish list" would make my season bright.

• Decorating the house with my snowman collection
• Carefully placing all my ornaments on the tree
• Morning quiet times in the dark, with the tree lit
• A breakfast out at Cracker Barrel during Christmas
• Lunch with the guys at our favorite cafeteria
• Holiday Baking
• Candy Cane Lane tea
• Listening to the music of the season
• Watching favorite Christmas movies
• Reading favorite Christmas books
• Seeing what yummies The Food Channel comes up with this year
• One or two Pumpkin Spice Latte's to enjoy
• A morning at Panera sipping coffee and writing a real letter
• Visit my sister, Bonnie, to see how she decorated her place (she has that wow factor)
• Send Christmas cards to our elderly aunties
• Visit my favorite "downtown" primitive country store... breath in the scents, no purchase necessary (although this is where I buy small candles for the season when possible).

Most of my list this year involves more solitude than in the past. It has been that kind of year. None require much money.

This is only a way of thinking through what brings joy... and peace... and faith... and what lifts my thoughts to the One Who Made Me.

Little satisfactions in the most wondrous and magical time of the year.

I encourage you to brew a little pot of tea and fill your favorite tea cup, bring along a notebook and pen, light the Christmas tree if you have one, and think about those things that bring joy to your heart at Christmas. Are you making time for them? Did you budget for them through the year? What makes your heart sing with gladness?

You don't need to do them all, just choose a few that will cause you to look back at this Christmas and smile... and remember, Christmas is not about the price of gifts or how many are given, it is about the Giver of all gifts.

Feeling a little better

I was able to pull together a small Thanksgiving dinner Friday evening with a turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, and just canned green beans and corn.  I had made a pumpkin pie already before getting sick. 

Christopher spent the afternoon here resting and working on a project (being a computer science student, he can do some of it on his laptop and finish the rest at the lab).  That meant he was also able to enjoy a second (albeit much smaller) Thanksgiving dinner with us before returning to campus.  He said he was still full from the feast he had with M.'s family the day before but he ended up with three helpings (my husband says it's my gravy they can't get enough of...).

The turkey was an answer to prayer.  Finances have been really tight this year and we had prayed for a turkey.  Hubby went to a food pantry at a local church last Sunday afternoon and brought home a TURKEY.  Much rejoicing and appreciation... especially as one knows all they have comes from Him.

I was telling the retinal specialist (as I thanked him for taking patients from the clinic for only $5.00) that we never expected to end up in our financial position when hubby was working on a Master's Degree and worked as an engineer but "life happened".  At one time we were very financially secure and then hubby's illness started getting to the point he could no longer hold a job.  We went through all our savings and the equity in our former house.

Sometimes I do get frustrated but then I look around and know I really can't complain, He has made my boundaries in pleasant places.  Of course, my theology is Reformed enough that I believe all that comes our way first goes through His hands. I often ask Him what I'm to learn from this... what I can share with others experiencing difficult times.

That has only come from years of walking with He who is Peace and seeing what He has done over the years.  Instead of being all cranky and such... there are times I wake up wondering what He is going to do that day. 

I have watched Him... when I was in the midst of such troubles that I had to remind myself to breath it hurt so much... perform miracles which could only come from an eternal and infinite and loving God... three in One... Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Life with Him is far from boring. :)

Yes, I do have to be very careful as having a chronic illness means an impaired immune system.  I had just been to my three month doctor's checkup on Monday and received a flu shot for influenza.  This milder flu has been going around and both hubby and Christopher had it earlier.  It seems to run its' course in a few days.  I'm quite tired but better.

Today the weather is unusually warm for November so I'm going to make an attempt to further clear the garden for winter.  The forecast is for much colder weather and snow coming in soon.  Hubby's collar bone is healing enough to do some outside work today, too.  I'll let the turkey stock simmer on the stove and plan leftovers for dinner.  :)

Oh... I will try to write a Q & A post next week for all the questions in Comments.

Picture: Word of the Lord; allposters.com

Flu...

The flu has been going around our community and found its' way to me on Wednesday!

I had returned home from an appointment with the retinal specialist (he is monitoring the damage caused by diabetes to my eyes) and wasn't feeling great but not sick.  Then within a couple of hours I suddenly felt like the proverbial truck had hit and the room was spinning around!

Thanksgiving was spent on the sofa with canned chicken noodle soup and crackers and way too much TV (don't get me started on the way Black Friday is taking over the Thanksgiving holiday~).

I'm feeling just a little better today so we'll have a very simple turkey dinner in late afternoon.  Hopefully all will be better soon.

Back to the sofa.  :)

Happy Birthday Christopher

This is a picture from a few years ago when Christopher was still fencing.   I spent many an evening sitting and reading and waiting while he fenced.

He asked me recently what haircut he's ever had I liked best.  I told him it was the one he had the last year of fencing, when it was long and tied back.  I also reminded him I came of age in the early 1970s when men's hairstyles tended to look like Jesus.  Some preferences just stick with you.

Oh... my son is the one on the left.

When you think you have nothing to give

Last week I reposted what I wrote two or three years ago about how to help those in need.  This post is the other half of that original post... for those who feel they have nothing they can give others.

In our materialistic society, we most often think we have to make a purchase to give or the gift is will not be appreciated. Actually, I have found that not to be true in most cases. Yes, there are those around who may not appreciate fresh baked cookies but let's be honest... do you want those people as friends? So they are family and you are stuck with them... pray for their materialism and offer them a cookie, anyway. They may learn someday.

Here are some ways I've learned to be a giver, even with a very limited income...

When I do have "extra" cash, I stock the pantry (shelves, frig, deep freeze) with simple items which... when mixed together... create magic (Narnia magic). Isn't it absolutely remarkable the number of recipes which can be made from: eggs, butter, milk or cream, various sugars, flour, flavor extracts, nuts, dried fruit, yeast, etc.?

Throughout the year I'm always looking for inexpensive containers, suitable for giving gifts of baked goods. For instance, last year I hit a clearance sale at Wal Mart and purchased a couple dozen pretty red trays for a dime each. I gave many of them to Stephanie as a gift since she often takes baked goods to people.

When I can get a good deal on fresh fruits, I like to "can" jellies and jams. People love these.

A blog friend sent me honey and homemade soap from her farm... LOVED it!

Other gifts I give with little or no money:

Books from the book sales or purchased with Amazon credit.
Items purchased at garage sales and while thrifting that I know people would love.
A pretty mug or teacup from my own collection with a box of favorite tea or hot chocolate.
A basket filled with a favorite snack (like puppy chow... yum) made "from scratch".

I used to make teddy bears, angels, small quilts, and other sewn items.
My first gift to my husband (before he was my husband) was a crocheted scarf... which he still has. :)
I've given a gift of recipe cards written with favorite family recipes.
My daughter received a "cookbook" from our good friend for a wedding gift that she had written with their favorite recipes... all printed from her computer.

Stuff to do as gifts

Offer to babysit the kiddies.
Sit with an elderly or ill person so their caregiver can get relief.
Read to someone who can't read for themselves... young or old.
Offer to scrub a floor or paint a room.
Trim bushes and trees for someone who can no longer get around easily.

Put up a Christmas tree for a friend who is not handy about such things.
Share extra decorations (that you no longer need or want) with a friend who has none.
Hang the Christmas lights for the elderly neighbor who can no longer hang them.

Write letters to people who would love to hear from you.
Send a pretty card to an elderly relative or friend.
Give forgiveness to someone who needs to hear those words.

Listen to a teenager, really listen.
Ask an elderly relative to share family history and write it down.
Collect family recipes and type them into the computer... give copies to loved ones.

Encourage your children to draw pictures for Grandma and Grandpa... and send them.

If you have a green thumb, take starts from your flowers (in season) and start them in your home, give to a neighbor or family member when they are ready.

Yes, it takes creative thinking but you can give... even if it a prayer.

Picture: End of the Harvest: allposters.com

Sunday Afternoon Tea

While I love the glitz and glitter of the Christmas Season, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  I love the tradition, the food, and the very images it brings to mind (not to mention the scents from the kitchen).  Except for Independence Day, Thanksgiving is the most American of holidays (okay, Canada has its' own Thanksgiving, too).

I loved the time we were homeschooling the early years and we would take a break from our usual studies to spend time with the Pilgrims and the Puritans and the other early settlements of our country.  What better time to talk about the quest for religious freedom and the Christian foundation of America... not done perfectly, of course... by men and women with sinful natures... but at least with an intent to honor God.

This will be our first Thanksgiving alone as our son will be out of town celebrating the day with his fiance and her family.  We have come a long way from the time we were newlyweds at my in-laws, through the years of traveling with one child to the in-laws each year, having another child join us much later, and then family Thanksgiving celebrations at our home after my mother-in-law passed on.

How quickly the years pass, which is why I have such a passion about traditions and the importance of passing down a legacy to the next generation.  We don't realize as time is passing... hour by hour and day by day... that the opportunity to share what is important must be accomplished in our everyday life... that "precept upon precept" way of passing down what we know and love to those for whom we will pass the baton of family life.

Especially for those of us who hold to our faith as the center of all we do.  Those who know there is Someone to give our thanks.  If we allow the society in which we live and the media that is constantly bombarding us with its' images to become the teacher of our next generation... how will they learn what is important to our family... to our faith... to our heritage?

This may be the Season which inspires one to write the family stories and share the recipes and call the elders still among us to tell us accounts of times past.  I love tying on an apron and putting together a recipe which I can remember my mother making... and to know a thousand miles away there is a little girl helping her mother (and paternal grandmother) make the traditional recipes.

If we wait for the perfect time then we will look back and realize the children are grown and the elders not with us to share the recipes and the stories and the laughter.  There are no perfect people and (outside of a Norman Rockwell painting) no perfect families.  But there is quite a lot one can do given the limitations of imperfection to create memories for family and friends.

I've been reading through the prayers in Valley of Vision these past few days which have such a Thanksgiving feel about them (as they were written by Puritans).  At one time, sitting in a crowded McDonald's on campus and reading prayers from the long distant past... looking around and wondering how many of the young people were still taught the wonderful stories of bravery and faith in a time we need heroes.

Is my Thanksgiving perfect?  Far from it!  But lessons learned from the past reminds me there are many things to be thankful for even in the midst of an imperfect life.  It isn't Heaven, yet... but our attitudes of thankfulness in the midst of the imperfect bring a little bit of Heaven into our life when we need it most.

Being a blessing during the Holidays

Two or three years ago, I was asked to write about helping those in need at Christmas.  That post had so many responses, I thought I'd post it again as the economy has not become any better.

Most likely, you have friends or family who are going through financial stress.  (Next week I'll revisit the "sister post"... how you can give this Season when you think you have nothing to give.)

I can not begin to tell you what your giving may do for an individual or family. Don't ever underestimate giving... whether a small amount or a larger gift. You are the hands of God in another's life for you are the answer to prayer.

Your gift may keep another from the depths of despair and help them realize God loves them enough to place their needs on another's heart.

- Don't ever feel you will offend someone by giving. Many people in this economy are praying for help and you may just be the answer to those prayers.

- Don't assume everyone is getting government help, most are not. Even if they do receive some government assistance, it usually is not very much... at least with the people I've known.

- Don't judge those who are in need. There for the grace of God Himself... you may be someday.

- Even if another person or family is in need because of their own actions... remember the children. There are ways to directly help the kids.

How can you help?

- Cash, money orders, gift cards, wrapped gifts... all are good in different circumstances.

- Cash or a gas station gift card are always needed by those in need.

- Moms and Dads with limited (or no) income would love a chance to shop for their kids gifts. By giving a gift card as early as this week, you will be the answer to a parent's prayer.

- If you are concerned about your gift going to the children, offer to take a parent (or older sibling) shopping and hand them a gift card to the store when you arrive or pay for the items yourself - or- shop for groceries or give a gift of a grocery store gift card (some stores will not allow alcohol to be purchased with gift cards).

-If you know what a person loves, give them a wrapped gift. So many people in need have nothing under the tree Christmas morning.

- If you want to give a gift of cash but remain anonymous, ask your pastor if the church can act as a "middle man"... you give the check to the church and then they cut a check for the family. We received a couple of gifts like this in past years. Of course, we spent the day wondering who the giver was. :)

- Otherwise... don't worry about being anonymous.

- Provide a gift subscription to their favorite magazine which they will enjoy each time it arrives.

- If a family in need are close friends whose company you enjoy (and they enjoy spending time with you), then take them out for a special meal together. Let them know ahead of time that you will be paying and that their friendship is the only gift you want from them. If needed, provide a babysitter. :)

-Even fast food gift cards are wonderful for those with limited income.

- Elderly friends would love a gift of service... mowing the lawn or clearing snow off the walkway; a few baked goods; an offer to drive them when needed; an offer to fix something broken around the house (if you have skills)... often their needs may not require money but someone with more physical ability and youth. :)

- Purchase tickets to a special concert or the Nutcracker Ballet for those who love music.

- Teenagers would love a gift card or certificate to their favorite clothing store, which will go even farther in after Christmas sales.

- If you want to go together with more people to assemble a huge blessing... a wonderful gift is to put together a few gift cards... examples: a grocery store, a favorite restaurant, Target, Meijer, or Wal Mart, a bookstore or Amazon (if you know they have computer access), a favorite coffee shop, a movie theater, gas station, hobby or sewing shop, gourmet or tea shop, etc.

- Never ever think a gift is too small. Even $5.00 placed in a card may provide milk for the children.

- Of course, it is so much fun to do the shopping yourself for others and arrive at their home with the gifts already wrapped.

- Give a gift to a friend's pet from your own... kibble, canned food, and kitty litter are always welcome (although in the case of pets, it is a good thing to ask what brands they use since some animals only eat what they are used to... a lot like teenagers).

- Remember strangers this time of year. Many homeless shelters have programs where people can give practical "gifts" to those in need. Quite often the Salvation Army can help locate a good place to give. Also, pastors and youth leaders often know specific needs where you can give while remaining anonymous.

- We loved to assemble the Christmas Shoeboxes when Christopher was younger. Most cities have various Angel Trees and similar programs to purchase for families in need.


I must admit it is more fun to be the person doing the giving. When we had the opportunity, I loved putting together something fun for friends going through a hard time. :)

Our Story within His Story (repeat)

I was looking through some past posts and came across this one.  I thought it appropriate with the pondering of literature lately...  :)

My mind has been on books and words recently (can't you tell?).  I love just the word literature... how it rolls on the tongue when one says it... not so much when the word is but a thought... but still good.

God has placed us in a Story, His-story.  How amazing and humbling it is as a finite human to be part of the rolling thunder of His literature... His-story.

I often wonder what it is about the Age which is to come that makes us so worth it all.

Worth his coming and death on the cross and resurrection and living as God in man's flesh for thirty-three years.

We see in a glass darkly here and unlike a book which can be held in our hands, we cannot peruse through and read the last page to see how it all ends.

We... by faith in the Author... knows it all turns out for our good and His glory... but when living the Story there are times we... wonder.

A novel written by one who has been greatly gifted in words often grips us from the beginning paragraph, takes us to places we did not expect, and leaves us knowing ourselves better than before we spent sleepy nights unable to put the book down to sleep.

Some are simply quick reads which give us mental vacations in the midst of the reality of life.  Others... the Russian novelists, Dickens, Austen... invite us into the real life aspects of other humans living on this planet in the midst of a fallen world... and we meet ourselves in their pages.

Then there are those such as... Tolkien, Lewis, L'Engle... who take us to worlds of delight and perhaps what the world would be and could be if it were not fallen... traveling through space and time, Eden on other planets, talking beavers and lions and magic formed before time was written, life amidst the stars, Hobbit houses and Kingdoms built into rock... and we meet ourselves in their pages.

I mentioned to my husband this week that it is best to realize life is never going to be Perfect on this planet.  That it should not come as any surprise when we meet challenges along the way.  The Book... the only true Book... the Book which contains within its' pages the infinite in the finite world... it tells us there will be tribulation in this world... big "T" and little "t".

This past week, I listened as a much loved one was talking over the phone, challenges in their life and decisions to be made which will change the way in which their future will look.  There are great disappointments which were not expected, choices to be made between two equally desired needs for time to be spent, knowing each choice will disappoint and perhaps anger another.

I remind them of their priorities in spite of disappointments and I hear a sigh, as the words are what they already instinctively know but do not want to hear.  As I hang up the phone, I open the Book to the 8th Chapter of Romans and read... and read... and ponder... and pray... for the one I love and myself... that our story become His story as written for each of us.

Is that part of my love for literature?  That I can be taken into another world and someone's story and within the pages... look upon their life and their choices and their decisions and their thoughts... and see it all wrapped up neatly within the covers... hopefully with a happy ending.

Certainly there is the aspect of literature which takes us to places we cannot go and we meet people we could never meet in person.  Whether animals which speak with wisdom or English maidens from centuries long ago or little old ladies who solve crimes while knitting in their parlor... books we hold in our hands add to our lives a little of the infinite in a finite world.

As for me and mine... all part of the great Story being written for the Ages... I must always remember the Author is in control regardless of the chaos of circumstances around my twenty-four hours of days.  While all I see ahead is shrouded in a fog of the unknown... He knows and He guides and He will complete what He started.

That's what faith and hope are all about.

Picture: Time For Reading; allposters.com

Originally posted November, 2010

Nesting...

Afternoon Light on the guest room side of "my new room"

Brewing the last of the season's lemon balm

Tweaking the buffet again

Kitchen Art

Dreaming of Christmas Cookies

Amazon and Goudge

Okay, they really don't have anything to do with each other except I'm answering a couple of questions.  :)

First, I was asked to explain how bloggers receive credit from Amazon.com again.  Whenever you order from Amazon.com, if you click on any book or object within the blogger's Amazon widget (mine is called something like "My Recommendations"), then the blogger receives a small percent of whatever the purchase price is on an order.

It isn't much but it really can add up.  I use mine to purchase books and items I normally could not afford.  I know some of my blog friends use their credits for homeschooling books.

You are not charged extra at all, it is just something Amazon does as we're encouraging you to shop there with our widgets.... and they truly do offer great service.  You don't have to order anything that is shown on the widget, you just have to "enter" Amazon.com by clicking on the widget (although I love the items I've recommended there).

You do have to re-enter Amazon through the widget each time you have completed your order.  I hope that helps and hasn't confused you further.

As for Goudge... oh, I am embarrassed to offer much advice as I've only "discovered" her within the past couple of years.  Although, I found out she was one of my late mother-in-law's favorite authors.  I also wondered where to begin so I e-mailed a couple of my favorite writers and Goudge enthusiasts (who introduced me to her)... Lanier  (who has written a lot about Goudge books) and Sarah... who offered advice.

It was suggested I begin with Pilgrim's Inn (called The Herb of Grace in England), which is the second of the Eliot trilogy but is also a "stand alone" novel.  I adored the book!  I read the first book in the trilogy later, called Bird In the Tree which is also lovely and offers an understanding of the events of Pilgrim's Inn... so I would recommend it.  I haven't read, The Heart of the Family, which is the third in the trilogy but Stephanie did and said it didn't add much to the story.  I will read it someday just to come full circle.

I do understand the reader who said she didn't care much for The Scent of Water.  While it is one of my favorites, I do admit it can be very melancholic and a little Gothic.  I think one of the reasons I like it is having lived with a husband who is bipolar now for a very long time and having a sister who was prone to depression.  It deals with the subject beautifully.

Speaking of Gothic, at first after I finished The Middle Window, I didn't think I liked it much.  But the more I thought about it, the more I realized it is a truly Gothic novel with ghosts from the past and such.  I think if I knew that to begin with, I'd have enjoyed it and not been rather confused.  I don't own it or I would re-read the book, knowing more about what to expect.

I do own but have not read Green Dolphin Street, which if I understand is the only book of hers made into a movie.  Personally, I thought the movie dreadfully depressing and then Stephanie told me the book is equally a downer.  Right now I need encouragement so it is on the "to read someday maybe" mental list.

My favorite titles?  It's a tie between A City of Bells and The Dean's Watch... both of which have become a part of me and my thinking... a sign of truly great literature.... to be read over and over.  Although, I would definitely re-read Bird In the Tree and Pilgrim's Inn many times, too... and The Scent of Water so as it would not feel neglected.

Both A City of Bells and The Dean's Watch have story lines which remind me of the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to lovingly mold us and shape us as one would work with fine china to form us into the image of The One Who Created Us.

Stephanie says I have to read I Saw Three Ships, which I plan to see if the library has soon.   It is one of her children's books with a Christmas theme.

Do I have a Goudge book I'm coveting to read?  Oh, definitely Henerietta's House (aka: The Blue Hills) which is a children's book sequel to A City of Bells.  But it cost almost $200 in paperback and nearly $300 in hardback used.  I don't want any book that much!

I'd also love to read Towers In the Mist, which is the third of the City of Bells books.  I'm hoping I can find it and the above book through inter-library loan.

I have some of her other books on my "Goudge shelf" to read soon... lovely titles just waiting to be delved into perhaps this winter... both fiction and nonfiction.  I'll share more about those titles when I read them.  I'd love to hear about your favorite Goudge books.

I am so thankful to have bibliophile friends recommend Goudge and D. E. Stevenson's books.  They have been lovely additions to my reading.

Further ponderings on house and home

My mother's world was not one of silver and crystal and fine china.  Although I know my grandmother and aunt were of southern gentility.  Mother eloped at age fifteen... ever the one who marched to the beat of a different drum.  Which I both loved and regretted about her.  What my mother may have lacked in homemaking skills was far outdone with her ability to love her children. 

I suppose there was, in my DNA, that enjoyment of the lovely which came from a previous generation... along with an inherited love of Celtic and Bluegrass music.  Having been born the "ours" in a "yours, mine, and ours" family and when both parents were already in their forties, most of those who came before me were already gone by the time I cared to know them... but there were the wistful memories of my mother as she shared a little here and there.

I say this only as a foundation that I didn't grow up with formal Sunday dinners, tea time, or to be honest.... evening meals together.  I think it was the inspiration of the old Victoria magazines, read as a young mother, which inspired me to a love of beautiful tablescapes, tea time, gleaning silver, and enhanced my already passion for old books.  I owned my wedding china, which came out for the Holidays but otherwise thought such beauty was beyond my everyday life.

I had this idea that if one was not born to the manor... one could not enjoy such as a middle class Midwestern American maker of the home.  But I had forgotten the magic (Narnia magic, of course) which comes from reading those things which we are attracted to whether lovely literature or beautiful magazines or powerful Christian biography.

What I read became a part of me and inspired me towards the life I desired... Godly desires as opposed to greed and coveting... just the knowing what else was there in this world and how I could incorporate the Traditions and Beauty of others into my own sphere of influence.

Travel can have that influence on a person, as well as living in an area where one was not raised. I was inspired by the years we lived in a community filled with Beauty, where Stephanie was raised among cobblestone streets and windmills and fairy tale parks and boardwalks by the lake and the cute children's bookstore and lovely little places to stop for a snack or meal.  Where one ate from delft china and was surrounded by flowers after the time of the long winter.

I began to understand that the need for Beauty and Loveliness within me was part of the maturing into the woman God had made me all along.  No more or less than my love of old books led me to great men and women of the Faith.  There came a time... gradually and not one specific day... in which I realized the desire for that which is Lovely could become a part of my love of thrifting.

My teapot collection began with a gift from my daughter, the first fine china teacup and saucer was a thank you gift from a person I had befriended at a former church, my first silver teapot was found dusty and tarnished (and cheap) in the corner of an antique mall, beautiful vintage linens were often a dime or a quarter apiece at garage sales as well as a lovely "old" apron here and there.

Just as when one begins to collect any item (such as china or teacups), one's eyes rest upon them when perusing over tables at a thrift shop... one begins to decorate their home in such a way to make their heart sing and a warm and cozy place for their family (which is why we must always... as collectors and thrift store aficionados... be careful of clutter).

I truly believe what we find Beautiful is as individual as the way God created each person so that their fingerprints are unique among the billions of people alive and having already passed on.  I remember visiting a very expensive home where we took part in a Bible study and thinking I could never be comfortable there but my hostess loved her home.  At the same time, I love visiting my sister's apartment as we share a passion for primitive country but I'm not into Victorian as she is... but I can admire the Beauty she creates.

I once made a list (in my scrapbook journal) of those things in a home that makes me happy.  Among the list were pretty tea things, dutch lace curtains, green plants, geraniums, roses, daisies, herbs, beautiful artwork, family photos, homemade objects, silver (which is jewelry for the house), flowers, bookshelves filled with lovely books, vintage kitchen items,etc. and I have spent years decorating by puttering and tweaking and finding precious items at little cost.

My tastes have changed through the years but I'd say not so much in a completely different way of decorating my home but more a layer upon layer... tweaking by adding and taking away a little here and little there... as I have grown older.

Our home is our canvas and we are but artists here on this fallen of planets... hopefully making our abode a little bit of heaven on earth... never perfectly, of course.  Everything we do here is but a shadow of that Perfection which is to come and of that Home which is being built by He who knows us best and loves of most.  I can hardly wait to see that House.

So... as you can see my ponderings continue to be on Home and Tradition and once in awhile on Life Is What You Make It and Holidays and Family and Old Books.  I hope to put thoughts from pen mouse to paper computer as I continue to ponder.

Picture: Season of Peace; allposters.com

Sunday Afternoon Tea

The blustery days of this past week have pretty much taken most of the leaves from the trees.  It now looks and feels like November.  Which has brought with it some fall housecleaning... both heavy duty and of the puttering kind.

For instance, along with organizing the garage I've been tweaking the tall bookshelves in the living room, thinking about places like Oxford, and pondering the coming Holidays, looking through some old Victorias which are kept in two vintage suitcases (the kind one would take while riding The Orient Express), and snuggling on the living room sofa at the end of the day re-reading A City of Bells... as with my cleaning, just a little at a time.

This rather unusual wafting of thoughts through my mind came together in ponderings about Traditions and all that is Lovely and how one can Create a room to reflect the person one has become.  Now that it is that time of year when what is inside a house takes new importance and the Holidays are nearer on our calendar.

As I wrote last week, my house is decorated in a very Mole-ish way.  Although I have great respect for Martha's ability to teach me the techniques of cooking and cleaning... it is definitely in the spirit of Mole that I find my style... you know, the candle light and the old books and the cushy chairs and the throws and pictures of family here and about.

Mole would definitely keep old copies of favorite reading materials in vintage suitcases while his more explorative friends would fill them with clothing and be off on another adventure.  I would hope when my friends and family are experiencing far off places... they think fondly of my little home and the day they will once again share from the larder.

I think I will continue to ponder the mysteries of life such as our need for Tradition and having a Place and Becoming and Holidays.  They will (hopefully) take thought and then words for another Sunday.  But this weekend, I'm still thinking of Mole and Home and being cozy and peaceful inside as the winds are raging through the forest.

I have finished re-reading my book and now feel the need to pull White Christmas off the shelves... dust it off... make some popcorn and hot chocolate with just a few marshmallows (mini, of course)... and enjoy another time and place...where only old movies can take us.

Book Love

"... said Grandfather.  "In my experience when people once begin to read they go on.  They begin because they think they ought to and they go on because they must.  Yes.  They find it widens life.  We're all greedy for life, you know, and our short span of existence can't give us all that we hunger for, the time is too short and our capacity not large enough.  But in books we experience all life vicariously."

A City of Bells by Elizabeth Goudge

Happy Veteran's Day

The grandchildren sent a "Happy Veteran's Day" text to Granddad early this morning.  That made him very happy. He would have texted back but being an old mature Vet... he has figured out e-mail but not texting.   :)

So... thank you to all the brave men and women who have served their country.  Whether in war (like hubby) or in the military during the war (like my friend, Linda and her hubby).

We had our first snowfall yesterday, nothing to write home about but it did accumulate on the deck.  Hubby and I are still working on organizing the garage.  We're taking a break later to take advantage of Applebee's free meal for vets.  He budgeted funds for me to be able to go with him as long as I don't get anything expensive.  Reminds me of when we were dating. 

I'm dangling that in front of me like the proverbial carrot to keep working on that garage... work a little and rest a little and work a little, etc.

Wind and Goudge

I have loved reading your comments on the Nesting post (here).  Please feel free to continue commenting on it, I'd love to hear how your nesting is more Mole than Martha.  :)

I have been under the weather... literally.  I think it was a combination of trying to do too much earlier in the week and the huge weather changes yesterday, which came with a blustery wind and plunging temperatures.  I was suppose to meet with two friends from my old neighborhood but I couldn't... sometimes life happens.  I am feeling much better today.

I had just placed a pillow on the front room sofa when Stephanie called.  I told her how I felt (well, she asked!) and her recommendations were sofa and Goudge.  Which, of course, made me smile as I not only had my fluffed up pillow on the sofa but my copy of A City of Bells lay beside me on the coffee table.  Yes, it did receive my full attention after the phone call.

Reading Goudge while comfy on the sofa as the rain was beating against the window... very cozy.  Perhaps the only thing which would have helped was having someone bring me a cup of tea.  I just may have to ask for apple cider or herbal tea K-cups for Christmas... that way hubby could actually make a cup for me.  (His idea of making tea for himself is nuking a mug of water and throwing in a tea bag... sigh.)

I had originally rebelled at the idea of tea made in K-cups... except my daughter who has five children and doesn't have time to make a proper cup in a teapot most days says it is quite delicious.   I tried the herbal tea K-cups at her house and I was gifted with apple cider K-cups... both surprisingly yummy.  (I have to have my caffeine fix only in the mornings and go caffeine free later in the day!)

Hubby is beginning to nicely recover although being fully warned by his doctor at the local VA Clinic that tests show he has osteoporosis and not to put himself in danger of falling.  He was working on organizing the garage yesterday and I couldn't help.  I had previously started organizing it when he could not help.  Hopefully we can work together soon and get it all nicely organized before dreadfully cold winter sets in.  :)

Picture: Raking Leaves; allposters.com

Nesting...

There was an article in the old Victoria magazine where the author said they prefer decorating like Mole rather than Martha.  That being Mole of The Wind in the Willows and Martha being Stewart.

I feel exactly the same way, which is why once the cold winds begin to blow through the forest, I start adding layers to the inside rooms... candles in various corners... warm throws draped over the arms of chairs... and piles upon piles of books and magazines within an easy reach (neat piles, of course).

I imagine the outside of my home no longer a brick ranch style but rather a stone English cottage with old moss or perhaps the previous home of a Hobbit and the front door in which Victoria makes continuous attempts to slip by is round rather than rectangular.  Either kind of house would welcome such decorative tweaking in November.

My favorite lavender soft wool sweater (brought back from Ireland by my daughter when Elisabeth was a baby) is now available to slip on when it gets a little chilly.  Something I'm learning from my beloved British novels (as opposed to increasing the heat with the thermostat).

I loved a comment which said the reader had been inspired to have "nice things" in her home by reading my blog.  It doesn't cost much at all when one learns how to shop the right places.  For me at this time of my journey we're talking thrift stores and such but there are other places one can save.

For instance, I was reading a Holiday issue of a magazine where they showed the same Friendly Village teapot I have as part of a pretty tablescape.  They paid something like $169.00 for their teapot... mine was around $42.00 on Amazon.  I saved up Amazon credit for it (thank you!!!).

Someone asked about the pretty Friendly Village Bless This House Bread Tray.  It's only $26.00 on Amazon... far from the price of a similar brown transferware tray shown in the magazine (albeit the other was larger).  My beautiful platter was a gift.  It may be hung on a wall for year round display.  It does remind one of a Miss Read village, doesn't it?

I love how by surrounding ourselves with those objects that make us feel warm and cozy, we are creating an atmosphere in our home which brings us joy, peace, contentment, etc.  Yes, I definitely am more Mole-ish than Martha, come to think of it.  :)

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Autumn color came early this year... was spectacular in its' beauty... and now in the muted form has lasted an unusually long time.  God's grace to at least one soul (mine) in these uncertain days.

Recently I was sitting in the car at the corner of a grocery store parking lot with a Starbuck's hot caramel apple spice drink in one hand and The Valley of Vision in the other.  Some people find a quiet space in odd places, I know.  :)

Normally I can lose myself in The Valley of Vision but that day I was distracted by my surroundings for in my line of sight were the grocery store where I have shopped (only when living in this area, of course) from the time I was a bride... the cafeteria that was my mother's favorite place to "eat out"... the Pizza Hut where we held many a family celebration... and a drive-in which looked very crowded as it was closing its' doors that day until the return of warmer weather.

Places of importance in the past with loved ones now grown up, or moved away, or gone on to their reward with Him.

As I sat there, I thought of the beauty that we have been experiencing these past weeks and had an idea why it is always mixed with melancholy.   For it reminds us of the brevity of life at times.  The leaves shed their summer greenery to display lavish clothing but just for a little while.

We find ourselves standing and gazing at the color which surrounds us, the golden days of trees as magnificent as any stained glass window made by man, and we know it can all be gone with the next big wind.

My thoughts that day in the car went back to childhood and that first real taste of death... of endings... of being cut off from one never to see him again at least this side of eternity.

I have said before that perhaps the greatest impact a traumatic experience has on us is the loss of innocence... knowing that, indeed, bad things happen to good people.

I think that's why children can bask in the piles of dead leaves with full joy and at the same time adults view the same leaves... on the ground and now drying as they are no longer attached to their source of life... with a sadness knowing the time of exuberant color is coming to an end and the quiet and cold of winter is near.

How like our Lord to create varieties of trees in such a way that they are at their most beautiful before they must let their leaves fall and sleep for the winter.  I am in awe... not worshiping the creation for that would be as silly as standing before a Rembrandt painting and giving worship to it... but as the painting tells us something of the one which created it... nature points us to worship its' Creator.

It tells me I can trust Him even when I don't understand why the road has bends and curves and potholes and bumps.  His Character is worth clinging to when I can't see where the road will end.  I know the destination leads to One who does not only love... He is Love.

He is the Warmth in the winter, the Light of the lantern as the darkness surrounds, the Friend who sticks closer than a brother, the Word that explain it all, the Rest in the chaos, and the One Who holds us firm when the hurricane force winds of the stormy trials in our life are causing us to bend.

But perhaps the real lesson of autumn is this... He always brings us spring and renewal and life and Resurrection.

"I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life...", Jesus.

Tweaking the china cabinet

I promised a respite from "dish love" posts but I had to show you what a gift from a friend got started this week... a complete redo of the china cabinet!

Old Britain Castles brown transferware plate

Old Britain Castles brown transferware bowl (left) and bread & butter plate (right)

My friend, Kristi, gave me her lovely brown transferware from Johnson Brothers called Old Britain Castles.  I just love it!  It is everything I love about transferware and more.  I don't think the brown transferware is being made anymore but a lighter pink version is on Amazon.  I love this brown, though.

I decided to display the various brown transferware patterns on the two shelves (top photo).  They mix and match perfectly.

I still have a few pieces displayed on the buffet, too.  In this photo the platter is Johnson Bros Friendly Village, the mugs are Churchill's Vintage Game, and the bowl is Johnson Bros Old Britain Castles.

Thank you dear Kristi!  I will cherish the dishes and take very good care of them.

Photos:  They can be enlarged by the click of a mouse.  :)

Further chat about engagement pictures

As I wrote a friend, I started praying for each of my kid's future mates when they were infants.  It all seemed so far away at that time!  I was only twenty-three when Stephanie was born (a year after her brother passed away due to a premature birth) so even the thought of an in-law and grandchildren was strange... but I was so inspired by godly women like Edith Schaeffer, Elisabeth Elliot, Emilie Barnes, and Anne Ortlund to begin praying for them early.  :)

These pictures are my favorites.  There are also really cute pictures which show them in their university t-shirts, they go to in-state rivals so it is quite amusing.  For their privacy, I didn't show any of those but they were hubby's favorites (being a real rah-rah guy for "our" college).

Yes... when one is in their sixth year of blogging it does seem like only yesterday when the son in question graduated from high school.  Both of them will turn twenty-two before the wedding.  M. is a senior this year and C. is a senior on paper but has to take a fifth year of college (due to his major). 

As for my other child, son-in-law, and grandchildren... power has not been restored since the October winter storm went through last Saturday.  All prayers would be appreciated.  She says there are hundreds (thousands?) of trees down and many power lines.  The crews are working 24/7 to fix them.

Engagement Pictures