Hope You Had a Very Merry......

Have a Merry Fourth Day of Christmas (Fourth Day is Friday, Dec 28).

Hope your First Day was as merry and bright as was ours here at Sweetside.

Making Magic

Decorating for Christmas is a bit like what I imagine "making magic" to be. Taking everyday spaces: shelves, table tops, walls, floors & archways and adding bits and pieces, collected over the years from here and there, all to create a little wonderland in one's home. Here seen are the dining room niche, re-arranged since a previous post and the top of one of the several little round tables in my living room.

Fun & Busy Days

Finally I have found some time to do my decorating thing. Saturday (between the 2 storms in 3 days) we went with J & B to cut our trees. The snow day Sunday gave me some time and momentum to pull it together. The place is beginning to take shape and feel like Christmas. Here are two sneak peeks: doves and angels. Both much needed this year!! More pictures to come.

Today there was new excitement here: my new Grand-dog came for half the day. Lexi arrived at the home of my daughter and son-in-law this weekend from a Place to Bark in Tennessee; she's a very "special delivery" by artist and animal rescue operator, Bernie Berlin.

Lexi and our Maine Coon cat, Surely, hit it off well. Here they are pictured trying to figure out how to engage each other in cat/dog play. Our older beagle, Chloe, was quite intrigued and tho she watched most of the activity from her pillow, she was quite literally hysterical when Lexi went home. After much consoling and telling her that Lexi will come again tomorrow for awhile, she settled back down to rest. Our old Maine Coon, Arthur was also intrigued. He thinks he is a dog anyway so he felt quite relaxed around this new canine. So far the other 2 cats just watched from their favorite chairs but no one hissed even once which is a great sign.

Season's First Snow Storm

We had the first snow storm of the season this week. I just love the fresh, clean, bright white that sparkles in the sun the next day! Though I prefer the lush green of summer with all the colorful, scented blooms this look is my second favorite.

Let the Decorating Begin

For a variety of reasons I am a bit behind on the Christmas decorating this year. Mostly I have been doing a ton of reading to prep for a new course I will be teaching in next semester. I did get a bit of the dining room decorating started this week. This is a sneak preview of the built in display cupboard. There is more to do but this is what it looks like so far.

Hope your holiday preparations are going well. Enjoy!

Welcome to Advent

First Sunday of Advent-

God wanted, through his Son, to show us and give us the way he would lead us to the goal he has promised.
It was not enough for God to make his Son our guide to the way; he made him the way itself, that you might travel with him as leader, and by him as the way.
Bishop Augustine, 354-430 A.D

May he both lead you and be "the way" to you, this season.

(note: this is our 2006 tree. The 2007 one is still on the "to do" list)