IS IT OVER YET?

Over the span of 12 days we have either attended or hosted 9 parties. Count them 9.

It all began on December 15th with a holiday party at a friends house- 2 parties actually. One where we didn't even arrive until almost midnight.

We, ourselves, have hosted 4. Allen is such a trooper to run to the liquor store on a daily basis.

This is how the table looked prior to party number one (last Thursday)...for my ex-employees from the flowershop. This is before it was completely laden with platters of food....mozzarella pesto and pine nut tarts, crab dip, salmon tartlets and chicken chili.


This is how the kitchen table looked before we drained the champagne punch and covered it with caramel apple martinis.


Since that night I have washed and ironed the white linens (silver and white was my table theme this year) 4 times.

We then hosted a brunch for the parents from our son's soccer team (they haven't even played together in 12 years). That menu included corn mini biscuits with sliced ham and cranberry relish and a fabulous potato basil frittata (I love the Barefoot Contessa).

That was followed by a traditional Italian Seafood Feast on Christmas eve...for 18 people, no less. Oysters, Steamed shrimp, Fried calamari (Mom's)and Portuguese Seafood Stew with 5 types of seafood added.

It all ended last evening with a Christmas dinner for Allen's family. Butternut squash and apple soup, roast pork loin with fennel, sauteed cabbage. And finally finished off with gingerbread, lemon curd trifle with blackberry sauce and a champagne chaser.

I'M DONE! Except for the cleaning up- that is.

If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world.
J. R. R. Tolkien

FOR NOW IS THE TIME OF CHRISTMAS

Make we merry, both more and less, for now is the time of Christmas...

The final tree is standing...in the kitchen. Branches weighed down with birds, nest, gardening ornaments and various wooden santas, reindeer, boats and angels.

A Gardening Angel.

A Santa under sparkling birch branches

The mantle glowing with candlelight and crystals.

Crystal garlands, snowflakes and stars draping and dripping from the chandelier.

A crystallized wreath embellishing the mirror over the piano.

And finally- garishly wrapped packages under the boughs.

OH CHRISTMAS TREE....OH CHRISTMAS TREE

Finally! The (first) tree is up...and what a job that was.

The first ornament my son ever gave me...about 15 years ago.

A memento from a trip to Ireland..

My very precious Waterford sphere.

A Renoir interpretation..

Various santas..



Diminutive heart...one of many

Crystal ball angel...in flight


Rising Sun..

Dragonflies to hover and butterflies to flit about..


And what would a Christmas tree be without shoes?

For RDG- Icicles and Roses

Red Dirt Girl today posted about the Hans Christian Andersen fairytale "The Snow Queen". One of my all-time favorite fairytales.

I have posted a new photo of my Snow Queen themed fairy tale table from "An Enchanted Evening" fundraiser which I co-chaired back in October.



And for those of you lamenting that it didn't feel quite Christmasy yet- due to lack of weather-maybe the following shots will help put you in the spirit.
This is how my walk looked the other morning. Bundle up...

A NEW WORLD IS BORN

"Each friend represents a world within us, a world possibly not born until they arrive, and it is only by this meeting that a new world is born." — Anais Nin

How true is this quote?


Each and every friend that I have ever had has brought something different to my life.... As well as bringing forth something new from within myself.

As I spend this dreary morning writing out my holiday cards I think of friends- Distant and near, old and new.

I chose some beautiful handmade holiday cards this year.
Pick your favorite and know that it comes from my heart to you...to thank you for being my friend.

I love you all.

WATER LIKE A STONE: SNOW ON SNOW

First snow fall of the season showed up this morning. A bit unusual so early in December. My walk this morning through the snow was a bit surreal; As I was only posting, a very short time ago, photos of the leaves beginning to change.

I love the first snow- especially when I can stay cozied up indoors and watch it drift down covering the neighborhood with a fresh, clean blanket.

It was only minutes ago, it seems, that my front yard looked like this.

This evening, it looked like this.

And not long ago the backyard was looking like this...

And this....

And this is how it looked this evening (from the front porch)

The back woods this morning

Even the dogs had a rousing good time in the snow. They seem to get so frisky when it's cool like this.



Oh, and do you think it's time to get rid of the pumpkins?


At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled mirth;
But like of each thing that in season grows.
William Shakespeare