Happy New Year

Out with the old and in with the new.

Remember this: "You are never too old

to set another goal or dream a new dream."

~C.S. Lewis

Happy New Year, everyone! Dee Dee

December's Garden Roses

This December morning 

seemed unusually pretty.

The small 

Knockout Rose 

I cut completely back a 

month ago,  is once again in

 full bloom.

Winter blooms seem to have 

darker and richer colors.

You can see what I mean in

this photo of beautiful

cascading Roses.

Morning shadows across the pool

are made by long palm fronds....

Have a beautiful day, everyone.  Dee Dee

Tea At Downton

Well, now...get out your loveliest 

tea cup and saucer....

Use all your best tea pots and serving

dishes for lovely cakes and biscuits.

Imagine your seated at the table with

Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of 

Grantham.  She is pouring your tea....

You are nicely readied to begin 

watching season five of 

Downton Abbey....

beginning next Sunday, 

January 5, 20l4.

I do so wonder whatever will

be happening to Lady Mary and

that sweet child....and of course

each character has a special place

in all our hearts.

I can hardly wait!

A sweet way to begin the 

new year.....don't you think? 

More tea?  Dee Dee

Images Of That First Christmas

Mary visits Elizabeth....

Christ is born....

Mary and Joseph bring

Jesus to the temple to see

Simeon.....

Merry Christmas!

And may God bless you, everyone. Dee Dee

Jesus, Holy Child

Church of the nativity, in 

Bethlehem. 

 It is believed 

this was the place where

Jesus, the Savior of 

the world, 

was born.

Blessings for all, this 

Christmas eve.   Dee Dee

Christmas Week

Along about now, everyone is

finalizing all their preparations for

Christmas. 

My packages are all wrapped,

and I'm on the last few rows of

a scarf  I'm making for a young

grandson. Today I will be at the

grocery store, along with every 

other "lady of the house," looking

over my list for the grand ole'

traditional Christmas meal.  

We're hoping for a cold front 

to move in....today the temps

here in Florida

were in the low 80s.  Ugh!

It's beginning to look a lot like

Christmas, but it sure doesn't

feel like it.

Never-the-less, we have joy

in our hearts, as we recognize

the true meaning of this

blessed holy holiday.

Have a blessed day....Dee Dee

The Russian Village

A favorite by Chagall....

A Russian village on

 Christmas eve.

One can almost 

hear 

the quiet

disturbed

 by the ever so slight

 jingle of bells

 from

 Santa's sleigh.

Have a blessed Lord's day....Dee Dee

Baking Day

Hot coffee and Christmas goodies.....

I'll be busy in the kitchen this weekend

making all the family favorites.  Once it's

all said and done, all the hustle and bustle

is over.....sigh, I'll have that good

feeling of well done contentment.

Have a sweet ole' day, everyone. Dee Dee

A Winter Morning

One of my favorite photos was

taken in upstate New York's

village of Cooperstown.

An early morning sun,

 is seen rising above the 

Adirondack mountains,

casting shadows over a 

fallen night-time snow.

Smoke from the fireplace 

chimneys is billowing over

the snow covered roofs,

 hanging heavy in the 

cold air.

There is nothing more 

magical than these 

first moments of a 

winter morning.

Christmas blessings.....Dee Dee

Clarence AS2

Clarence: I'm Clarence Oddbody, AS2

Angel Second Class

Clarence: Strange, isn't it? Each man's

life touches so many other lives. When

he isn't around he leaves an awful hole,

doesn't he?

Clarence: Remember George, no man is

a failure who has friends.

Clarence: Every time you hear a bell ring, 

it means that some angel has just gotten

his wings.

George Bailey: Atta' boy Clarence.

"It's A Wonderful Life"

Christmas blessings for all....Dee Dee

Adoration Of The Magi

One of my favorite paintings .....

Bassano-Francesco

Linger for a while and study

each face and detail......

so beautiful.

Have a blessed day....Dee Dee

First Camellia Bloom

My Camellia bush has hundreds of

buds on it.  In years past, they 

begin blooming around the first

part of December.  They're a

little late this year and I've been

concerned. The weather has been

warmer than usual, so that might

just be the reason for smaller buds

and late producing of my much

anticipated gorgeous 

Camellia blooms.

So....I was pleasantly surprised to

see the first Camellia bloom of the

season this morning.  

By Christmas day, 

we should have enough for

 a nice table arrangement, and a

few blooms to share with family

and friends.

Have a blessed day......Dee Dee

Lots Of Red

The theme for Christmas this year

seems to be Poinsettias, bringing

in lots of red to our cottage decor.

I found gorgeous fabric for the

new pillows....the black background

makes the flowers pop.

I had these beautiful Poinsettias

in our family room for a while 

and they were not happy about

that at all........leaves were turning

yellow and berries were dropping

all over the floor.

I brought them out on the porch

to enjoy the cooler nights, watered

them more often  and now

they are thriving.  I'm very happy

that they are happy.

Lots to do today....

more gift wrapping,

a tiny baby girl dress to return 

and a trip to Baby Gap in

the mall.  I'm sure to find many

other shoppers.

 We'll be, shoulder to shoulder.....

but I will survive.

Sweet Christmas blessings......Dee Dee

Wrapping Gifts

I brought these photos from my

archive ...Christmases of yesteryear.

I managed to find beautiful 

wrapping papers 

this particular year.

I love the unusual or 

unexpected....the recipient is 

always pleased, judging from

well received compliments.

Today I will be wrapping gifts

with a very different kind of 

theme.....will post soon.

Christmas blessings for all....Dee Dee

Valuable Lessons

Christmas week my grandchildren watch

The Chronicles of Narnia series

with their parents.

Learning valuable lessons

taught by C. S. Lewis, is a 

good way for children to face

life experiences.

 It's a beautiful

thing to hear them recall the

characters with such familiarity.

Lucy Pevensie: Will you come and visit 

us in our world?  Aslan: I shall be watching

you always.  Lucy Pevensie: How?

Aslan:  In your world, I have another name.

You must learn to know me by it.  That was

the reason why you were brought to Narnia,

that by knowing me here for a little, you 

might know me better there.

Christmas blessings....Dee Dee

Road Map

Did you know that God has given

us an owner's manual....the Bible.

It's a road map for life......

Have a blessed day, everyone.  Dee Dee

Poinsettias

When I shopped for Poinsettias

this year, I wanted something a

little different.  So many colors

and varieties to choose from.....

These looked as though they had just

bloomed...so healthy and fresh.

The growers in Florida have 

done an amazing job this year.

I'm using lots of red and green

all over the cottage....

These poinsettias I have placed

in the family room.

They are, of course taking 

center stage.

It's beginning to look a lot like

Christmas, at least around my

place.  The weather is not 

cooperating in the least, however. 

The thermometer registers

81 degrees here today.

I'm thinking lots of Canadians

are at the beach, enjoying 

themselves tremendously.

Have a sweet ole' day.  Dee Dee

Winter's Small Animals

Ever wonder 

how it is 

that small animals 

seem

to cope during the

cold winter months?

While drawing 

and painting

these small creatures, 

last year,

 it occurred to me,

that they did so 

quite nicely.

Small field mouse....

Chipmunk....

Red Fox.......

This is the time of hustle

and bustle.....I am, as usual

sewing and creating many of

of my Christmas gifts.

Therefore, I thought it a

good time to pull out 

previous Blog post images.

Good Christmastime blessings.....Dee Dee

Paperwhites

It's that time of year again.

I'm gathering up containers

for a variety of bulb planting.

Hopefully they will be blooming

by Christmas.

The photo seen here was

taken a couple of years ago.

Bulbs need very little 

encouragement to grow.

Have a sweet ole' day!  Dee Dee