Italian nativity

At church

                                                                      

first day of Christmas, passed

what it's all about

Dolly waiting

my favorite ever paper

pretty things

                                                                                

Then dinner in the evening at our cousin's - Joanne, excellent hostess - Jimmy, who actually remembered that I dislike diet soda, and had some real Coke just for me - Anna's fruit salad, which I brought, and now Joanne wants it again next year! - and their kitty, Teddy

                                                                                

who I woke up, poor thing, and is really much cuter than this!

                                                                                                                                                              

                                                                        

Merry Christmas!

Henry in the living room

                                                                             

the O Antiphons: the seventh night

O Emmanuel:

"O Emmanuel, king and lawgiver, desire of the nations, Savior of all people, come and set us free, Lord our God."

(Nativity,  by Marc Chagall)

                                                                               

the O Antiphons: the sixth night

O Rex Gentium:

"O King of all the nations, the only joy of every human heart; O Keystone of the mighty arch of man, come and save the creature you fashioned from the dust."

                                                                                

little cloth gift bags

I got this idea from an old Victoria magazine, little cloth gift bags made by

putting the fabric wrong sides together, stitching on three sides and pinking the edges. Then adding ribbon handles, and tags made from Christmas cards.

They seem ideal for small gifts, and not much more trouble than wrapping.

Except that now I don't have enough checked fabric to lengthen my garland, which is what I was going to do with the rest of this - until I forgot all about it, and made these charming bags!

                                                                              

                                                                              

                                                                                      

the O Antiphons: the fifth night

O Oriens:

"O Radiant Dawn, splendor of eternal light, sun of justice: come, shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death."

(Light of the World, by Holman Hunt)

                                                                            

the O Antiphons: the fourth night

O Clavis David:

"O Key of David, O royal power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom."

(Crossing of the Red Sea, by Cosimo Roselli)

                                                                         

favorite Christmas music

I got this idea from the Long ladies' list of favorite Christmas movies and cds.

I have a good assortment of Christmas music, but a handful of very favorite ones -

This one I originally had on tape, bought from a catalog which featured things from England. I love A Christmas Carol, and it was called Inside Fezziwig's, so how could I resist it? By a fellow named Ed Sweeney along with some other musicians, it's a lively mix of dancing melodies.  After a few years, the tape got distorted and I was in a panic, but my faithful friend (Cyndi Lou Who) found it on cd at Amazon with a different name.

One of my jobs at the library is to purchase music - mostly classical, some jazz, holiday music (of course!), along with this person, who buys mostly pop. I like to get things from different cultures, and I got this one from Musical Heritage Society. It's from a music school in Sweden and I fell in love with it. I'm not Scandinavian at all, but I love to listen to it. The acoustics are wonderful, the singing is wonderful, and the way Peter Mattei sings O Holy Night is terrific.

Here's another discovery from MHS - Julianne Baird singing a Renaissance program at the Metroplitan Museum of Art in NYC.

These two are my absolute, absolute favorites - the Cambridge Singers can't be surpassed. Both of these are perfect, and I can't think of anything more to say about it!

My father was a musician, and loved Sinatra more than any other singer, so we grew up hearing him, and I still like him. I've heard other of his Christmas recordings, but they're a bit too jazzy for me - this one is quieter, but with some cheerful songs as well. A very nice collection.                                                                  

                                                                            

                                                                                

                                                                             

                                                                   

the O Antiphons: the third night

O Radix Jesse:

"O Flower of Jesse's stem, you have been raised up as a sign for all peoples; kings stand silent in your presence; the nations bow down in worship before you. Come, let nothing keep you from coming to our aid."

(Notre-Dame de la Grande, Poitiers)

                                                                               

Sunday Baroque

This is a radio program aired on a local-ish station for two hours every week, but it's a four-hour program, devoted solely to baroque and renaissance music. I enjoy it every Sunday while getting ready for church, but often forget that it's available to listen to online - any time. The host, Suzanne Bona, has a very pleasant speaking voice which makes the commentaries a pleasure to listen to, and this morning I heard an enjoyable array of Christmas music from a few hundred years ago, which I like. So, I think I'm going to tune in today to hear the whole thing. If you like earlier music, here's the place to go.

Enjoy!

the O Antiphons: the second night

O Adonai:

"O sacred Lord of ancient Israel, who showed yourself to Moses in the burning bush, who gave him the holy law on Sinai mountain: come, stretch out your mighty hand to set us free."

(Moses and the Burning Bush, by Bourdon Sebastien)

                                                                            

toe socks

For some obscure reason, the subject of toe socks came up at work yesterday. And it just so happened that I'd dug out my pair just this week.

A gift from a friend, some Christmases ago.  They take a bit of getting used to. Especially inside of shoes.

But they're fun. And warm. And it's a holiday!                                                                        

                                                                                

the burden of patience

I stumbled upon this article by Sonja Corbitt today, and it was exactly what I needed.

the O Antiphons: the first night

O Sapientia:

"O Wisdom, O holy Word of God, you govern all creation with your strong yet tender care. Come and show your people the way to salvation."

(Annunciation to the Herders, by Govert Flinck)

                                                                          

just over a week away...

and patiently waiting.

tough earrings

Among my collection of cheap Christmas earrings are the above.  A number of years ago I wore them to the supermarket; there was snow on the ground, and when I got in the house one of them was missing from my ear. I searched every place I could - they didn't turn up.

A couple of months later, I found it in the driveway, unmarked, unblemished - no peeling, no rusting, or whatever might befall cheap metal earrings which lay in the snow for weeks; being run over by a pickup, etc.   !

I still am amazed when I think of it.

Christmas cards into gift tags

A co-worker made some very pretty gift tags out of Christmas cards, just by some strategic cutting. I still have last years cards - I hate to throw them away, but you can't save everything. Not to mention the "Seasons Greetings" cards which we don't tend to send, but they often have such pretty scenes on them.
Well, now I know what to do with them!

                                                                                      

"Advent...like springtime in nature"

"The season of Advent is like springtime in nature, when everything is renewed and so is fresh and healthy. Advent is also meant to do this to us - to refresh us and make us healthy, to be able to receive Christ in whatever form he may come to us."
                                                    - Mother Teresa 

3 nice girls

                               
Last night I went with my co-workers to a local restaurant for a little Christmas dinner. They make gourmet style pizza, which we all love. And as I was going out, passing by a table with three young women around 20-ish, one of them stopped me and asked if we were teachers.  I said, No - we work in such and such library - why?

I forget exactly what else I said to her, but I was wondering how we appeared to them. Ten middle-aged women, all getting along with each other, laughing about some things, yawning a bit near the end. But no, the three were looking at me with interest; it was a very pleasant, if short, interchange. They were curious about us - we appealed to them in some way - they had lovely, open faces - looked me in the eye. They were such a contrast to the usual encounters we have with young people, plugged into a cell phone or personal music.  They were interested in a group of women, mostly in their 40s and 50s.

 God bless them! May their curiosity about their fellow man always stay alive.


                                    
                                                                         

success at the thrift store

Last week I had a very successful trip to the nearby thrift store. 

I found a lovely pink vase, which looks very nice in the living room where another tall thing was needed.

Brought home a small wreath, which I thought to trim, but no matter what I did to it I couldn't get it right.

Until I decided to leave it plain, with a red and white striped ribbon from my supply; it looks just right in the kitchen.

There was a box in a back room with loose things in it - I scrounged around, and came up with these dark red berries,

and two sprigs of these sugar-coated looking berries, all three for forty nine cents,

and these look like they were made for this vase.  I also found eight smallish red glass ornaments for the tree, a cute mug, and a grey lambswool sweater to felt, which I used for my Christmas tree pin.

But I have to say my favorite thing I found that day, was a beautiful, deep red, one hundred percent cashmere sweater for $4.99.  Simple, ribbed turtleneck with nice, long-enough sleeves.

It was a large, but I decided to chance it and put it in the washer on gentle. It came out my size.     

A Christmas sweater for five dollars.                  

                                                                           

                                                                                                                                                            

                                                                    

felt tree pin

I thought I'd try purlbee's felt Christmas tree pin, but I'm no embroiderer. I don't have lots of felt hanging around, but I do have a felted gray lambswool sweater - I decided to use that. The only regular felt I had was this deep red, so I used that for the stem. I don't have their suggested thread, which maybe is thicker than regular floss? - I don't know. So, I used two strands of bright green floss instead. But it doesn't really show up, does it? The lambswool is fuzzy, which obscures the threads.

I had a hard time cutting it cleanly - my pinking shears kind of stick (they're new) and it's impossible to open or close them fully with one hand. But I think the fuzziness of the wool may cover the cutting imperfections as well as it seems to cover my green stitches!  I also decided not to stuff the tree, because the wool is loftier than regular felt. It looks fine without it, as far as that goes.

I would like to try this again, but with what?  Maybe red floss would be easier to see, with more strands?

And maybe I'll use some stuffing next time around. It's a cute idea, and I'm pleased with it anyway - it's rather folk-art looking, which is an easy way of describing anything that looks like a child may have done it. ;-)

We're going out to dinner after work tomorrow - our Christmas party - and I'm going to wear this little bit of Christmas on my sweater.

meet Henry

This cat has been coming around for about a month - obviously hungry and homeless. We have a stray cat "motel" - for lack of a better word - outside, built by my brother a couple of years ago, because there are so many of these cats in our neighborhood, and this one was staying nearby so she could eat the food therein and sleep on the heated bed inside at night.  Not that we were looking for another cat, but we've been feeling sorry for this poor thing, so the other day we got it to the vet.

It's a he, and not a pregnant she as we feared (whew!), and is now called Henry. He's presently living in the basement  and seems happy to be so - and very grateful for a home - but he and Dolly are going to have to get used to each other, and that may take a while. He growls at her, which I don't like. She is our little darling, and for 5 years she's been the Princess. She's curious about him, and crept up to him once for a sniff, but he yeowled at her and they almost went at it.  I would hate to see her get cut up or scarred in any way.

Today I brought him upstairs, and he more or less ignored her while she stayed put; probably remembering the last time she showed interest.  Everyone assures me they'll work it out. 

We'll see. Let's hope.

"the brisk hopefulness of morning"

How is it that we are all speaking the same language, but some people have such a beautiful command of it, that a phrase like this just catches you -

"In the brisk hopefulness of morning..."


Ellis Peters,   -  The Confession of Brother Haluin

gaudy wreath

I love this - it's a bit much for the front door, but its gold-dusted silk poinsettias are perfect for the living room.

Really brightens up the place.    

                                                                            

blogging as a path to inhabit-ing

It occurred to me that having a blog can be a help on the way to {inhabit}ing your space; at least, that's the way I try to blog. It's a discipline which causes me to look around more alertly than I might normally do, to try and find something beautiful, interesting, or possibly helpful to others from my own little world. To be every day looking for the good helps turn the mind from what's less so. I'm focused on looking for something worthwhile, and am surprised that I've been able to keep it up for four months already! As long as I don't let it rule me, it helps me to capture time, as it's put in the {inhabit} thread, and I daily find more reason to appreciate what I have.

the elegance of Ellis Peters

 I was worked up yesterday - don't know why it happens. But today at work I thought that what I realy needed was to pick up one of the Brother Cadfael mysteries by the late Ellis Peters. To spend time in Cadfael's company is to be reminded of what it means to be human - at least, this is what I get out of it.

So, I picked up The Confession of Brother Haluin, which happens to be the first one I ever read (but I suggest they be read in order). I wanted to read one which takes place in the winter.  And her beautiful prose struck me once again.  Here is the second paragraph:

The weather-wise had predicted heavy snows, and in mid-month they came, not with blizzard winds, but in a blinding, silent fall that continued for several days and nights, smoothing out every undulation, blanching all color out of the world, burying the sheep in the hills and the hovels in the valleys, smothering all sound, climbing every wall, turning roofs into ranges of white, impassable mountains, and the very air between earth and sky into an opaque, drifting whirlpool of flakes large as lilies. When the fall finally ceased, and the heavy swags of cloud lifted, the Foregate lay half buried, so nearly smoothed out into one white level that there were scarcely any shadows except where the tall buildings of the abbey soared out of the pure pallor, and the eerie, reflected light made day even of night, where only a week before the ominous gloom had made night of day.

I'm feeling better already.

fabric garland

Our (artificial) tree was up, but only with lights on it.  I didn't want anything tinselly which Dolly might be tempted to chew on.  After eyeing some red gingham cotton on my shelf for a few days,  today I cut it into strips and made a garland. It was easy to cut - I just followed the checkered lines.

No sewing - I simply knotted each strip together.

It looks much more cheerful now.

          

And made with fabric from the stash!      

p.s. It's almost 8 'clock and I just heard a noise in the living room -

This is blurry, but I had to work fast. She just caught a bit of it at the bottom, but I hope she doesn't do it again!!                                                                                                                                

                                                                           

blurry and furry

I was experimenting with my camera, and took this with terribly unsteady hands, I guess.

But I rather like it.