Ah, yes. Christmas. This one feels so strange to me. Anyone else feeling that, too? It seems like it's showing up this year as if it's uninvited. It's wistful, nearly. Subdued. As if it knows it was included at the last minute, so it's going to stand in the corner and quietly sip a drink and not make eye contact. Or maybe it's just me after the year we've had. Hello, Christmas 2015. Come on in, by all means. Let me give you a hug and introduce you around and make you comfortable so you'll stay awhile longer.
In spite of this being a financially tight year for us, I'm determined to make our first Christmas at Hedge House a calm and memorable one. So yesterday I played Christmas music and sat on the front porch and clipped branches and boxwood. Piles of branches and boxwood. Then I wired them onto a 30" wreath form and ended up with a beautiful, full wreath. For around four dollars. Hello there, wistful, budget Christmas! You look beautiful.
Today I'm baking breads (pumpkin, banana and white wheat) and playing more Christmas music and finishing up a gift for my sister and gluing clothespin ornaments. (Have you seen these? I'm all about how simple and affordable they are!) I'm being forever slow with decorating this year, but plan to have it all up and clean on Friday. Then Christmas and I can sit down catch up...
...as I hope we can, too. Thanks for sticking around and being patient in my absence.
Happy Christmastime! -Brin
11 comments:
I'm feeling it, too. I've only just begun to decorate and the wistfulness seems to overtake me often. It's a different year - a 'strange' year - in many ways. I haven't been able to determine why, except for the amount of things going on in our lives all at once. Your wreath is beautiful! I've missed you but saw you on Facebook and knew why you were missing here, my friend. Welcome back!
~Adrienne~
Yes, I agree. I was talking to my Mum yesterday about how it doesn't really feel like Christmas. I have some decorations up, but it still doesn't really *feel* it, you know? I'm hoping I can have a blitz over the weekend, put a few things away, a few other things out and start to settle in.
But the music, oh yes. Christmas music, I love.
I've been following along with you on FB, but it is good to have you back in blog form. Yes, you are not the only person whose Christmas seems a bit 'different'. We decided not to put up the big tree this year; it just seemed to be too much. Too much work, and too much décor. I think we're feeling quieter and more subdued. And we are only doing stockings for each other this year, while choosing charities and ministries that we will sow into. It somehow felt wrong to spend on ourselves. But the Christmas (carols) music is playing; we are attending Advent services at church; and cookies will be baked. And there is a lot of other décor we have put up aside from a tree. Oh, and Hallmark movies have been watched . . . but it would be nice if TCM would start showing my favorites like The Bishop's Wife.
glad youre back..
have a great day.
Yep, I am not feelin' holly-jolly this year, either. It's not just that money is tight here and the weather is warm...can't put my finger on it. First time in my life that it felt like a chore to decorate.
But the tree lights are still magical at night, and my husband and I are having such fun doing little things like cups of cocoa 'round the fire-pit, reading a short Christmas story each night, and listening to our beloved music... so all is well.
A dear friend of mine made me a set of the clothespin ornaments several years ago. They're gorgeous... she put some sort of frostiness on them and they look especially lovely at night in the light of the trees.
Your wreath is stunning! I envy you your patience, I know how tedious that is.
I too missed your delightful blog! The wreath is gorgeous! Merry Christmas from Arizona where it was about 83 degrees yesterday.
Glad to have you back! I'm making most of my ornaments this year too. I hadn't seen the clothspin snowflakes though -- I made little wooly sheep (felted balls of wool) and some salt dough. I actually put my tree up today, and got it up on my blog as well. http://piecefulslumber.blogspot.com/2015/12/oh-christmas-tree.html (Please ignore my un-re-finished floors if you go to my blog. I keep meaning to refinish them, they needed it when I moved in 6yrs ago. I get inspired to really do it this time every time you post about yours.... but then I... don't.)
I feel like a stalker always checking your blog for updates glad you're back.
The King is coming! Even a lowly stable is acceptable. Joy, joy, joy! May it embrace you right where you are.
Lallee
I'm feeling very much like you but don't know exactly why. We've had loss this year like so many others but like you Brin, there's just not much money to do with and goodness gracious how much my mind is consumed with our country, the world and our future! I just remind myself that my future is not in earthly things but in my Lord and Savior! (Love the wreath)
Merry Christmas, Brin! Just wanted to tell you that your crocheted wash cloths were so popular this holiday! Thank you!
Post a Comment