Merry Christmas to All

I think I posted this before but it's so beautiful...I must repeat myself.  Merry Christmas everyone.  Happy Birthday Jesus.

A Nativity Scene was erected in a church yard.

During the night the folks came across this scene. An abandoned dog

was looking for a comfortable, protected place to sleep. He chose

baby Jesus as his comfort. No one had the heart to send him away so

he was there all night.

We should all have the good sense of this dog and curl up in Jesus's lap from time to time.

This is too sweet not to share.

Please note that the dog is a "shepherd!"

Update and Hello Winter

Well, the tree is done and candles are in the windows (most of them), a wreath is on the door.  Here's the final version of the tree.  I put it on facebook and got a lot of comments...not all nice.  Those people will get coal in their stockings and I hope they're wearing them when it happens.  Well, not really.  Here it is - TADA the tree

Not too much different than the last version but -- the gold bead garland and the ribbons have been added.  Now if only the presents were under there we'd be cookin'.

Here's our view this morning. 

Winter has finally said hello.  Not a screaming hello thank goodness, just a little wave of "Hi, I'm here and maybe will stop back later with more of these flake things."  Hope he forgets about that and just tosses those flake things around in ski country where they belong.  Well, once I scrape off the windshield, I'll be off and running to finish the presents for the out of state crowd so they can be shipped out tomorrow.  Wish me luck.

Out with the Turkey - In with the Tree

Thanksgiving is a thing of the past.  Load up the turkey things, the pilgrim things, the orange and yellow leaves and the harvest cornucopia and put them away.  Re-load the holly things and the wreath things and the red candles and the pointsettias and the Santa things.  Tis the season after all.  Asked the husband where the best spot for the tree would be and his response?  "In the garage", he replied grinchily.

No - not the garage.  The past several years there has been no room around here for a tree.  The house is teensy and the nieces, nephews and offspring of same keep getting bigger and bigger.  Now we all know that means more food but it also means more elbow room at the table and finally I had to move the table from it's normal spot to the living room and added a card table to it so that 16 could be seated.  All that to say, no room for a tree too.

This year we are finished with renovations, we have a bigger area for table and expansions and the living room is free for, well, living and that includes room for a tree.  While we had no tree I placed a large red bow on a floor lamp and put the presents under it.  I christened it the Christmas Lamp.  One of my nieces, the sister of Elf, has stomped her princess foot and declared, "No more Christmas Lamp, this year we want a tree."  So - banished to the garage for all those years, the Tree has returned....here it is halfway done