Song for Friday...good wishes to all...

This season is a most difficult one for my family and I but

we are reminded to have gratitude for all that came to pass.

So many of my fondest memories are those of my childhood with

my brothers and sister and I truly appreciate the warmth they bring to my heart.

I want to thank all of you who have left so many kind comments

on my blog in good and bad times and although I only 

know you through these so called 'pages', 

I can honestly say that you are near to my heart as friends from afar.

May you laugh and sing with your cherished loved ones

and hold them dear to you.

A most Happy Holiday to you all.

P.S

of all the Christmas songs covered by various people throughout 

the years, this is definitely my favorite.

(not mentioned is the lovely Sarah MacLaughlan singing harmony with the lads)

It came upon a midnight clear...

There's much to see around the towns and cities this time of year,

but there's something special along the seaside as well...

I took my brothers kids out to Whiffin Spit for the afternoon...

There's nothing that Griffin loves more than to run with the kids!

We came to ramble on the beach, exploring driftwood houses...

There were rocks to turn over and crabs to discover...

Even tiny hands held tiny crabs...

But the real reason we came here today, was to see the work of 

many secret elves.

You see every year, without being seen or heard, in the middle of a cold night,

the same tree is decorated on the spit...

People who walk the spit add there own bits and pieces as the days lead up to Christmas...

A lot of pieces are from found objects on the beach so the shore gets 

a clean up as well...

Some leave memorials to those who used to walk the spit, man and dog together...

And then after New Years, as quietly as they came, the secret elves come again

and undress the tree, saving it all for the next season.

The beach always holds surprises, some gruesome, like this whole sheep we found...

very strange.

The birds are out and about, flitting beside us in the bush as we walk along...

Then it's time to go in for hot chocolate.

One of the best parts of walking far on a cold day!

Introducing...

I've been seeing a lot of alternatives to Christmas trees

and I had to look no further than my friend Norene's house

for this beauty...

Introducing Miss L Toe...

How brilliant is that?!

From vacant mannequin to the bell of the ball!

Love it...

My friend Janet from far away sent these pictures of 

her sweet Christmas chandelier...

Hey those little skates and that bird look familiar!
Anyway, here's to creative alternatives.
Whats yours?

The Best....

Today is my babies birthday...

Not such a tiny girl as she was 31 years ago, 

but still and always will be my little girl...

So Happy Birthday my lovely...

As Ray would sing...

"You are the best thing....that ever happened to me."

Around the house...

Doing a bit of indoor decorating, now that I'm over the flu from last week...

In lieu of a tree, I hang my annual Christmas chandelier...

All of my favorites, old and new above the table to gaze up into...

...this one, the latest from my fellow, young and talented friend Boo, 

who sent this in the mail the other day...

And of course there are birds all around...

A box lamp given as a gift from Irma.

More of her creations here.

During these short, dark days, giving yourself the gift of light is

one of the most uplifting things you can do.

 All of those wonderful things that have hidden in boxes in the barn 

for a year, come out to show off again, all be it briefly...

 

The long tags with writing were a gift from Mosaic Norene...

Seasons greetings in many different languages ...

Cherishing inherited vintage Nutcrackers and remembering those who 

gave us recent ones...

Christmas cactus???

Winter fox...

Each and every one of these things, I remember from the year before.

From where I bought it, when it was made or who gave it to me.

They are all precious to me and I so look forward to

opening those boxes...to remember.

To celebrate the season one more time.