Word for the Day - 2020

 Can you believe it?

We have come to the last Monday of 2020.

Today I thought I would share my word for 2021, but this morning another word popped into my vision.

Exuberant

"joyfully unrestrained" 

"display of something in abundance" 

Flowers always feel "exuberant" to me.

I feel such "exuberance" at seeing the year of 2020 come to an end and such unrestrained joy at looking forward to 2021. There is hope in my heart for a year of laughter and dancing, of new adventures and maybe even a bit of silliness.

Are you looking forward to a vaccination for the corona virus?

Are you looking forward to hugs?

Are you looking forward to new adventures? 

For now I am lighting a candle and sending a prayer for the new year.

May it be filled with joyful exuberance.

Yes, I do have a word for 2021 and will share it on Friday.

Because I love sharing words and quotes with you on Monday's next year will be 

A Word for the Week.  It will either be a single word or a quote.

Sending love and a smile as we come to the end of 2020.

How would you picture exuberant?
 

Christmas - Find JOY

 As we join together virtually to celebrate Christmas let us rejoice in the positives this year.

I know, sometimes it is hard to look at the Joyfulness, the things that make us smile.

Recently as I have walked in my neighborhood I tried to notice those little things.

This first picture is just around the corner from me and it doesn't matter what time of year

it is, I love walking through the tree tunnel. Right now it has ornaments and that just makes me smile.

Here are other little glimpses of JOY in my neighborhood.

This is more than just a little glimpse. It is two trees along the street that are full of ornaments.

The front of this house just made me smile.

I see this one even when I drive by and it is the one that told me I needed to notice the small JOY's.

Since we can't go to a restaurant I picked up teatime and brought it home a few days ago.

I loved having teatime with the two guys in my house.

I don't think they minded either.

In my office I write words that come tickling to my mind on the chalk board.

 

Though I had no one to, but two guys, share cookies with I just had to make these sugar cookies and decorate them. I hadn't decorated sugar cookies in a long time. It was fun!

As you might notice there are small bouquets of white poinsettias around the house.

I bought a plant at the beginning of December and after it dropped it's leaves I snipped the flowers and put them around the house. I am loving seeing them in almost every room in the house in little touches that delight me. Earlier this month I shared red roses in my bouquets, the poinsettias replaced the roses.

And now it is time to pause and savor the day, it is Christmas time all around the world.

I will rejoice and be glad in the little things each day.

The reason we celebrate is best depicted in this creche in a neighbors yard.

The simple message is still shining bright.

 

Dear Friends, Thanks for coming by so faithfully.

I always love when you leave me a message.

Merry Christmas to you and your families.

My Word for 2020

 I thought "light" would be an easy word. Afterall I just wanted to pay attention to the light around me as I snapped a picture and shared with a friend. But darkness surrounded me. Political and pandemic was all I was hearing.

Light

Sometimes I had to really search to find it.

From the dictionary:

light - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.

"the light of the sun"  Illuminates

This morning as I reflected on light this winter solstice day the light suddenly appeared through the clouds and I could smile with the light shining for me. I walked in the garden to take the pictures I am sharing today, it was just in the reflecting on the water drops sitting there that I found the light.

I wrote in my journal about losing trust this year with our countries leadership and the pandemic too. It has been difficult to focus on the light within me.

In my writing I was reminded of the children's song "This Little Light of Mine". Had I been hiding my light this year and letting outside influences almost blow it out?

As I reflected and noticed the clouds open up to light I thought how light shows us the way. The glow touches our heart. With the glow of the light we can breathe, laugh, sing, dance, and let the tears flow. It feels safe and tender, like warm woolen mittens on a cold winter day.

This year for Christmas I gave warm, fuzzy socks to special women in my life. They weren't anything fancy or even expensive, but to me they signified warmth, safety, comfort, and love. I bought myself some too. In wearing them I feel cared for and gently loved.

The light shines, warm cozy socks on my toes and I can learn to trust again,

always noticing the light where it shines even if it is only a glimmer.

Let the light shine in your heart this Christmas week.

Sending love and light!

 

A Little Baking

 Once baking begins in my house I really feel the presence of Christmas.

I love baking, so I save it to a time when the music comes on, the house is decorated, and packages sent. It is my most festive time of year.

My mother always made cherry winks just for me and that tradition happens after all these years. I love making them and they say Christmas to me with the citrus flavor and the cherry on top.

Some of the candy canes will be crushed later to sprinkle on top of chocolate cupcakes.

I wasn't going to make sugar cookies this year, but then I saw pretty ones on Instagram

and wouldn't you know it, they were added to the list. They are still frozen now and awaiting icing.

Date pinwheels are always a must to bake and I love that I can keep them ready in the refrigerator when just a few to nibble on are "needed". 

Mince pies are one of my favorites and these little tarts are just the right size to satisfy that hunger.

Yummm!

Now I think I need to go find one.

Even a few little star cookies appeared on my tea table this week.

This is my online zoom tea time with friends. Well you might wonder about the 4 cups, humm?

It was my tea ceremony group where we usually have 4 cups served by different people, but since we are online right now we each drink the 4 little cups of tea ourselves and meditate on those around us and love to the world.

On Christmas morning I always bake a stollen and this year there will be one too. I usually divide the dough into two stollens instead of one large one. This year I may make three small ones so I can pass two of them along to others. After all there are only three of us in my house and how many cookies and stollen do we really need. For me it is the joy, the passing along some of the joy, and just the plain nibble with my cup of tea.

Do you like to bake for Christmas? What is your favorite nibble with a cup of tea at this time of year?

Happy Weekend, dear friends!

Word for the Day - 2020

 Joy

This time of year JOY particularly comes to mind. 

The dictionary description of Joy is:

joy

/joi/

noun

noun: joy

a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.

"tears of joy"

 

  Reading this morning about grief I came across the thought that in loss we can remember the Joy shared with another and this will bring healing. At this Christmas season I am thinking of the loss of my sister recently and focusing of the shared joy we had at finding each other, then having shared times together.

Joy comes in so many different forms. I find joy in spending time with those dear to me. I find joy in nature, just looking out my window and seeing squirrels scampering about. I find joy in sitting in an airplane seat and taking off on an adventure. I find joy in the little things, like finding daffodils beginning to peak out of the ground in February each year.

Where do you find JOY? 

Pictures are just flowers and nature that have brought joy to me this year.

After all, it is the little things.

Facebook Interview

 

I don't usually post on Sunday's, but if you are on Facebook tomorrow (Monday) I will be on a live chat with Michelle from Hawaii, owner if Tea at 1024. The time is noon, Pacific time. We will be chatting about tea and my story. Hummm? I will have to tell her I am the picture taker of gardening, but so much the gardener.

LIVE Tea Chat on

Facebook.com/TeaAt1024

for a lively conversation with Marilyn Miller, published Author of Tea with Lily & Tea Outdoors. She sells her creative tea patterns on her etsy shop Marmaladys, and is an avid gardener. She is also a member of the NW WuWo Tea Ceremony group - Wu-Wo translates to "void of self" or "selfless. Journey with us.

A Visit to my Home

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBK7IBILw5I&feature=youtube

Well we need a bit of music when viewing Christmas.

Our creche has been with us since my children were small. Handmade by someone in my church. What I love are the brown faces and simple story of the Christ child.

It sits in the alcove as you enter my home.

If you have followed me for awhile you know I love flowers and nature. My husband and I recently visited a Christmas tree farm, not to get a tree, but just to gather some greens and a wreath for the house. Then from Trader Joe's I added red roses. If you look closely there is one rose that is not red. That is the last rose from our garden at center stage. I love this in my bedroom.

 

Here is the bedroom. I love the morning light. On the trunk behind the bed is another rose and greens.

They just make my heart happy.

Now we move to the dining room. Here is the wreath at the center of the table. Last Sunday we had teatime just for the three of us in the family. It was peppermint tea with trout sandwich, sausage roll, egg salad sandwich, sweets of Dundee cake, macarons, dried fruit and candied pecans. I think the guys in my house liked it, afterall it was food.

Another gathering of Christmas characters. I love them because they all hold something from nature.

Another glimpse of the table centerpiece.

 

Love. love bottle brush trees and this one came home from the antique mall.

I sat it in a favorite teacup and there is seems to be happy.

Can you spot the Christmas gnome? Every year he pops up in a different place in the house. This year he is sitting in a bowl of antique tea silver pieces on my tea cart.

So far my family hasn't noticed him sitting there. Ha! My "live-in gardener" thinks he is a bit silly, but I like him visiting every year.

My office needed a touch of the red and green, so another rose and greens sits here in front of my chalk board. The chalk board is gathering words to think on for each and every day and soon I will pick a new word for 2021.

Now we have moved to the living room mantle. This year above the village I placed greens and at night there are small twinkling lights shining in the greens. I do enjoy the little village most of all.

Some years ago my son did this illustration for me and of course it must come out every Christmas.

More flowers and greens, plus candles on the table.

Santas and snowmen sit on top of the book shelves.

Even out our window the hummingbird enjoys a little Christmas cheer.

And finally our little faux tree sits packed full of Christmas joy.

Hope you enjoyed a visit to my Christmas house.

The packages are wrapped and now under the tree.

Baking is yet to happen here, plus just a little Christmas adventures and cheer to come.

Have a delightful weekend, dear friends!

May it be full of Christmas cheer, even if it is just a moment of quiet meditation over a cup of tea.