JOY is the word

The past couple days I have been away celebrating
the 90th birthday of my mother-in-law.
It was a wonderful celebration full of joy.

JOY is the word I have selected for next year.
It actually felt daunting when it first came to me.
I thought maybe I would have to go to comedy clubs
or read a joke of the day, but I am beginning to learn
to live with it and realize it is much more.
Interestingly, at the Soulstice party I went to we drew words
for next year out of a bowl and I drew "JOY". I had already
decided on the word and then it was confirmed.

"When you mix lots of happiness
with lots of sadness you get joy"
Jerome Berryman

I wish for you much JOY in the New Year.
I would love to know if you pick a word.

Enamored with Glass - part #4

Each year as I approach the new year I choose a word for the new year.
This past year's word was "Create".
In thinking about the word create this year I wanted to learn one new craft in which I had to create. I actually ended up learning two new crafts, both involving glass. I will share the other glass craft another day.
My friend, Teresa, has a glass studio in her basement and invited me to come and create.
What great fun to create these small pendants with glass and see what came out of the kiln. The firing smooths the edges and makes something rough into something beautiful.

As I sit here I am thinking the similarities in life.
As we walk through the fire we become more beautiful.

The reason for Christmas

Merry Christmas

Celebrate Joy, Love, and Peace in your heart
this Christmas season.
Remember the reason for the celebration.

Christmas

Merry Christmas to each of you!
May you always feel young hearted
throughout the year, but especially
now as we celebrate Christmas.

Soulstice

Walking the labyrinth, sharing in a time of celebration with a group
of women. Winter solstice is a time of reflection, thus in the following
writing it is called Soulstice.

December is a woman clothed in saffron
sunsets with stars in her earlobes and
firelight in the palms of her hands. She's
the dancer to the music of the spheres,
the mystery behind the veil of time,
soul searcher, heat seeker, safe keeper
of candlelight, starlight, moonlight, lamplight.
On the longest night of the year the
heart of darkness pulses and glows,
with her blazing embers, scarlet
berries, exit lights and night lights,
blood oranges and red wine, wild
roses, henna tattoos, ruby slippers, silver
bells, amber beads and tangerines, a
saints gilded halo, crimson poppies
and pomegranate seeds. Turn on your
inner light....It's SOULstice time.

SKIRT magazine, Dec 2002

Enamored with Glass - part #3

Glass is a part of my Christmas tree decorations.
A Santa and a teddy bear glisten in the light.
Golden glass beads surround the tree.
There is a glass pickle somewhere on the tree, but I couldn't find it to show you.
You will have to come and find it for yourself and maybe there will
be a prize if you do. A warm cup of tea and a cookie are waiting.

A little Victorian girl is warmed by the light.

Two vintage mercury glass ornaments hang in a special place of honor.

An array of glass balls are waiting to be placed on the tree.
Don't you just love the way glass ornaments shine reflecting the light of the celebration and season?

Christmas at the Aurora Colony

The Aurora Colony is a 30 minute drive from Portland, Oregon.
Each year they celebrate Christmas with an interactive walk through the history of the colony.
Volunteers play the different parts and guide their guests through the museum by candle light.
It had been a long time since I had visited the colony for Christmas and it was a delight recently to walk through history by candle light.
German and Swiss emigrants, established and lived in the Aurora Colony, a Christian communal society, from 1856 to 1883. The story they shared on this evening was the preparations for
a wedding in the colony at Christmas time.
The pageant was fun to visit, but just seeing the museum decorated for Christmas put me into the spirit of the holiday.
What do you do that puts you into the spirit of the season?
Click on the collage to see the pictures in more detail.