In the garden

The rising suns casts its golden light over my herb and flower garden making for a glorious view out my front door.  I feel so rich.

Each day brings changes to the gardens.  Plants bloom, plants die back, birds and bees feed on the nectar of the blossoms.  A garden may look like a still life, but it is filled with life.

As I turn to sit on the garden bench, I see another area.  My Italian herb garden.  Sweet basil, tarragon, marjoram, sage, and other herbs just waiting to be fondled so they can release their aromatic oils.  If I step back, I will brush the rosemary and send off a flurry of smell which will stick to my legs for several hours.

I do love my plants.

Time for tea and a little reflection before I get the day started.  Life is good.

Birds of a Feather

On our way back from hiking to the Fairfax ghost town, we drove by Maris Farms and spotted a bunch of waterfowl taking a migration break.  We made a quick u-turn as we could have sworn we had seen some swans.

Sure enough, there were several Trumpeter Swans and a pair of young ones as well amidst the Canada Geese.  It was amazing to see these majestic white birds against the mud of the field in which they were standing.

Another bird checked off my list.

2014 Christmas Project

Now that the ornaments are done, it is time to complete the final touches.  First, a tree skirt, as we would not want our tree's toes to get cold.  This one is just over 5 feet across and has 8 different fabrics in it.  Each panel is stitched through to the backing with cotton batting in between for a bit of quilting on what looks a lot like a Dresden Plate pattern.  The center is a simple additional piece of fabric to be drawn close with a satin ribbon, allowing the skirt to be adjusted to the size of the tree stand.

Since we have all these ornaments and a tree skirt to boot, it only seems logical to have a place to put them, so we decorated a box.  We sponged gold, silver, and metallic red paint all over it, then applied cut outs of special gifts (gift of fun, gift of creativity, etc.) and Christmas motifs.  The goal was a treasure box for all things Christmas.

Now to give the whole thing away.  Oh what pleasure and satisfaction there is in giving, just as there is in receiving.

2014 Christmas Project

The angel is done.  Our project is winding down.  A family has been found. The only thing remaining to make is the tree skirt.  I am excited.  This journey has taken an entire year.  We have all had a lot of fun making the various ornaments that are to be given away.

As we have worked on the project through the year, we have also talked about the importance of giving and how in giving, we each receive so much more.  There are a great many health benefits to giving.  For example, it helps lower your blood pressure and improve your mental well being.  It is also good for your community's morale.  When we give to each other, we strengthen the bonds between each other.

When we receive from others, we also benefit.  Often the burden lifted from our shoulders allows us to relax a little and be emotionally uplifted.

This holiday and throughout the year, please be both a generous giver and a gracious receiver.  The benefits of both are worth every moment spent.

2014 Christmas Project

The flock of turkeys is complete, but a bit mauled by the cat.  The ornaments for the month of November represent the only holiday in the United States that does not have a religious tie to the European immigrants who largely populated this country.  It is a celebration of the harvest.  A giving of thanks for enough food to survive the winter and get into spring far enough for the food supply to return.  It is in large part about gratitude.

I am grateful for the family I have and that I have enough.  I am grateful that I have enough to share with another family and hope another family is open to allowing my family to share this year long journey of giving.

The final items will be the tree topper, the tree skirt, and the tree itself.  We are looking forward to the culmination of the journey as much as we have the journey itself.

2014 Christmas Project

The September ornaments are complete.  It takes time for glue to dry, and there was a lot of glue in this one.  I started by making a number of miniature books as the theme for the month was "Back to School."  Then we added letters to the covers, and started putting glittered letters inside to book.  We waited a day or more after each letter before doing the next letter.  There is nothing worse than gluing pages together and trying to get them back apart.  After all the letters were done, we glued in pictures for each letter.  Last but not least came the writing in of the remaining missing pieces of our books.  We left blank pages at the end of each book so that the new owners can add things to their books to complete them.

They turned out really cute.  Since I made more books than I needed, I am using the extras for Christmas gift tags, but don't tell anyone.

One month to go, then the skirt and the donation day.  Until then........

2014 Christmas Project

We did not skip September, those are just a bit more involved and are not yet complete.

October, however, is another ball of yarn.  Being the witching month, October's theme is Halloween.  Halloween is a holiday steeped in tradition.  Also known as Hallowmas and Day of the Dead, it is said to be a time where the veil between the living and the dead thins.  Many take this time to remember the ones who have crossed over already.

For children, young and old alike, it's about the tricks and treats.

In honor of the children, we made witches hats with lots of sparkle.  Remember to be safe this holiday season.  Don't go out alone, always have an adult inspect your candy before eating any, and wear reflective tape on your costume or a light colored costume so others can see you.

Happy Halloween!!!!!!