HAPPY NEW YEAR

The clock strikes twelve and a NEW YEAR arrives, just like that!!!

Best wishes for good health, much happiness, and prosperity for you and yours. My sincere hopes are that this will be the best year yet for each one of us.

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The song "Auld Lang Syne" is sung at the stroke of midnight in almost every English-speaking country in the world to bring in the New Year. At least partially written by Robert Burns in the 1700's, it was first published in 1796 after his death. An old Scottish tune, "Auld Lang Syne" literally means "old long ago" or simply, "the good old days".

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Auld Lang Syne

Should auld acquaintance be forgot
and never brought to mind?

Should auld acquaintance be forgot

and days of auld lang syne?

For auld lang syne, my dear,

for auld lang syne

We'll take a cup of kindness yet,

for auld lang syne.

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Sing out tonight......with family and friends.

My thanks to each one of you who have joined in this great blogging journey. You have shared so much of your lives, interests, hopes and dreams this past year. To me it's amazing that so many of us have so much in common. No matter where we live and how young or old we are, we have bonded. For me, and hopefully for you, the journey will continue in 2008.

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Journaling 2008

I do not make New Year resolutions because I never keep them!

However, this coming year I plan to make time to keep a proper hand written journal. I feel my blog is my journal too ~ I print each post and keep in a binder ~ however I want to take a few minutes each day to write a few thoughts down the old fashioned way.

I found this beautiful vintage looking journal when picking out books I wanted to receive for Christmas. It's look inspired me ~ sized like an old accounts ledger, each page displays three days ~ with narrow lines which suit my hand. There is a satin ribbon to mark the page.

At the bottom of each page is a quote - the first one being..............

We are always beginning anew ~ anonymous.

For each season of the year there is a collage and a beautiful quotation.

This is the one for Winter from Thoreau......... Do you make resolutions? Do you keep them?

Are you planning journaling this coming year?

If so, do you have a beautiful book ready to be filled with daily thoughts?

Winter Morning Light

This morning I woke late - the watery sun was already shining across the room lighting my lovely print of a Welsh stone farmhouse in Winter. Titled 'Pembrokeshire Cottage', it shows a typical cottage in that area of Wales and was painted by British watercolourist John Blockley. It is signed and numbered - 71/550. I wonder if others who purchased this print are still looking and enjoying, I hope so.

................................On a trip home 'across the pond' in the mid-80's, I visited John in his studio in Stow On The Wold, Gloucestershire, one of England's prettiest Cotswold villages. What lovely memories when one stops and really looks at a painting you have brought home from a special place.

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Awards Ceremony...and we're all winners!

Seems I've been gathering awards over the holidays - this NICE MATTERS AWARD was generously bestowed on me by both Heidi at Celebrate the Seasons in Holland, and her niece Mandie at Army Wife is My Life here in North Carolina - thank you both so much. They are part of a very special family - I admire them all so much.







This wild and colorful BODACIOUS BLOG award....................








..................................along with the following YOUR BLOG IS A TREASURE award both came from sweet Rhondi at Rose Colored Glasses , a very lovely blog. Thank you Rhondi - I'm grateful for all the nice comments you leave me.

I'm in a quandary as to whom I should pass these fun awards along to...........there are just so many deserving people, many of whom have already received them I'm sure. I will however pass them all along to very special Deena at Nestled in the Singing Woods , a new friend who is fighting cancer at this very moment. Please visit her wonderful blogs where she shares not only her recent surgery and her road to recovery, but also her lovely wildlife photos and art. Please pray for her and wish her back to good health in the coming year.

Italians seem to know

Time to take time. Be tranquil and enjoy the simple things. Almond Cantuccini...........dip them in your favorite latte bowl. Sit down, reflect, relax, the busy time has passed by.

Let's have a coffee........................or Cantuccini con Vin Santo.............the classic way, dipping the little biscotti into the sweet dessert wine of the Chianti region of Italy.

Tasselled linen table runner purchased from a small shop built into the ancient walls of Cortona, Tuscany.

The prettily wrapped Panforte from beautiful Siena..............a traditional Italian dessert containing fruits and nuts. A small wedge is served with coffee or dessert wine after a meal, or enjoyed with coffee at breakfast.

Christmas Day

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Hark! the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn King".
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Joy to the world the Lord is come, let earth receive her King.

Christmas Eve

It came upon the midnight clear,

That glorious song of old,

From angels bending near the earth,

To touch their harps of gold.

"Peace on the earth, goodwill to men,

From heaven's all gracious King",

The world in solemn stillness lay

To hear the angels sing.

Angels from the realms of glory..........................

Christmas Greetings

From my house to yours ~ wishing you and your family all the joys and blessings of Christmas.

Nature's Winter Splendor

Thanks to all who stopped by on the Holiday Home Tour - old friends and new friends were welcomed. I certainly appreciated all the generous comments on how nice my little cottage looks decorated for Christmas. I so enjoyed visiting many of your lovely homes also. The decorations were awesome and I may be stealing a few of your fabulous ideas for next year......if that's OK with you!

I've tucked the camera away for a few days.......will bring it out Christmas Eve as we celebrate with family and friends. Meanwhile, I'm sharing some beautiful pictures depicting the season of the year. These have caught my eye, even taken my breath away...........for even though it's cold, damp, icy or snow covered in the Northern hemisphere, Nature still shines through sharing her beauty and bounty just in time for Christmas.



Enjoy your weekend............Christmas is not only coming, it's just about here!

Holiday Home Tour 2007

"Welcome!! Please come in."

The sun may be shining, the Autumn leaves are still falling......we're still raking.....and there's not a sign of white stuff due to the warm North Carolina weather. However, Christmas is almost here and you're invited to visit the cottage. Many of you will have seen my photos already ~ but hopefully you'll enjoy visiting again as there are a few changes ~ you know how we just can't seem to stop rearranging! Those of you who are first time visitors are so welcome to my home at Christmas.

Let's visit on the porch a while - a cup of English tea, a mug of hot raspberry chocolate, an espresso perhaps, a sip of sherry or a glass of good red (let someone else drive you home!), sorry no iced tea - I'm not that Southern yet!! Perhaps we'll open that big tin of Belgian chocolate biscuits, or I can warm up the mince pies with the melting rum butter, or how about a bowl of sherry trifle? We'll all start the diet after the holidays, right?

If you're here after dusk we'll light the candles and the fairy lights.

We'll turn up the volume so we can hear the angels caroling in the background.

Now we know each other a little better let's step inside and I'll show you my favorite Christmas vignettes for this season. I love to decorate my dining room ~ snowflakes at the window and my 'little uglies' the jesters clambering up the corner etagere.Rosemary and perfumed candles add to the Christmas scent.My living room is cozy, especially later when the fire is blazing and the many candles burning.If you have time I'd love to take you on a quick visit to the back garden. Duck as you go through the arbor, there are Christmas balls and lights hanging which you may not see in the daylight! Oh I almost forgot to tell you, and you were so polite not to ask the whereabouts of my Christmas tree! Yes it's here, lighting up the gazebo again this year as we're limited for space in the cottage. It's very lovely at night and quite safe from the prowling wildlife as the gazebo is screened.

Thanks for visiting ~ wish you could stay longer but I know you have many other homes to see on this tour - visit hostess Tracey at Notes From A Cottage Industry to see them all decorated for Christmas. Have fun, remember the true meaning of this holiday. and always keep the child within your heart........believe.

A very Happy Christmas to each of you.

Nesting Time

I need to take a few days off to regroup, write 'to do' lists for baking and cooking, do this baking and cooking, clean house for company that may stop by, and rake up piles of leaves so they can get to the front door!

I want more time to read ~ love descriptions of Christmas in beloved books, such as Frances Mayes' account of Christmas Eve in Cortona in Tuscany. I was there once in a perfect Autumn and long to return for the Holidays.

I must stop burning the midnight oil and have more time in my nest snuggled under the duvet. But please come visit me next Wednesday when I'll welcome you into my cottage for the Holiday Home Tour 2007.

Enjoy your nest this weekend!