It won't be long now............

     ............It is almost time for 2011 to step off of the stage and let 2012 make its entrance! Time for a new, fresh start.  A new beginning that I expect is headed somewhere special! 

We are watching the time tonight, many are making resolutions for goals to be realized in 2012.  I have never been much for grandiose resolves, not even much for simple resolutions. I learned long ago that it just sets me up for failure. I do have high expectations, however and expect good things with a new start.

In my Joyful Journey of Faith journal one page has a collage of many pictures that represent me - my life. One of those is a clock face with no hands. I try to do things in a timely fashion, especially when others are depending on me but I am not greatly concerned with time. I have enjoyed life in a relaxed manner, at peace with myself, God and others.

Tonight however, is a special night and I have my party shoes on!!!

My decanter is out and I am ready to celebrate the opportunities of a new year.

Yes, the time is drawing near to the beginning of 2012 when we can expect to live fully and courageously.  This life can be filled with sorrows and pain, this is a part of humanity and no one is immune. But, I choose to put any fears aside, embrace life as fully as possible and have hopeful expectations for the months ahead.

Back to party time and celebrating!  What does my decanter contain?

FAITH!  Faith in God, faith in the future with Him.

Faith supplies a lot of strength, come what may!

Faith to enter 2012 with hope and joy!

And, where are these shoes headed tonight?  They will be parked in a handy place to slip on when an occasion arises but tonight.............

This is my kind of New Year's Eve set-up!!

I will stay inside revelling in some good things of life while the air outside is filled with boisterous booms of my neighbors celebrations.

Wishing each one of you a great 2012!

Tea Treasures Thursday.......

     ......This is a good time, between Christmas and the start of a new year, to relax with a good cup of tea and reflect on past times and the new days ahead.............

Tea time can be an invigorating experience but for me it brings a comforting, peaceful feeling.

Today, I am using Royal Albert's Lilac Lane from their Archive Collection.  The four plates were brought to me from England by my daughter.

On another trip she brought a set of six cup and saucers.

Very nice to use when you want to see, sip and savor!

They afford a great tumble of colors, textures and shapes.

A great way to find beauty to elevate the "everyday" ~ ordinary days.

A place of calm opens the soul to its own pleasures.

Last View of Anything Christmas.......

So, what did I see the day after the Big day?...................

..........A totally intact red velvet cake! I forgot to take the picture until after I cut the big slice.  Christmas time is the only time I bake this cake even though it is my favorite. I also had an uncut ranchers pie. No one ate dessert except for one piece off of the next plate.

Santa hats.  I can improve on these next time by doing the "fur" around the bottom differently.

Sour dough bread.........yum, yum, yum. And, there is one of the dollar store pinecones. I managed to use most of the dollar store purchases.

This is a bright red large stoneware bowl from Target - reduced price $11.80.

It contains a southern recipe - boiled custard, similar to eggnog but contains no eggs.

Cream cheese tree with pepper jelly.

The table-setting was basically the same as my brunch table.  Rosemary sprig on the little dish. I must have been very tired by the time I set the table - no spoon and I didn't even notice until looking at the picture.  I will have to say, it wasn't me that placed the glasses on the wrong side.

Very large snowman stocking.

Comfy snowman in the snowman stocking.

Those that enjoyed the meal and fun together. Son-in-law and daughter seated and friends standing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Meek Were Kneeling...........

.........."BLESSED ARE THE MEEK,"  Jesus explained. Blessed are the available. Blessed are the conduits, the tunnels, the tools....

     That's why the announcement went first to the shepherds.  They didn't ask God if he was sure he knew what he was doing.  Had the angel gone to theologians, they would have first consulted their commentaries.  Had he gone to the elite, they would have looked around to see if anyone was watching.  Had he gone to the successful, they would have first looked at their calendars.
     So he went to the shepherds.  Men who didn't have a reputation to protect or an ax to grind or a ladder to climb.  Men who didn't know enough to tell God that angels don't sing to sheep and that messiahs aren't found wrapped in rags and sleeping in a feed trough...
     A small cathedral outside Bethlehem marks the supposed birthplace of Jesus.  Behind a high altar in the church is a cave, a little cavern lit by silver lamps.
     You can enter the main edifice and admire the ancient church.  You can also enter the quiet cave where a star embedded in the floor recognizes the birth of the King.  There is one stipulation, however.  You have to stoop.  The door is so low you can't go in standing up.
     The same is true of the Christ.  You can see the world standing tall, but to witness the Savior, you have to get down on your knees.
     So...

     while the theologians were sleeping
     and the elite were dreaming
     and the successful were snoring,
     the meek were kneeling.

     They were kneeling before the One only the meek will see.  They were kneeling in front of Jesus.

     ~  Max Lucado  ~  The Applause Of Heaven

More kitchen Christmas adornment...........

This big santa tray has a place of honor in the high chair each year.  The high chair once belonged to Anita Bryant, the singer. Anyone old enough to remember her? Her friend lived down the street from me at my last house and she put the chair in a garage sale.  I will try to remember to show you its details sometime.

I just left what stays on top of the refrigerator and added this berry wreath. The wooden butter mold was my mothers. I remember her making butter and shaping it in this. It was a perfect pound with the two flower shapes on the top.

My rug was a gift from a good friend one Christmas.

This trio of snow people are sitting on the stove top.

Another nice "Gifts From the Kitchen" Christmas brunch (explained in another post) container. It is hanging on the end of an upper cabinet. I added the keys.

On the door to the garage is my Christmas apron.

Both the wooden basket and snowman cookie jar were brunch containers - from two different years.

I love the bubble/glitter lights.

If you have been following you have seen these before.  They are so much a part of the kitchen here in the window over the sink that I had to include them in this post.

This towel is one of two sent from London by my son-in-law's mother. Please don't anyone tell her I opened the present and have been using it on my stove door before Christmas.

Those three on the upper deck could be my daughter, her husband and me!  I sure did enjoy riding the red buses in London.

I think I forgot to show a close-up of this chair in last nights post, although it was visible in an across- the-room picture. The moose with his big antlers with assorted decorations, including a bird and nest,  has been one of my favorites!  I have also been fond of the wooden angels. A small chair makes a great wall shelf.

I will end with another glitter light. And, say I hope that Jesus, the very reason we celebrate in this season, is The light of your life.  It is a dark place without him.

~~~~~~~

Then be you glad good people,

This night of all the year.

And light you up your candles,

For His star it shineth clear.

~~~

O come, let us adore him,

O come, let us adore Him,

O come, let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord!

It looks a whole lot like Christmas in the kitchen........

     .........When I unpack the kitchen decorations a lot of what usually sits out gets packed away. I took so many pictures in here that I am going to show them in two postings. 

This corner becomes totally filled up with Christmas.

The little wreaths on the cabinet knobs were used as napkin rings in other years.

Since you saw the out-dated wall border in that first picture ..........

I need to show you what's on the other two walls.  I painted the quote, "Every day comes bearing it's own gifts ~ Untie the ribbons" and cut out the flowers from the same border paper and used them between the words, tying the four walls together.

It has been this way since I first moved in here eight years ago and even though it is out of style I still like it.

Why this picture took on this tone, I don't know.  This is the middle section of the big shelf. I found the wire 'Charlie Brown' tree at a garage sale one year. Do you notice the blocks spelling Santa with the trees for A's

The left side.  The big boot with the cardinal was a container for the Gifts From the Kitchen brunch one year.  And the red and white plate was also.

The right side.

I made this wooden egg santa years ago.

Love this farmer cow carrying her cow

bell.

My good neighbor brought this ball to me this week along with other goodies.  The picture doesn't do it justice. I am sure it was molded but looks like a hand-done carving of the nativity. Very nice. I took the snowman down that was hanging from this shelf in the first picture and hung the ball there.

I've had this spiral tree for many years.

This couple is warming themselves close to the fire.

These two hang out under the little table year round but look festive with their berries.

I know they are no longer "in" either but they bring back good memories of long ago times.

~~~~~~~

That's it for #1 and will probably post #2 tomorrow.