Advent December 6, 7 & 8

Advent December 6  BlueJay

I haven't seen him yet this year.
In fact, I'm not sure IF i'll see him at all.
Every year when the fall rain gives way to sleet and snow
I am notified of this change
by a lone bright blue bird
visible from my bed
out in the big bare boxwood elder outside my window.
The bird always lets me know...
It's gonna snow now
for a long long time.
His absence is ovbious and yet the snow has surely fallen
Where is he?
Then I remembered, the blue feathers scattered across the yard in the late fall.
a wing
some pale gray down
It will be a miraculous treat
to see  you again
i wait with anticipation.

Advent December 6th Blue Jay
Blessing: Notice the small gifts outside your window

Advent December 7th  The Buck

I have seen this magnificent scene before
a lone deer crossing the river
and always felt
it was just for me
A shaman told me once it is a powerful omen
a good good blessing.
The other day, as I was driving home from the grocery next town over
I was blessed again
To see that same river, with the setting rays kissing the icey water
a dreamy far away glowing mountain range
in the background with a gigantic buck and his family
walking towards me
in the river
as if it were a road.
I don't know what kind of medicine that is
but it's the kind I like

Advent December 7th The Buck
Blessing: See the spirit in everything. God is talking.

Advent December 8 :Wild Winter Berries

I love this time of year when all goes white, illuminating pops of holiday red berries
twisted around spent limbs of summer's bloom
revealing their secret life
now exposed and begging
for picking
My all time favorite foraging ritual includes
gathering these branches
remember this one?
how i miss the Christmas Lamb dog!

blessing: hidden jewels await their reveal

xo milady

The Parade I Wasn't In & Woodland Advent status

<Woodland advent pile up to appear when I've got a minute to finish them!>

So, the parade was this weekend. You know i live for parades...they allow me to go public with my

kid-ness.  Well, it was going to be great...lamb dog was going to walk with me, the Spirit of Christmas.

My boys would be adorable elf attendants handing out red and white striped confections and waving from white horses.  My friend and her girls would be the snow angels and we'd all light up everyone's believe-o-meters to full charge.

Well, we were LATE and the stress was palpable.

the blue pear's window

Let's back up, here in happier times, my star candy cane distributor elf, Morgan all suited up and ready to go

While waiting for our ride, the lamb dog ran away! And it became quite apparent that she wasn't enjoying the stress level one bit.  Scratch that.  ps im not pregnant although my festive layers suggest otherwise.

The Live Nativity we so looked forward to only had a handful of adorable miniature donkeys. Sicilian, just like the one i've always wanted. The one i'd name Luigi. Mary, Joesph, the baby...all MIA. But maybe i missed that too.

I missed everything, because of that guy in the middle, you know, the happy elf ?

The hurry up stress combined with the siren of the fire truck made him stage shy and while crying about not wanted to do it, got a huge raging bloody nose all over his elf outfit...even more tragic? his elf shoe unravelled! He simply couldn't go on. So, the parade left us in the mud way at the other end of town where nobody cared i had a glorious headpiece with stars that changed colors.

By the time we caught up with the others, we found our "angels" in the nativity.

But don't be fooled...here they are attacking an elf.

Maybe next year!

The Christmas Lamb Dog

Blossom pretending to be the Christmas Goat in the Great Wood

(goat love) an adorable interlude

Yesterday's trip into the Great Wood

The Christmas Goat - Once upon a Blog (thanks for the inspiration Malin!)

Later today...Advent #3...still looking for the ONE.

xo milady

Obsession

antique German ornaments found at christmas past collector

I have a lambie obsession, I love them, I love the way they look, I love what they represent. Now that I have my own little lamb (who is a full grown overweight sheep) I am even more obsessed. Now I want a goat. Did I tell you about the goat? A goat came a wanderin' into our lives and stayed with us for almost a month. Naturally, we named him Goatie, he lounged on the deck, napped under the horses' feeder, snuggled with Lambie once she got over her fear of him.

Then, sadly, his owners came. He reluctantly left, rope around his neck, escaping his leash twice.

I miss that guy but I don't think Morgan misses him that much. At least when he's trying to paint en plein air.

Come springtime, I'm getting a baby goat. :)

xo milady

Christmas Spirit

me me on the moon

Lamb of God design

Hans Christian Anderson Billdebog cover

the bed i always dream of putting my children in Im having that Scandinavian/Old World pious feeling again with a little pinch of How the Grinch Stole Christmas (original of course).

xo milady