Thanks Giving

A sweet little Thanksgiving postcard from days gone by.  

The back of the card reads: 

"From your school-mate and cousin.  Margaret.  For-get-me-not."  

addressed to,

Miss Jena Zimmer

Humbolt, South Dakota

On Naming A House

When I a householder became

I had to give my house a name.

I thought I'd call it "Poplar Trees,"

Or "Widdershins" or "Velvet Bees,"

Or "Just Beneath a Star."

I thought of "House Where Plumbings Freeze,"

Or "As You Like it," "If Your Please,"

Or "Nicotine" or "Bread and Cheese,"

"Full Moon" or "Doors Ajar."

But still I sought some subtle charm,

Some rune to guard my roof from harm

And keep the devil far;

I thought of this, and I was saved!

I had my letter-heads engraved

 The House Where Brown Eyes Are. 

1917

There are wonderful Brown Eyes here, in my little house, deeply loved and cherished...

Autumn Colors

The chestnut trees turned yellow,

The oak like sherry browned,

The fir, the stubborn fellow,

Stayed green the whole year round.

But O the bonny maple

How richly he does shine!

He glows against the sunset

Like ruddy old port wine.

This little, red book of poems is very sweet too.  There are so many poems about life with mummy and daddy.  He reminds me of the poet and author A.A. Milne...  

Have a blessed week, happy days and may you weave many memories of love and joy throughout this holiday season....

Winter is in the air...

My son's very first snowman, ever.  The spirit of winters past...  He lived in our front yard in the snow of my son's seventh year...  I love his face.

Every year Omi sends Christmas ornaments to her grandson.  

This was his very first ornament... a wooden pony.

My Christmas craft from years ago, when they were Handmade By the Sea.  Now they are Made By Hand in an Acorn Forest in the wee hours of the night.  Same energy, different little cottage.  I lovingly apply the glass glitter to the reproduced images from my antique postcard collection.  Some of the glitter is vintage mica, but most is from Germany.  Silver glass glitter and Frost Flake from Japan.  I buy most of my beautiful glitter and tinsel from D. Blumchen.  Go to www.blumchen.com, you will love their advent calenders too!  The silver lametta that I use to hang the decorations was made in the same factory in Germany for the last 300 years on the original Victorian machines...  It is real silver, it develops a beautiful patina with age...  Unfortunately, some how the world forgot, or no longer values beautiful, handcrafted Christmas decorations and the company closed last year.  A 300 year old tradition gone in the blink of an eye.  How many things do we have access to that are still being created from that long ago?  How many can we count?  How many can we honor and save?  

I love to collect vintage Christmas items.  I love to think of the mothers and fathers that decorated their house with all of the sweet little trinkets and the children that sat mesmerized by their magic in anticipation of Christmas morning... Those wonderful, old treasures remind me of my childhood, they feel sweet, they have soul.

I made 31 decorations as a gift to the Friends of our little library.  They are on sale at our local art gallery.  I had to be invited by the director before they would offer my decorations so I was deeply flattered when they accepted my work.  I love the way the glitter sparkles in the evening light.  

Hot chocolate, ginger cakes, Christmas music, dim lights and ahhhh, my favorite holiday is right around the corner....  but Thanksgiving first.  

I am thankful for my life... Namaste.