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| Nativity |
Today, I started to decorate for Christmas. I always like to set up the Nativity first. I don't have a stable so I thought a pine tree makes a nice backdrop. Yes, I am Buddhist and Christmas isn't my religion's holiday, but I do try to honor the spiritual aspects of it.
Then, I hung up the wreaths I've made over the years.
This one is on the front door:
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| Wreath for the Front Door |
The snowman wreath is in the dining area:
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| Snowman Wreath |
My mother had seen a picture of a similar wreath in a crafts magazine and liked it. We found the snowmen at Woolworth's one year and she bought them so I could make the wreath for her. It was her favorite wreath and the only one I put up the year she died (along with a throw I had crocheted, which she liked, and the cushion covers she had made).
This wreath is in the family room:
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| Family Room Wreath |
I have one other small wreath which I normally put on the inside of the front door, but I haven't put it up, yet.
I took a short walk up and down my block in the afternoon, but it tired me out! I ended up taking a nap, afterwards!
Later in the evening, I took the trash cans to the curb and did a load of laundry.
Monday's To Do List:
- Put away washed dishes - DONE
- Take the trash cans to the curb - DONE
- Holiday related things depending on how I feel - DID SOME
- Laundry - DONE
Tuesday's To Do List:
- Office work
- Pharmacy
- Grocery shop
- Bring trash cans in
- Write cards
- Trim the tree?
Today, I cooked a fish curry using canned mackerel (I read that mackerel was a good source of magnesium, although I am not sure if canned mackerel was as good as fresh) and cooked the frozen vegetable called murunga (also known as moringa or "drumsticks") I had bought from the Sri Lanka store. I had them with rice for dinner. A tangerine for dessert.
I also picked a pomegranate from my tree:
There are a couple more pomegranates still on the tree, but they are too high up for me to reach. I shall ask my gardener friend to pick them for me, later this week. This year's fruits are small in size due to the drought, but I am grateful to have them.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Feeling better
- Being able to start decorating for Christmas
- Pomegranates from my tree
- Phone call from aunt and cousin
- Video chatting with daughter
How was your Monday? How are your holiday preparations coming along?
- Laundry - DONE
Tuesday's To Do List:
- Office work
- Pharmacy
- Grocery shop
- Bring trash cans in
- Write cards
- Trim the tree?
Today, I cooked a fish curry using canned mackerel (I read that mackerel was a good source of magnesium, although I am not sure if canned mackerel was as good as fresh) and cooked the frozen vegetable called murunga (also known as moringa or "drumsticks") I had bought from the Sri Lanka store. I had them with rice for dinner. A tangerine for dessert.
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| Dinner: Rice, Fish, and Murunga |
I also picked a pomegranate from my tree:
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| Pomegranate |
There are a couple more pomegranates still on the tree, but they are too high up for me to reach. I shall ask my gardener friend to pick them for me, later this week. This year's fruits are small in size due to the drought, but I am grateful to have them.
Today, I am grateful for:
- Feeling better
- Being able to start decorating for Christmas
- Pomegranates from my tree
- Phone call from aunt and cousin
- Video chatting with daughter
How was your Monday? How are your holiday preparations coming along?
You have some very lovely wreaths. I like the fact that you celebrate the spiritual aspects of Christmas. I think we could all benefit from embracing the spiritual aspects of other religions.
ReplyDeleteThank you. I enjoy making wreaths, but I've had to stop because, unless I give them away, I run out of wall space to hang them!
DeleteThe Nativity is my favourite decoration and I put it up first this year as well. I kept baby Jesus wrapped up until Thomas came home because as the youngest it's his job to put him in the stable. Your wreaths are lovely especially the snowman one.
ReplyDeleteI wish we had fruit trees in our garden. Being able to just go and pick a pomegranate seems very exotic to me.
Will you daughter be coming home for the holidays? xx
Thank you, Suzanne. Maybe you can plant a fruit tree next year? Yes, my daughter will be here Thursday night and staying till January 2. Looking forward to that!
DeleteYour wreaths are just lovely! It is so nice to have wonderful memories connected to the snowman wreath isn't it? :)
ReplyDeleteDid I ever mention to you that my brother is a former Buddhist monk? He got very ill and had to leave the monkhood but hopes to return to it one day. He and I have the best talks because we both love to learn about other people's beliefs and the commonalities and differences. :)
I hope you have a lovely Christmas!
Thank you, Debbie. Yes, the snowman wreath is rather special to me.
DeleteNo, I don't think you ever mentioned about your brother having been a monk! How interesting! I hope he is in better health now.
I hope you, too, have a lovely Christmas. :)
The wreaths are beautiful, and I agree with your mom.. I love the snowmen wreath ..So pretty.
ReplyDeleteI really love the white nativity scene..
Proud you are feeling some better.. Hope you return to your full health, real soon.
Thank you, Judy. :) The nativity set was also from Woolworths, when we had one.
DeleteI loved Woolworths.. Sure hated when they closed.. We too , had the lunch counter.. It was such a treat.
DeleteIt was a fun store, wasn't it? The lunch counter was the best!
DeleteBeautiful wreaths, Bless! We haven't had Woolworths here for decades but I really enjoyed that store. Ours had a lunch counter and soda fountain. A very fun store!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carolyn. I can't remember when our Woolworths closed - back in the mid to late 90s, I'm sure. Ours had a lunch counter, too! I think my mother and I bought out the store when they had their store closing clearance sale! I still have some of the spools of Christmas ribbon I bought from them, for $.10 per roll!
DeleteI love the nativity (and why shouldn't you enjoy parts of another religion's festivals?) I can't get over you being able to pick pomegranates out of your garden, but more important - do you still have Woolworths over there? They are gone here, and sadly missed. x
ReplyDeleteNo, we no longer have Woolworths, here. They closed back in 1997. It used to be one of my favorite shops.
DeleteOften, people question why I celebrate Christmas, but my mother's family were/are all Catholic and I grew up with the tradition of celebrating some aspects of the holiday. :)