Buh Bye 2017. Don't let the door hit you on the way out.

Nippy!

The Holy Father's Christmas Message

My thanks to Catreona for setting this to post for tonight, since I was AWOL!!!! 💙❤️💜

Today, as the winds of war are blowing in our world and an outdated model of development continues to produce human, societal and environmental decline, Christmas invites us to focus on the sign of the Child and to recognize him in the faces of little children, especially those for whom, like Jesus, “there is no place in the inn” (Lk 2:7).

Pope Francis’s Urbi et Orbi 2017 Christmas message: full text - from catholicherald.co.uk

Oops! Sorry! (I'm still alive!)

We're expecting -12F tonight.

So far it's -14F.

Bearing Love

Boxing Day

Merry Christmas!

Christmas Eve

It appears that Aslan has broken the White Witch's spell! 

Mind you, everything is still frozen, yet with her power in Narnia 

it was "always Winter, but never Christmas"

…and we have made it to Christmas!

Christmas Eve Day

Carolers

Bon Fire

Unicorn

Let's Meet for Lunch

Covered Bridge

Got our tree...and made it into the Burlington (VT) Free Press...!

Below is the link to a Burlington Free Press article that shows us getting our tree onto Root*Center*Son's car!

There's this photo of Mah*Sweetie and VT*Grand. 

We are also in the video (he and me in the background at the 1 minute mark, 

then the 4 of us getting the tree onto the car from 1:21 onward). Enjoy!

http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2017/12/17/vermonters-weigh/959452001/

Tree 🎄

This is in my yard!

Chair in the Children's Library

Boston at Christmastime

Boston Symphony Orchestra Holiday Pops

I'm headed here tonight...

It's impressive that they can play despite all the colour and design changes and the LIGHTS.

This will be my view, as we're sitting somewhere in the Second Balcony. Ha!

Feast of St. Lucia

H A P P Y 🕯 C H A N U K A H

Slopes

Oops! Looks like I missed a day!

I had posts set through this weekend, and didn't catch that I missed the 11th.  Heh.

Second Sunday of Advent

The LOVE candle is lighted, as well as last week's HOPE candle.

Advent Bush 😉

Barn

Snowflakes

The Feast of St Nicholas

In spite of his widespread fame, Saint Nicholas, from the historian's point of view, is hardly more than a name. He was born in the last years of the third century in Asia Minor. His uncle, the archbishop of Myra in Lycia, ordained him and appointed him abbot of a nearby monastery. At the death of the archbishop, Nicholas was chosen to fill the vacancy, and he served in this position until his death. About the time of the persecutions of Diocletian, he was imprisoned for preaching Christianity but was released during the reign of Emperor Constantine.

Popular legends have involved Saint Nicholas in a number of charming stories, one of which relates Nicholas' charity toward the poor. A man of Patara had lost his fortune, and finding himself unable to support his three maiden daughters, was planning to turn them into the streets as prostitutes. Nicholas heard of the man's intentions and secretly threw three bags of gold through a window into the home, thus providing dowries for the daughters. The three bags of gold mentioned in this story are said to be the origin of the three gold balls that form the emblem of pawnbrokers.

. . .

The story of Saint Nicholas came to America in distorted fashion. The Dutch Protestants carried a popularized version of the saint's life to New Amsterdam, portraying Nicholas as nothing more than a Nordic magician and wonder-worker. Our present-day conception of Santa Claus has grown from this version.

https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/liturgicalyear/calendar/day.cfm?date=2017-12-06

ACTION ITEM!

ACTION ITEM!!  Call these two Senators and ask WHY!  They need to hear from We the People!

I called them both. I was surprised that I was so emotional on the phone. I told them that my husband and I are nearing retirement and this and the Tax Bill are freaking us out. Both staffers who answered were appropriate and said their Senator felt that the 60 vote margin would be sufficient and that they voted no to be able to keep conversing with Republicans on the issue. 

So I said that the 50 vote thing has been really hard to take, and I'm not sure 60 will really stand. I asked the staffer to tell the Senator that we feel that we are being taxed twice, that SS & Medicare and Medicaid have been robbed and not replenished and that these are NOT part of the deficit but our money that has been taken out of our pockets. 

I closed by making a point of thanking the person who is answering the phones, thanking them for being there, sticking with it through these really hard days, and that We the People really need someone who can hear us and convey our concerns. Be sure to thank the staffer; it's a really hard job.

Earlier main post:

On the First Day of Advent, I got to hear Vermont's vocal ensemble Anima in person 

for the first time.  They were accompanied by Fyre and Lightning Consort 

on harp, recorder, lute, tin whistle, and even bagpipes!  

The woman who plays harp also plays various recorders 

and tin whistle, and sings sweet soprano with the ensemble as well.  

She is seen here, with long dark hair,  just above harp.

Oh my goodness!  Have a listen!  https://store.cdbaby.com/cd/anima72

Ready the Sleigh!

JOY

Advent begins

On the first Sunday of Advent the HOPE candle is lighted.

Here it Comes

Welcome December!

They can now put on their resume "I caught the Red Dot"!

Goodbye November

Author Birthdays Today

Madeleine L'Engle  📚  C.S. Lewis  📖  Louisa May Alcott

And Tomorrow: 🌈 Lucy Maud Montgomery ✨

and Mark Twain