rekindled spirit

suprise fresh snow this week after weeks of this - just in time for the moon’s birthday- perfect for a walk that lifted our spirits -

just in time for a polar festival over at be.dream.&.play - in eb’s words: create whatever comes most naturally to you -  a photo, a journal page, a painting, a story, a poem… whatever you would like to share...get more details here

a big smile, a huge hug and a thank you to dear amy (check out her wednesday whispers this week)- she awarded me the you cheer me up award last week - she perhaps has no idea that she puts a smile on my face everytime i’m over at petticoatlane- so i am re-awarding it to her and to steph, constance, corey, melanie, somepinkflowers, and the original snow queen herself eb! thank you to all of you for being genuine-for being who you are- it cheers me up!!!!

a very happy birthday to the birthday club and our sweet boy- over the weekend short, dark, and handsome also known as the moon turned 2 along with  the birthday club-  we hornored him  with a birthday brunch, a birthday walk, and wienerle, his favorite food for dinner- we then joined the birthday club for our annual celebration.

it is christmas day today in eritrea (also in russia and greece- or anywhere coptic/greek orthodox is practiced).  although for operational and business purposes the julian calendar is used, christmas is celebrated on january the 7th becuase the coptic or greek orthodox follow the gregorian calendar to mark holy days.

my family like the majority of eritrean christians is coptic orthodox and observes both christmas days. this perhaps is because eritrea is a former italian colony and the 25th was recognized as christmas and a holy day during the colonization (when my parents were children) and the fact that almost all of my life we lived where christmas was celebrated on the 25th of december.  we have a family dinner and exchange gifts on december 25th and celebrate january 7th by cooking lamb and gathering for a traditional eritrean feast.  

two christmases was confusing for me as a child. i never knew how to explain it to my friends until i was old enough to understand the difference between the gregorian and julian calendars. my mother always joked and told me that we celebrated on the 7th of january because it took them two extra weeks to come tell us in africa that jesus christ was born- it made me giggle everytime !

merry christmas once again!!!

walks, talks, and coffee invitations- 

brunches, lunches, and birthday celebrations- 

dinner dates, concerts, and firework sensations

games, songs, and fireside creations

staying up late: good book, telephone calls, and a movie for apprecation

sleeping in, cuddling the precious ones,  holding love close and tight.

“die woche hat das schönste ende”- p.t. schulz 

“the week has the most beautiful ending”  painting by p.t. schülz, a wonderful german artist, poet, photographer, and author,  that i discovered over the holidays. he often gives his paintings quotes for titles- which i enjoy!

a very happy, healthy, and peaceful 2008!!!!

if you lived in germany you would spend the month of december visiting the christmas markets or weihnachts markts in your area

this centuries old traditon starts at the first of december marking the beginning of advent. christmas markets are held in the center of towns, villages, and cities all over the country- the world famous one being the christkindelmarkt  in nürnberg

it would be a feast for your senses: aroma of roasted chestnuts lingering in the air, the softly lit stands filled with the work of of fine sculptors, painters, woodcarvers, and jewelers, and the sound of christmas carols rotating between choirs

it’s the perfect opportunity to meet with friends and get some christmas shopping done- you would perhaps buy handmade glass or wooden-carved christmas decorations, candles, wooden toys, special sausages,

and for about €5  you could buy yourself some peace and a lot of joy for the little ones-  that’s a cup of gluwein and a couple of rides on the carousel!

fröhliche weihnachten! i wish all of you peace of mind, joy in your hearts, and a very, very  merry christmas!