Elegant Rose

Tuesday 3 December 2013

Advent begins....

Advent 1955

by

           John Betjeman.



The Advent wind begins to stir
With sea-like sounds in our Scotch fir,
It's dark at breakfast, dark at tea,
And in between we only see
Clouds hurrying across the sky
And rain-wet roads the wind blows dry
And branches bending to the gale
Against great skies all silver pale
The world seems travelling into space,
And travelling at a faster pace
Than in the leisured summer weather
When we and it sit out together,
For now we feel the world spin round
On some momentous journey bound -
Journey to what? to whom? to where?
The Advent bells call out 'Prepare,
Your world is journeying to the birth
Of God made Man for us on earth

***********

( Twinkly winter angel from Lynn's beautiful  blog)





Hello how are you ?
 Happy Twinkling Advent to you all too!
I've been away from blog land for a short while...
Beavering away with Bumble Bee and taking time out to visit Dean in 'Brum'!!
~ Which was very lovely!
~ Birmingham  on the other hand I must say
 was "crazy, mad and bonkers" already with Christmas shoppers everywhere to be seen!
Ooh the joys of the season...




December
 has arrived with her gifts of custom, ceremony, celebration and indeed miracles.
She kinda caught me by surprise!



I'm not at all sure how I managed to be surprised by her presence 
as Yuletide has been with me in the shop since September!
With wreaths of bright red berries and naughty pixies getting up to all kinds of mischief! 
I've heard their distant chuckles from the brightly lit window displays..
'HO HO HO' ...
They can be quite mischievous, you know!






Hurrah!
 It's that time of year once more where I go home covered
in glitter and smelling of freshly made gingerbread and cinnamon
candles....
Such fun!



******





~ We have been asked to bring out the
"Wish book" 
in the shop again this year!
It always works a treat..
 Folks can get in the mood by writing their name
 and the gift they so desire for Their loved one/Santa Claus to bring them..
Very magical...
We always say
 'Wishes don't have to be in Fairy Tales to come true"
and it nearly always helps the men folk out when they enter through
the door looking rather lost and bewildered!





To be honest I am a thinking of adding my own 
Wish
in the 'Wish book'...
~ But I don't think Santa could bring this just at the moment anyways!
Our visit to Dean was for a very good reason..
He has a bad injury and will be out of running for some time..
His body, I believe had asked him for time out..
~ and he just didn't listen...
He will be home for Christmas time...
and hopefully running/training again by March..
Fingers and toes crossed tightly!
( I have popped this wish in my wish box too)



Sending out wishes is my most favourite
'Twinkly
thing to do!

'







How's December looking for you lovely blog friends?
Are you beating those winter blues...
~ and have you started 'decking the halls?'...
Wishing you all the trimmings of the 'advent' count down...
And hoping to visit you all very soon!
~ With of course a nice pot of tea or even a glass of Damson Gin!
Well 'tis the season to be merry!
Hugs and twinkly kisses..
******
Maria x










20 comments:

  1. Glad you had a nice time in Birmingham, Maria, and hope Dean's taking it easy ... Am sure you'll be mothering him when he comes home! I have yet to deck my halls ... Am panicking a bit this year, so little time and so much to do ....

    Thanks for your lovely comments over at Thriftwood, and hope you can pop in my little shop soon!

    Love Claire xx

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  2. What a lovely post. I always enjoy coming by your blog and seeing all your wonderful images.

    I do hope Dean gets well soon, but it will be lovely for you to have him home for Christmas.

    My daughter and I have started creating our decorations, but aren't quite ready to deck the halls just yet. Plenty to keep us busy in the coming weeks though.

    Have a wonderful evening,

    May all your wishes come true

    Yvonne xx

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  3. Hi dear Maria,
    How nice to read this lovely post. I somehow think that if we were to meet and i was to sit in your home..I would feel i had been there forever.
    So sorry to hear about Dean. I wish him a speedy recovery. I am sure you will enjoy having him home to spoil.
    I too have been absent from my blog. Due to illness in the family, then another blogger hitch. but i am back on track.
    Wishing you a happy advent. I cannot believe how this year has gone so quickly.
    with love and hugs.. val x x x x

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  4. "If cold December gave you birth,
    the month of snow and ice and mirth.
    place on your hand a Turquoise Blue,
    success will bless whate'er you do".

    HeHe! Men folk looking lost and bewildered....
    That's certainly true....I always laugh to see men,
    this time of year..Christmas shopping...The expressions
    on their faces, really make me laugh...They say to me..
    "What do you buy someone who has everything"?
    And, l say "Penicillin". :>).

    I take everything in my stride...One day at a time.
    Wrapped prezzies last weekend...Tippex last years
    old cards...Wrote some of them, then all need to buy
    is envelopes....(Actually..I do that...Just for close friends).

    Well...Best get on....7:15, and still dark, time for a 2nd lemon
    tea...God Bless! Hope Deans o.k. soon...Tell him to rest up.
    All that running about....HeHe! Great!





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  5. Morning, Willie...Hope you are well...I am wearing a ,blue lace agate as I do every day..,,Helps open the throat chakra ....So I can speak what's on me mind!! hehe...Thanks for thoughts on Dean, it's a stress fracture in a bad place on the hip! He is prone to these with his disability...(3rd one) He's down in the dumps but had a great write up in the Athletics weekly this week! ~ any one who iives with an athlete will know that when they can't run they are not always the best company! :( i live with two!!

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  6. I have missed you greatly, Maria! But to sense your sweet spirit here with your lovely photos and words, it feels SO GOOD.. Welcome back my beautiful friend! Anita

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  7. Dear Maria, thank you for coming over to welcome me home. I have much to catch up with on your lovely blog and will enjoy doing so. I’m going to take my time to read and enjoy everything I’ve missed. December has rather taken me by surprise too; I’m still in summer holiday mode.
    I’m so sorry to read about Dean’s injury. He is in my thoughts as are you dear Maria. Love and hugs, Barbara.
    PS please could I have a mince pie with my damson gin? :-)

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  8. Dear Maria ... I wondered where you had gone ... it's been a while!
    I am so sorry to her that Dean is injured ... I do hope he will take it easy and take time to recover gradually. He will get lots of love and attention from you over Christmas I know!
    I LOVE that dear little doll in your first picture. It must be lovely to work in the shop and be surrounded by such sweet treasures.
    M xx

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  9. Hi Maria, I wish your son well, and speedy recovery, although these things can't always be rushed, unfortunately. I love your fairy from Sea Angels, one of my favourite blogs. Glad to see you back in the blogosphere...

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  10. Hello you..Oh I love your angels Maria . Lynn is so talented..Sounds like you have had a busy time,with work and poor Dean, I hope he has a good rest now, I bet he hates not going running..

    I hope you are well, its that time of year when we all have so much to do and everybody wants a piece of you...We have just had a weekend away just to slow things down a bit..
    Thinking of you Maria
    Thea xx

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  11. Hi Maria, There are so much joys of the season here!-beautiful pictures, music and poem! I'm so sorry to hear about Dean's news, that must be such a blow for him.
    Sarah x

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  12. Hello Maria. Hope Dean is resting and that he will soon be back to full fitness. I havent even started 'decking our halls' yet Maria. Another couple of weeks perhaps yet. I love to see all the lovely things you have both at home and in your lovely shop. Wishing you love X

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  13. Good morning beautiful Maria!

    Thank you for coming to visit me yesterday! I loved reading about how you chose to be a SWAN for your school assignment; I still wonder sometimes what I would want to be if given a chance to change into something for at least one day: A WHITE HORSE! teheheeheeheh

    We got snow yesterday and though it was treacherous to drive in, it is gorgeous. Enjoy your advent celebrations! Anita

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  14. Hello marvelous Maria ,
    I always love time spent here , so comfy and lovely you make it.
    I can smell the gingerbread , see the sparkles, and feel wishes coming true. You put such wonderful energy into your post ~ magical really. I adore it .
    I do hope Dean mends well for Spring training and that he manages to somehow enjoy his rest off.
    Please tell your lovely Olivia and handsome Patrick that we at the farm all say
    " Seasons Greetings " I hope to hear more of Olivia's singing in the future :)
    Be well my sweet friend,
    Willow

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  15. The Advent poem is beautiful I really enjoyed it. The wish book sounds like a great idea. I hope you are having a wonderful week!

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  16. Hi Maria,

    Lovely photo's from your shop Maria and such a beautiful poem! Wishing you a Happy weekend ahead!

    Madelief x

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  17. Lovely Maria, your posts are always a feast for the senses and the soul - just simply beautiful. Sorry to read of Dean's injury and I hope he will be over it soon. I haven't dared venture into Brum lately but am planning a trip to the Christmas market sometime soon. We're planning to put up the tree and deck the halls this weekend - yay,
    Wishing you a happy weekend,
    Hugs xxx

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  18. Oh hope Dean is on the mend !! sometimes our bodies do tell us that we need a rest and he has achieved such a lot recently !! Love your little angel.. so sweet and I love to have a wish box ...well mine is a jar but I think it works all the same hehe ! have a nice weekend...Gail x

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  19. Υour first photo capture the spirit of Christmas, and my eyes, so perfectly well! Good to hear from you and taste your sweetness Maria! I was absent too for a while but I'm overcoming the problems I have had.
    Happy 2 Advent and best wishes from me!
    Olympia

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  20. Yes.. we are all a-twinkle here in CraveCute Land! Lovely photos and such sweet words... adding Damson Gin to my wish box.... heehee...

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