A Joyful Noel...

If, as Herald we fill our lives with things and again with things, if we consider ourselves

so unimportant that we must fill every moment of our lives with action, when will we have 

time to make the long, slow journey across the desert as did the Magi

Or sit and watch the stars as did the shepherds?

Or brood over the coming of the child as did Mary....

~ For each of us, there is a desert to travel..

A star to find and a being within our selves to bring to life...

( Taken with kindness from Simple Abundance)

Ooh...

only

Three more sleeps to go...

~ We have been taking time out to just be this weekend...

~ Amongst all of the business of planning, schedule, ritual and

customs....

We took a little retreat!

We have been here...

The Lake side Hotel......

Newby Bridge

On Lake Windermere...

The most amazing view from our room window...

~ We found escape in the scenery and walks here....

Just beautiful!

Mr Rosey Tinted Spectacles took his training shoes of course...

~ and ran those surrounding hills....

He finds his peace and calm by this

 and asks for nothing else but to run and run some more...

( a little like Forrest Gump)

He will even run on Christmas day, you know!

Contemplating a run?

I found my calm by nature...

I always do...

We both certainly recharged our batteries...

The biggest blessing was really this though...

~

~ When we returned back home Dean was there, safe and sound...

The best Christmas present...

Home

All together for the Christmas break...

In just 'Two' nights time it is my most favourite night of the year...

Christmas Eve..

Then all the magic begins...

~

I would like to Wish you all the blessings and indeed trimmings 

of the season as you prepare for your own special time to

celebrate with your dear loved ones....

Have a Joyful Noel, dear blog friends...

~ And Thank You, dear Willie for Christmas gifts for all my 

kitties...

They loved them, they really did!
Most especially Willow!

We both know Christmas is for kitties too!
It just is...

You are indeed the kindest of kind!

Twinkles and Christmas blessings

******

Maria x

A Winters Tale....

The Little Match Girl

BY KNIGHT OF THE WHITE ELEPHANT OF BURMah WILLIAM MCGONAGALL

It was biting cold, and the falling snow,

Which filled a poor little match girl’s heart with woe,

Who was bareheaded and barefooted, as she went along the street,

Crying, “Who’ll buy my matches? for I want pennies to buy some meat!”

~ 
"Pull up chair and pop on some cocoa....
~ for I have a tale to tell"......
Not a tale by Hans Christian Anderson.
But a true story never the less...

A Winters Tale.

A true story..

Last week I was lucky enough to be squeezed in

 for a late appointment for

my' flu jab'..... 
Relief!

Like sooo many ~

I had been hit hard over the Christmas period with the dreaded 'lurgy'
flu last year and I must confess Christmas and New year passed me pretty 
much by....

~ Leaving the surgery I was told there was nothing to pay...
I was after all a carer for my Mama?
I protested to say I wasn't a carer now...
~ I had lost my dear, Mum some years before......
~ I was told "it was fine I was still on the system as one"
and for this the flu jab was free to me..
~ Thinking in my minds eye, this was an lovely act of kindness.....
I thought to my little self!
"Busker or Christmas bucket, you will have my Ten pound note!!

~ Rushing I am always  seen to be rushing...
I carried on to work...
~ But stopped in my track as  there on the corner of  the busy shopping 
street was a young, so very young girl....
Not selling little matches, but the 'Big Issue'!
~ Now any one who may know me well, would know that I think, not having a home
 is one of the cruellest and saddest things not to have...
In fact I would go as far as to say
" That this charity is soo very close to my heart"!
I watched a program a while ago now, where celebrities, such as Coronation street's
Les Battersby and others battled it out on the streets of our cities for
 a few nights in the cold, cold winters nights....
Boy, they struggled!
~ and some quit before the program was finished airing!
cold, achy, hungry and lonely!

Oops please revert your eyes and head to see this picture!
Thank you x
( I need Miss Olivia to help me with
 photograph 'swiffle' rounds and alas she is not here, just now)
Hehe!

~Now where were we?
Ooh yes....
The little girl selling the 'Big issue' no word of a lie
looked around twelve years of age...
~She proceeded to tell me that she was in fact..
" sixteen and married and having a child"!
~ Her Father had just passed away and her husband was leaving her...
She had the saddest brown eyes I have ever seen...
she looked too young to be broken, by life and circumstances of  her culture!
~ I gave her my ten pounds and a little more from a' whip' around in my purse!
I was more than happy to do so...

I would love to think she told her story to others that day in town...
~ 
~ as she sold the magazine...
( I am sure she did)
In fact  I would go as far as to say" I hope she jolly well did"!
and for those who could 'spare' a little kindness....
Well as the saying goes...
" This goes a long, long way"

I hope you didn't mind me telling you my
 Winters Tale,
The video by David Essex
I included this because my Mama just loved this song...
she said it 
"Reminded her of our own sadnesses"
many Christmas's ago...
and that we were not alone with grief at Christmas time...
It could happen and did happen at any time...
There would be others who would draw their curtains to
the world like us...
~ while their hearts healed from sadness....
God bless them all.....

~ 

( Post card, above
 " Be still and listen the earth is sleeping, 
by Karen from
beautiful' Moon light and hares 'blog)

~ Talking of more kindness!
Last week I received a lovely, lovely parcel ...

~ From my lovely blog friend, Yvonne.
From 'Winter Moon' blog.....
Yvonne's writes such wonderful, interesting posts!
  Full to the brim of  black and white Nostalgia!
~ captured mostly in movies of past times...
 It's always a delight to read!
http://www.wintermoon.co.uk/

Thank you sooo much Yvonne!
~ A girl can never have to many kitties, or kitty ornaments...
~And I LOVE the language of Flowers and of course my little black cat
necklace!
And the post cards, sooo pretty!

I am going to close for now
  ~ wishing you all a week full of all the trimmings 
of the season...
"Only 8 more sleeps till Christmas"!
Take time to dream, lovely blog friends...
Twinkly hugs 
"I am dedicating this post to those who have lost at Christmas time.
And  to those who find them selves lost, helpless, sick and indeed with out shelter"...
While most of the world celebrates....
You "draw your curtains in"
God bless you all...
Maria x

On The Eleventh Day Of Christmas....

On the eleventh day of Christmas,

 my true love gave to me Eleven pipers piping,

 ten lords a-leaping, nine ladies dancing, eight maidsa-milking, seven swans a-swimming, six geese a-laying,

Five golden rings.Four calling birds, three French hens, two turtle doves 

And a partridge in a pear tree.

Counting down the busy days now.....

~ and jingling all the merrily way!

Busy with Bumble Bee!

But thinking of you all this Yule tide countdown...

The' Little green fire tree', straight and slim is finally decked...

~ Sadly 'Bob' our little tree from many Christmas moons

ago ( like the baby lambs) didn't survive well during the cruel spring time frosts
and bitter snow falls...

We have a new potted tree named Roberta!

She lights out kitchen with the prettiest twinkly festive glow!

Tonight I will be watching one of my Christmas movie favourites...

The Holiday!

I love the scenes in the typical English country pub!
And of course 'Rose cottage'!

It makes for a wonderful festive countdown....

With a nice glass or two of Oyster bay, I may add!

shhhh don't tell!

~ Tomorrow I will be in Bumble Bee for our 2nd Sunday opening!

~ Such fun!

Keep well and keep cosy lovely blog friends!

We are all busy, I know....

May the blessings of the season

 be with you all....

I will be talking more 

~ story telling soon of

'The Little Match girl'.......

A Winter's True Tale....

That saddened my heart!

See you all then...

And also of the kindest of kind give away I received  too!

Hugs and Twinkles to you all
~ Only Eleven more sleeps till Christmas!

Maria x

********
After word!
Had to let you all know my wonderful news..
I have just had a call from Dean.
A cheery one too..
I have just ran around the room, TWICE!
and rung my entire family....
~ I told them all to" tune into Question of sport" tomorrow as Dean is to be a guest on the show...
haha!
Oops
What I should have said is this...
" Dean has VIP tickets for not only
Sports Personality of the year" !!!
And the after party too!
Whoop! whoop!
I'm gonna be glued to the TV tomorrow looking for my boy!
Silly me. must be that Oyster Bay!
Wonder if Andy Murry is gonna take the prize?
What do you think?
~ 

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) http://sea-angels.blogspot.co.uk/ 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