Christmas 2012

Since I retired last year  I had time this Christmas to slow down a little.   I took a day to gather greens and holly to  make a wreath. It wasn't totally even but the fragrance of white pine and balsam made me high.
I have to make one every Christmas now.  New tradition.  I didn't know holly berries stayed nice so long.

 I filled a basket with the same greens, slate and jingle bells.

I gave some pine to our moose

On Christmas Eve my hubby took me back in the woods to a spot where crowfoot grows. We gathered lichen for the amaryllis and crowfoot for the antler candleholder.

and I managed to get some Christmas stockings made.

We had all our kids and grandchildren in before Christmas--which was really good since we ended up getting snow on Christmas!  Christmas eve we managed to put together a 7-fishes dinner.  We started with dilled herring on good bread, smoked trout spread on crackers, and lobster bisque. Next we fried some haddock and scallops and added coconut shrimp and a caesar salad with anchovies.

We had our Italian dinner on Christmas Day (Beef Braciole) complete with Christmas crackers and Christmas snow.  

It was a wonderful Christmas--our first with our new granddaughter and two little grandsons--three little ones now!!! And the snow allowed a lot of time to just relax by the Christmas tree and dream.

It was a wonderful Christmas, special gifts and special, special people.