Friday, November 24, 2017

A start to Christmas decorating

Hello Folks ~ Well, here we are past the first holiday of the season. I had a nice time with friends, plenty of delicious food, and gifted with take away for several meals here at home.

We’ve had more rain, and more rain. The ground has not dried out since hurricane Irma and tropical storm Philippe after that, and the T-storms and rain showers that have kept coming our way. I was finally able to get a load of laundry washed and hung out the other day. Got the grass mowed and did some trimming and weedwacking too.  Today it is beautiful out. Sunshine, breezy, some clouds and the humidity is less.

I did get outside this morning to do a little weeding and moved some potted plants. It felt good being outdoors.

Indoors, I’ve made a small start to decorating for Christmas. I just love doing this. I’ve got to get another small tree out of the attic and that should do it for the trees, a total of 3, plus my collectible iron rose tree that I bought many, many years ago at a local flea market for $10. It has 5 small light sockets hidden behind clusters of leaves, with an old chord and a dimmer switch also hidden behind a leaf. But, I bought battery operated lights with a timer 6 hours on 18 off, since the tree is not near an outlet.  It looks better in person than in the photo.  I’ll take more photos after I am done decorating the trees. The LED lights are weird to photograph.

11-20-rose-tree

One of the small trees.  I hung the mirror with painting on the wall for the reflections. DH and I got that frame probably from same flea market as the above iron rose tree. He painted the painting for the top, after an old master, but at the moment I can’t remember which one. Then put a mirror in the bottom and gave it to his mother for either Mother’s day or her birthday. one year. It hung in the family home by the front door as you entered.  I recently was given it and cried when I saw it. Another part of DH here with me.

11-23-tree2

11-23-marks-pntng

Remodeling work in the living room and bedroom is on hold until the new year. I decided that it is just too hectic with the holidays to even begin with the projects. But, amidst the chaos of boxes of stuff, decluttering, etc. I am still decorating. It puts more color and joy into this little cottage and I look forward to working on decorating for days to come.

Happy holidays and getting ready to celebrate Christmas. It is a wonderful time of year. Filled with love, peace, joy and goodwill.

FlowerLady

15 comments:

Pom Pom said...

Hi Lorraine! Oh, it looks SO pretty! I am going to spread out the decorating, too.

Melanie said...

Aren't leftovers from Thanksgiving the best? I haven't brought out my Christmas decorations yet - I'm just not feeling it yet. I love your little tree - it's really pretty. I'm glad to hear you're enjoying the decorating.

Karen said...

I'm so happy to hear you had a nice Thanksgiving! I love the mirror, your DH was so very talented! It is beautiful, and how wonderful you have it to cherish in your home now. Your Christmas decor is lovely, too! I'm glad you had some nice weather today; we hit an unheard of 61 degrees here on Friday! We'll be dropping back to the 30's tomorrow, but what a wonderful treat. Sending love and hugs, Karen

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi There, I'm so glad that you had a good Thanksgiving with friends.... Holidays can be hard after losing a loved one (as you know).... We had a good Thanksgiving also and the celebration continues for the next few days!

I also will begin decorating for Christmas this next week.... Like you, I love Christmas and love to re-live all of the memories from past years....

Hugs,
Betsy

Rebecca said...

The mirror and painting are beautiful! Great placement, too - reflecting the tree's lights...

I find the simple and relatively minimal decorating I've done here at Gatescroft brings a soothing, hopeful touch to our home this season. Thankful for Christmas carols playing on radio and all the reminders ot our Lord Jesus whose birth is celebrated intentionally or unintentionally at this time of the year! Light in our dark world.

Ruth Hiebert said...

I love the Christmas decorations. Many people say they don't decorate since no one will be coming to visit, but I do it because I enjoy seeing it.Have a wonderful coming week.

Sallysmom said...

Lorraine, that pic of the tree & mirror together would make a great Christmas card. Looks sort of old fashioned. Beautiful!

L. D. said...

I am really glad that you were able to get a start on Christmas decorating. It is a special time and the decorating really is just for the person who does it. We have collected trees and ornaments for years so we have evolved into five trees. A teddy bear tree is an easy one to do. I hope it stops raining. It can get to be overwhelming after while. Holidays bring up happy memories for me and also it can get to be sad or lonely because of the people we have lost. I try not to let the past drag me too far down but it is normal to be sad and it normal to be glad.

Cheryl said...

I love Thanksgiving leftovers! We've been enjoying them all weekend.

So exciting to see your Christmas decorations! It is such a beautiful season!

Jill said...

Beautiful!! :-) We are in desperate ned of rain here... just the opposite. Our pond is very low right now and everything so very dry. Hopefully we will get some soon. Have a wonderful week!

Blessings,
Jill

Leslie Kimel said...

Your decorations look so cozy and pretty. You're inspiring me to get busy!

Karen @ Beatrice Euphemie said...

So happy to hear that you had a nice Thanksgiving and with leftovers, too. That's the best! Your little trees are so sweet and the mirror is such a wonderful treasure. Nice to get outside in the fresh air. It's been very wet here, too, but warm (for us - 50's). Hope you have a lovely week decorating. I just put away the fall decorations - I'm way behind! Hugs xo Karen

Junkchiccottage said...

It is beginning to look like Christmas at your home. Love what you have done so far. So pretty. Glad you had a great Thanksgiving and shared that wonderful meal with friends. Have a great new week ahead. Enjoy all your decorating.
xoxo
Kris

Deb @ Frugal Little Bungalow said...

I think that the best thing about Thanksgiving is the leftovers and the turkey soup after that :)

Your decorations thus far look wonderful and I am glad to hear of your progress there after the hurricane.

I have little trees here too ( No room for big ones in this bungalow ) and less decor / trees etc. can be put out this year with my son and his dog here right now but it's fine. They are more important.

M.K. said...

FL, it sounds like your spirits are up! I'm so glad Thanksgiving was fun, but very sad for all the prolonged sogginess down your way. Irma was a long time ago! That's a very wet autumn. It's so hard to mow and stay ahead of anything, when it rains all the time. May you have a dry spell! I haven't started Christmas decorating yet; we are slow this year. I did the church (Advent is coming), so that is what I've done so far.