Christmas Tree

My, how the time has flown, but 

it always does at this time of year.  

 You think you have plenty of time

 to do all the things you want and

 love to do and then, BAM! Christmas

is less than a week away.  Here is 

our Christmas tree and new electric 

fireplace !  I got it at Kmart and wish

I had gotten one last year.  We are 

having so much fun with it.    When

 we get home Mike will say, 

"I'll start a fire" and presses the button.

I hope our next home will have a 

real fireplace.  We do have a pellet 

stove in my studio, but it isn't the 

same as sitting in front of a real

fire.  Don't you agree?

Our Nativity.

For the past 2 weeks we have had

 robins visiting our yard late in the 

afternoon.   There appears to be

about 20 of them.

How many can you see in

this pic?   Click for larger view.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One of my favorite Christmas

 songs ------

Good King Wenceslas

Good King Wenceslas look'd out

On the Feast of Stephen,

When the snow lay round about,

Deep and crisp, and even.

Brightly shone the moon that night,

Though the frost was cruel,

When a poor man came in sight,

Gath'ring winter fuel.

~~~~~

"Hither, page, and stand by me,

If thou know'st it; telling,

Yonder peasant, who is he?

Where and what his dwelling?"

"Sire, he lives a good league hence,

Underneath the mountain;

Right against the forest fence,

By Saint Agnes' fountain."

~~~~~

"Bring me flesh, and bring me wine,

Bring me pinelogs hither;

Thou and I will see him dine,

When we bear them thither."

Page and monarch forth they went,

Forth they went together;

Through the rude wind's wild lament,

And the bitter weather.

~~~~~

"Sire, the night is darker now,

And the wind blows stronger;

Fails my heart, I know now how,

I can go no longer."

"Mark my footsteps, my good page,

Tread thou in them boldly;

Thou shalt find the winter's rage,

Freeze thy bloodless coldly."

~~~~~

In his master's steps he trod,

Where the snow lay dinted;

Heat was in the very sod

Which the saint had printed.

Therefore, Christian men, be sure,

Wealth or rank possessing,

Ye who now will bless the poor,

Shall yourselves find blessing.