Sunday, December 10, 2017

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!


It certainly is the most wonderful time of the year!  Our Christmas tree is decorated and ready for all the presents we've been buying to be wrapped and place beneath it. 


We have been enjoying holiday parties, gingerbread house making, a light parade, Santa Claus visits and church services, where we celebrated the second week of Advent this Sunday. The next few weeks I'll be busy making our favorite Christmas cookies and a favorite savory Zeppole treat.

The beautiful bright Super Moon that passed this month reminded me of the special star that heralded the birth of Jesus and which led the Wise Men to his simple and humble birthplace in a stable, where He lay in swaddling clothes in a manger. The King of Kings who came to teach us to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor like yourself."



As you can see on my Mille Fiori Facebook page on this link, we had horse-drawn carriage rides in our neighborhood recently.  It was fun to sing "Jingle Bells," along with all the riders, as we rode through the neighborhood under the bright moon.




I wanted to share this photo from my MilleFioriFavoriti Instagram feed. As you can see the Colorado foothills that surround us are dry and without a speck of snow! We have had an unusually warm autumn here this year, due to a La Nina weather pattern, and the weatherman tells us that no end is in sight. This Sunday it was 62 degrees Fahrenheit in the Denver area. We can go outside wearing only a sweater or light jacket. I took this photo because I saw this bird flying by, and from a distance, I thought it was a bald eagle. When I came home and cropped the photo I laughed, as you can see it is a crow carrying a white bag in his mouth. Maybe he was doing a little Christmas shopping? I hope this photo always made you smile!  


Enjoy this most wonderful time of the year!


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47 comments:

Stacey said...

Beautiful!! Your tree is amazing. Love seeing the eagle.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Your tree is stunning.It really is the most wonderful time of the year-end mostly because we celebrate the birthday of Jesus.

Lady Fi said...

No snow? That is bad! We only have a sprinkling here too, although there is lots in other parts of Sweden.

Lovely festive tree - and I had to wonder about that last photo!

Daniela said...

Dearest Pat,
how beautiful your Christmas Tree is, and you really made me lagh watching at your last shot, the bird you caght has truly made some Christmas shop !
Alas, it's not a good thing to have such a dry season, we too don't see any rain for so long after the driest Summer we can remember ...

Wishing you a peaceful new week, sending blessings to you all

XOXO Dany

eileeninmd said...

Hello, your Christmas tree is beautiful. The carriage ride and singing sounds like a fun time. I think we have your snow here, I wish I could send it to you. I rather have weather in the 60's. Wishing you a blessed advent season and a happy Christmas. Happy Monday, enjoy your new week ahead.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Your tree is wonderful How fun to have a sleigh ride this time of the year! Fun not eagle photo.

Vee said...

Classic and beautiful tree location! Looks like a Victorian Christmas card. That photo of the bird still makes me laugh! Merry on, Pat!

Lorrie said...

Your home is beautiful and welcoming in its Christmas decor. The "eagle" photo makes me laugh. Have a blessed Advent.

Tom said...

..."It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" you can say that again. What a festive tree, thanks for stopping by and enjoy this exciting season.

Tamar SB said...

So beautiful!!

Snap said...

Merry Merry Merry!!! Beautiful!

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

It DOES make me smile! How many times I've photographed something and looked at it on my computer and it's not what I thought! I hate finding out I've captured 'trash' in the water or in the woods when we hike. You've made a beautiful mosaic of fun family pics and I love those holiday mugs. Your tree is gorgeous too! I think about how many years we've been blog friends and I feel so very blessed. Holiday hugs!

Sylvia said...

Pat, The tree looks gorgeous. Crows are gathering at this time of year too! We can not have all the fun. Thanks for sharing. Sylvia D.

Michelle said...

Your tree is gorgeous! The carriage rides look fun, as well. Been a while since I have taken one.

csuhpat1 said...

Very beautiful tree.

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Even the crows are Christmas shopping -- and I haven't done mine yet.

Beautiful Christmas decorations in your home Pat! Thank you for sharing.

I was chatting with my Colorado d-i-l yesterday and she said people were outside in shorts since it was 60 degrees. Here in Fort Myers when it gets to be 60 people stay indoors because they think it's too cold to go out ;>)... it is all relative!

The Joy of Home with Martha Ellen said...

Pat, I love your Christmas tree! It's beautiful. I too, need to wrap presents. Christmas seems to be coming quickly now. Your activities look wonderful, especially the sleigh ride! Merry Christmas to you and your family. Oh, the crow carrying the bag is a hoot! ♥

Anonymous said...

You have the Christmas tree at the perfect place, by the stairs! Must have been fun that drive with the horse drawn carriages! When you have grands the Christmas feast only becomes bigger! I know Zeppole from the Italian restaurant - am now getting hungry for them Pat! May thanks for sharing your family Christmas with All Seasons! Enjoy your week!

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

What a nice tree!! It looks like you are ready for Christmas.

What a strange world we live in when your area in Colorado has no snow, and south Texas does!

Joyful said...

My you have been very busy enjoying the holiday! The tree is stunning and that alone would take me a week to decorate, lol. I don't even have a tree that I use anymore save for a small table top one. I don't enjoy decorating trees and I am not so good at it but I do love to see them nicely decorated.

Jackie and Joel Smith said...

Love that tree! And the hillsides look much as they do here in Greece -

123design.me said...

Wonderful Christmas Time at this Post - your christmas tree is wonderful!
Greetings Kirsi an merry Christmas

Maggie said...

How beautifully you have decorated your tree, there must be hundreds of memories hanging there.
Love the image of the crow on his way back from the store!
Have a wonderful week!

NCSue said...

A lovely Christmas tree!!! Your home is beautifully decorated.
Thanks for sharing at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2017/12/at-dusk.html

Susie of Arabia said...

Your tree is beautifully decorated. I'm missing the holiday spirit here...

Little Wandering Wren said...

That's the second giggle I've had with that bird n bag having seen it via Instagram. It's a brill photo, as are they all as you say it's a wonderful time of year! Enjoy :)
Wren x

carol l mckenna said...

Love your tree and very festive photos ~ Beautiful!

Happy Week to you,
A ShutterBug Explores
aka (A Creative Harbor)

NanaHood said...

Love it! Very pretty! Come visit and link up with me!http://nanahood.com/holiday-decorations

Mitzi said...

Beautiful tree and images!

Lowcarb team member said...

That's a beautiful tree.
So good to see all the photo's in your mosaic.
Enjoy the Christmas Season.

All the best Jan

Ciao Chow Linda said...

What a lovely tree you have Pat, and so many beautiful memories you're making with the grandchildren. Thanks for the card, and have a wonderful holiday season.

Angie said...

Pat - your tree is dazzling - and looks like there is plenty of space for presents! I think your crow is also a magician if he fit his shopping in that little bag! Wishing you a White Christmas!

Minoru Saito said...

What a very beautiful Christmas tree. I enjoyed your post very much. Thanks for sharing.

A Colorful World said...

Lovely Christmas post! Loved seeing the horse-drawn carriage...they have them here too, and I have heard sleigh rides, but we don't have any snow yet! About the crow/raven....I am reading To the Bright Edge of the World and one of the things in the book is about how Ravens are supposed to carry souls into heaven after death, and seeing one is an omen of death....seeing the "note" in his beak made me chuckle...is he carrying such a message to someone? :-)I hope not! Happily we are not bound by such superstitions. Have a beautiful, blessed Christmas!

Jeanie said...

I think I love your tree about as much as any tree I've seen this season -- it's just beautiful. And all the smaller photos. So personal and lovely.

It's snowing here -- 7" today and very cold. It does look beautiful. But I'd rather it be snowing in Colorado!

Ruth said...

Good to see you are making the most out of the season! Your tree is beautiful!

Cheryl @ TFD said...

You have the most gorgeous Christmas tree! I laughed at the photo of the crow flying about with the white bag. Yep, maybe he'd been Christmas shopping. lol!

Michelle said...

Thanks for linking up and have a great weekend!

betty-NZ said...

Your time sounds very busy but very happy!!

Tristan Robin said...

Thanks for sharing your Christmas tree - so festive and cheerful and inviting!
I'm envious of your horse-drawn carriage ride, accompanied by sleigh bells and "Jingle Bells!" I don't think we have anything like that around us here in CT...but I'm going to start researching it as soon as I post this comment!
I found your blog via Beverly's Pink Saturday blog hop - so Happy Pink Saturday!

Rambling Woods said...

I love the tree and the horse rides... I hope you and your family have the best of holiday seasons. A very Merry Christmas to you Pat... Michelle

Annesphamily said...

Hi Pat, always lovely photos to accompany your post. Your tree is very pretty and the eagle! Wow! Nice capture! I am not looking forward to the bitter cold headed this way by week's end. We need snow which I do not mind at all but the bitter cold can go back to the North Pole! I hope you and yours have a lovely and Merry CHRISTmas ! We are nearly ready for it. The wedding threw us off a bit but we got back on track! Enjoy your week and thank you for sharing. Hugs

handmade by amalia said...

Looks like you are all set for the big day, Pat, the tree is gorgeous! Happy Holidays to you all.
Amalia
xo

Karen (Back Road Journal) said...

It truly is and I hope that your Christmas is a wonderful and memorable one with your family.

diane b said...

The horse and buggy rides would have been fun. Your tree is beautiful as too is your granddaughter. I hope you had a nice Christmas Day and have a very Happy New Year.

annie said...

I hope you had a very Merry Christmas and I wish you a Happy and healthy New Year

Christina(ArtDecorationCrafting) said...

Your tree is very beautiful. ‎Happy New Year :)

www.artdecorationcrafting.gr