Merry Christmas!
Wishing you joy, peace, and happiness this holiday season....
Christmas Crafts
Happy Christmas Eve! We're spending the day with family, watching the Steelers game at David's parents house and then doing a Feast of Seven Fishes dinner at my mom's with my brother and his family. And then, of course, we'll go to the candlelight service at church. It should be a nice day.
I did want to show off a couple of Christmas projects I finished this year for the house. The first is a cute little cross stitch project.
And I painted these three paper mache houses. Simple but they fit what I needed perfectly. I can never figure out what to put on top of the tv for Christmas and this just worked. I put little battery operated tea lights in them so I can light them up in the evening. To the right of them, beyond the photo, is a ceramic Christmas tree a little taller than the biggest of the houses.
I also had plans for making snowflake Christmas...
Flash Fiction: “Alone”
Alone
I wipe the fog from the window pane and keep watching the park. The snow falling gently has erased the footprints on the path and softened the colors of the trees and benches. The lamps glow softly, but still I don't see you. I knew you wouldn't come, but I had hoped. As I always do.
Tonight is a night to be with family. I picture you at home, a place I've never been but that always smells like warm sugar cookies and coffee in my imagination. You and your wife are sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, the flames and lights on the Christmas tree making the room shine. You're sharing a bottle of red wine after the kids have gone to bed and the gifts are all wrapped. Maybe she's opening a gift wrapped in the same golden paper mine was, tied with the same sparkling ribbon. She smiles as she opens the box, see the...
Thursday’s Tale: The Thunder Oak
"The Thunder Oak" is a Scandinavian legend. The story takes place on Christmas Eve, deep in the forest where a giant tree grew, its branches reaching toward the clouds, Thor's Thunder Oak. On this particular cold, moon-lit night, Thor's priests were preparing to make their human sacrifice at the altar under the tree. But before the priest's can kill their victims, Saint Winfred and his people came riding through the forest. The saint pulled out a golden axe and chopped down the mighty tree. Just behind it stood a small fir tree. Saint Winfred dropped his ax and turned to preach to the people.
This little tree, a young child of the forest, shall be your holy tree to-night. It is the tree of peace, for your houses are built of fir. It is the sign of endless life, for its leaves are forever green. See how it points upward to heaven! Let this be called the tree of the Christ...
Review: The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny is fifth in the Inspector Gamache series, which I've been listening to in order, so, yes, it's revisiting a town, Three Pines, that I've grown to love and catching up with the characters I feel like I know, but beyond that it's about relationships and lies and greed and the power of words.
"Chaos is coming, old son."
The peace of Three Pines has once again been shattered by murder. A stranger's body is found in the bistro and Chief Inspector Gamache is called in, along with his team, to investigate. They soon discover that the man is a hermit who lives in the cabin in the woods surrounded by priceless antiques. There are several suspects, most new introductions to the series, but one, Olivier the bistro's owner, has been a main character from the first book. All of them are hiding secrets and lies, but which of them is the killer?
What kills can’t be seen,...
Ten Books I Hope Santa Brings
Dear Santa,
I know you probably have your sleigh all packed and ready to go, and I'm sure you've got all kinds of goodies in there for me, but just in case you're looking for some last-minute ideas, here are some books I would love to see under the tree. Of course, I do love to see just about any book under the tree, or gift certificates for books, or book accessories, but that's beside the point.
Brunetti's Cookbook by Roberta Pianaro
The House of Silk by Anthony Horowitz
The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco
Tales of a Sixth Grade Muppet by Kirk Scroggs
The Redbreast by Jo Nesbø
The Janus Stone by Elly Griffiths
My Mother She Killed Me, My Father He Ate Me edited by Kate Bernheimer
Little, Big by John Crowley
Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini
Buy Back by Brian M. Wiprud
But I know I'll be thrilled with whatever I find Sunday morning. And don't worry, we'll leave cookies out for you.
Love,
Carol
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