Thursday, January 31, 2013

Candlemas craft

The feast of Candlemas is this Saturday ( February 2nd).



 I found this lovely craft idea in Landscape magazine for making snowdrops from crepe paper.

Snowdrops are associated with Candlemas because they flower at this time of year and are a simple and beautiful symbol of hope - a precursor of spring and all that spring pledges of light, warmth and expectation.



Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Winter

"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire:  it is the time for home." 
-  Edith Sitwell


Winter definately has it's pleasures! For example:

  • Making home made Seville orange marmalade
  • Watching the kids snowboarding down a local hill
  • Homemade soup
  • Rich, thick gravy casseroles
  • Walking on a silent , frost veiled common
  • Watching the birds in naked trees
  • Feeding them in the garden
  • Stunning red orange sunsets
  • Open fires
  • Toasting muffins
  • Watching snowflakes
  • Mulled wine
  • Evenings in
  • Rugs on the sofa
  • Winter root vegetables
 

 

Tuesday, January 01, 2013

A Prayer for the New year



We were not up in time to see the dawn this New Year  ( too late to bed last night!).  But it is a glorious sunny morning  and after all the rain of previous days  this clear morning gives me hope.

 This beautiful prayer comes from Christine Sine's blog - .Godspace.


 God as this new year dawns,
May we take time to see the newness you are giving birth to.
May we not be blinded by the darkness that consumes our world.
Or consumed by the fear that paralyzes our actions.
May we remember,
That out of winter’s darkness you bring forth light,
That out of winter’s death you give birth to new life.
May we remember,
That which has been dormant will spring to life,
That which has been pruned will sprout new strength.
May we remember,
You are the light by which we see,
You are the fountain that gives us life.
God as this new year emerges,
May we give birth to that which honours you,
May we bring to life that which allows your goodness to shine,
May we give fresh expression to your eternal world,
And in the depths of our hearts may we cry,
Your kingdom come,
Your will be done,
On earth as it is in heaven.
Amen