'TIS THE SEASON

Hello.

The gifts are wrapped, Christmas carols are playing, we have had lots of lovely visitors and festive fare, and our house guests arrive tomorrow.

As ever, the house is well and truly decorated, and I like to sit in the cool (air-conditioning) and admire The Tree:

We have been to the theatre to see Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol'.

The book was the first Dickens I ever read, at age 14.

Later I read many of his popular novels when I studied English Lit at University. I still have a fondness for Mr Dickens..

It was fun to see Marley's Ghost materialise, with excellent use of modern theatrical trickery...

And here is why:

We have our own Marley's Ghost, our front door knocker, purchased at the Dickens House Museum in London in 2004..

Google Image Dickens House museum

Google image

On the day of our visit I had a special treat:

I was invited to wind the grandfather clock which had belonged to the great author himself...

The little choristers I bought in Vancouver are standing under the glass lantern, sourced in Quebec, 2010...

On the piano stand the calico choristers I made about 20 years ago with a craft group, complete with the tiny books of Carols..

Watched over by a leadlight red cardinal found in an antique barn in Canada..

Some of my collected snowmen, the big one I made years ago, the others found in my travels..

A cluster of churches:  rustic wooden ones from Pennsylvania, other found locally.

Sometimes I decorate a pink tree in the dining room.

This collection began with a trip to Selfridges, London.  I bought the one in the centre with pink roses, plus several others including one above and to the left of it, with a little pink flower partly obscuring a tiny bird in a nest.  Other pieces include pink sparkling maple leaves from Ottawa.

As always, the Nativity scene.  This one belonged to my parents and I love to use it with my own additions.  My father made the wooden donkey and little sheep.

I would love to be able to tell you the fires in Australia are finished, but sadly that is not the case.  Looking Westwards yesterday, the setting sun had a weird red glow from all the dust and smoke which fills the atmosphere over much of our wide land.

This morning at sunrise I observed the same strange red glow.

There are emergency level fires west of Sydney, and two in South Australia.

With 40C and above temperatures over much of the country, it is both shocking and frightening to wonder what will happen next.

At the moment it is not quite so hot here, although maximums of around 35+ deg.C.  The bush is dry and parched, and we are ever alert.

For many people, this Christmas will not be Merry and Bright...

We are praying for rain, good soaking rain, to bring this fire season to an end.

Soon.....

XXXXX