wonders of winterland

Merry Christmas

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the dining room table

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many of my Christmas memories, other than by the Christmas tree and at Christmas Eve church service, are centered about the antique dining room table at the farm

Regardless of where your memories come from this Christmas time, I hope that you may find some peace and wonder, in at least some small place within your heart.

Angels be with you.

there's a feeling of Christmas

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in the air

And I love to decorate with vignettes throughout my home - both indoors and out.

There are fabulous ideas in these places if you need a bit of help with getting more so into that feeling of Christmas.

Kelly Rae Roberts
Country Living
Style at Home

Regardless of how YOU find that feeling of Christmas, my hope is, that there be peace for you at least in some tiny proportion.

Angels be with you.

views from the pond

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of the Mendal Conservatory

immerse yourself in the gentle flowing sounds
the humid air
the beauty of contrasting flowers
and greens

immerse yourself
breathe it in
relax

amaryllis

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gardening has been a favourite hobby in the past thirty years. I also love indoor plants. for many years I grew amaryllis bulbs with fabulous flowers to be seen as a result. more recently, gardening has fallen much by the wayside. I still love flowers. in the wintertime, particularly in the Christmas season, the Mendal Gallery in Saskatoon has wonderful displays in its conservatory.

will you

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hoping
wondering

will you take time

in this Christmas preparation season

will you take time

to wait

to watch

to listen

will you take time
for yourself
the universe
God's plan
for the future

memories

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What's in this one?

Ohhhhh, it's a bunny.

I love you Bunny.

for you

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This Christmas season is filled with memories. This little girl is holding up gifts for you. If you asked her today, or maybe more specifically asked me today, eighteen years later, I would say she is offering to you peace and joy and love. Truly she dreams of that for all. She knows what Christmas is about. She knows that Baby Jesus was born at Christmas time. She knows that Easter is so much more important than Christmas. Yes, she loves her technology, but she knows. She believes. I hope you will too.

Please accept a blessing of angels offered from her and from me.

the return

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winter wonderland magic

my Christmas wishes for you

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Dear Friends,

Wishing you peace & joy

for Christmas and the New Year,

together with strength & courage

for the path on which you tread

Angels be with you

Wendy

And this one of my favourite Christmas songs -

O Holy Night

Welcome Winter

2009-12-22T12:15:00.000-06:00

The light of the winter solstice seems to me to be very special. A photographer knows that brilliant bright sunlight at the middle of the day and the hours surrounding, are not typically the best time to be taking photographs. This is one of the reasons I love to celebrate the entrance of winter with some time midst nature, some time taking photographs in the light which is always fabulous throughout the day, and some time contemplating the entrance also of the Baby Jesus in only a few days.

A couple of years ago I was able to capture some of my most fabulous nature scenes during the entrance of winter. I returned on this Sunday, not quite for the solstice but very clearly close enough to capture once again some brilliant light, to the grounds at St. Pete's. As my fingers and toes began to chill, with the pausing to capture the light, I delighted in the magic of this season. I offered up a number of intimate prayers praising the presence of spirit and angels. I delighted in the mystery of life.

If one is still while visiting St. Pete's one might catch sight of a thoughtful white bunny. Deer are also visitors there at times.

This visit, I was able to see a bunny at a distance but as I approached, it disappeared out of sight. The chickadees, however, love visitors. While walking midst the trees they will be chick a dee dee deeing all about you. If you stand still for any length of time they will invade your reverie as they look for food on your camera and self. I had little time as the light was quickly fading. I had not even brought seeds along with me. That will be for another day.

Praying that angels be with you as we have said welcome to winter - that season sometimes filled with wonder

and other times filled with harshness.

light

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as the winter solstice treads softly
with steady footsteps
the lights of Christmas
the lights of the candle
warm our soul

we might choose also to

we could allow
the light to reflect
even shine
from within us

What about peace?

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There are even some young children who would be quick to answer that their wish for Christmas would be for peace. Face it. I do not believe there would be any one, or at least very few, person (people) who would not want peace for the world. However I want to pause for a few minutes. I want to look at what peace really means. Of course the first thing that comes to mind is war - actual battles. But what about those people who live in our cities, in our neighbourhoods where there is abuse. And of course there is the difficulty of discrimination. What about the person who is virtually homeless? Perhaps most importantly we need to look at peace within ourselves.
I happen to know of a fellow who has been more or less homeless for a few years. About six weeks ago another friend and I helped Carl move into an older, kind of run-down motel suite after assisting him with social workers and other helping folk. This man - I feel he is at peace - to some extent or another. He has no refrigerator. He gets food from the food bank. He has basically one small room and a bathroom. When we have visited sometimes the thermostat was not working and one of the lights was not working as it should. Yesterday he called to chat. He said, by the wayside, that the can opener we had purchased for him had broken. Did we have a spare one?
Today we are taking over a Christmas gift of a new, better, can opener, a gift of $10 so he might buy a phone card to talk a time or two with his sister that lives in another part of the country. He had requested a time back two of my art cards to send to the same sister who is in perhaps almost similiar if not even more difficult circumstances than himself. He had hoped to pay for them.

About peace within my own self, I believe I do not frequently feel that peace of mind. My body often is tense. I sometimes need to be reminded to breathe. I feel often that I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. How can I help others to find peace if I cannot find that place within my own soul? What about you?
I have been working to find some place of peace within my own heart, my own spirit. I am looking with joy to the new year for more found time, more "present" time to do art. Creating brings me to some much needed place of peace.

And so what about peace? I, as you, dream, wish for that place, that time of world peace. Perhaps we need to put more thought into that wish. Perhaps we need to think about it more throughout the year. Perhaps we need to find that place of comfort {everlasting peace?} within ourselves, before we can move ahead with that desire for our neighbour, our friend, our enemy, our children of the world.

Peace be with you dear friend. And as always angels.

the wonder of Christmas approaches

2009-11-18T16:11:00.008-06:00

While I always have good intentions for doing more art and crafting in preparation for Christmas, this magical time always seems to come spinning in upon me. And that is just as well. As my new friend Curtiss Anne has stated, "It seems that my plans get things done (or not), while life’s plans make memories."

In her recent post, Curtis Anne has also mentioned about Christmas approaching. Take a moment to have a look and to comment about one of your favourite Christmas traditions. You could be the fortunate winner of one of Curtiss Anne's very own books.

As for myself, I can say that I have noticed some Christmas trees being up and glowing. I personally quite enjoy Christmas shopping and try not to agonize about it. I had decided to browse through Michael's yesterday in search of some extras for in this year's Christmas shoebox. I ended up spending quite some time there and getting lots of Christmas shopping done. It was fun. Of course I got a couple of things for myself too.

The following are creations I have managed to start making for Christmas. I will be interested to see if I can finish them before this Christmas.

My plan at this very moment is to sit quietly for a few moments. I will listen to the Christmas music I love so much. I find it right here on my blog. I hope you might find some joy with it also.

Wishing for you much peace and contentment through this time of preparation. May you find some strength within to change those areas which for you may be difficult. I will hope that in this time when finances may be a concern, you might find some joy in creating homemade gifts and giving, as well as receiving graciously, gifts of the heart. I would also hope that if finances are not a concern, you might consider giving, and requesting, "gifts of magic" or something similar.

May angels be with you as "the wonder of Christmas approaches."

Take Joy

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Merry Christmas dear friends.
Angels be with you,
Wendy

berries in black

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David Bowie and Bing Crosby

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a lovely piece:

The God who made giraffes

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"Where is it written that we should be so serious all the time? The God who made giraffes, a baby's fingernails, a puppy's tail, a crooknecked squash, the bobwhite's call, and a young girl's giggle, has a sense of humor. Make no mistake about that."

Catherine Marshall (Adapted)
American Author
More Quotes About 'God' Today's Story: 'The Pretty One'

from "Inspiration Peak"

I LOVE CHRISTMAS

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Huge absence as I try to wend my way through last part of another difficult year which has been filled with tons of healing.
I am excited to be working on a submission but need to focus my everything on it. I was thinking I was allowing myself really lots of time for it lol - that was three months ago.

angels be with you,
Wendy

music in the air

2008-12-02T10:14:00.004-06:00

One of my favourite parts of Advent and Christmas is the music that fills my senses with joy. For many years, nearly thirty, I have sung with a group called St. Peter's Chorus Our Advent concerts are this Friday evening and Sunday afternoon. The Sunday concert is very close to where we practice. It is at St. Peter's Cathedral at Muenster. I hope you will take a moment to enjoy "Where have all the flowers gone?" which we originally sang at last year's Advent concert.

I will hope to have some of the songs from the 2008 Advent concerts to present in videos sometime in the next couple of weeks.

I also love listening to Christmas music and have spent quite a lot of time developing a playlist which is at the bottom of the page here. When time allows I just put the playlist on, and enjoy. I hope that you might enjoy my selections also.

If you want to listen to your own choices - accuradio is a good place to which to tune.

I will also mention that I put a couple of more recent art journal pages on my windyangels blog. I'd be pleased if you take a moment to look and comment.

Wishing you moments of stillness and peace through this Advent season.

there's something about Christmas

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that makes me
want to smile

simple things
like light
and berries
on a string
are all it takes
this time of year
to bring a rush
of joy
into my heart

© Wendy B Burton

Looking through the window

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my eyes caught the sparkle
of a mystical, magical land

The horses ready to alight
on the minutest of sleighs
barely visible to mine orbs

"Wait for me"
I whispered
but the light
was changing

As I turned for my cape
snowflakes floated
no longer sparkled

Looking through the window…
© Wendy Burton
November 2006

Hark the Herald

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angels sing
glory to the newborn King

A small gift canvas I made for a friend in 2007.

white dreamland

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To me this feels like a dream - to view this photo of a "Paris shop window" taken about a year ago. Please click on the post title to find the original or go here to my dear friend's flickr.

The Tasha Tudor Christmas Book TAKE JOY

2008-11-23T21:49:00.009-06:00

I love Tasha Tudor. I was so pleased to acquire this book at a book sale which our local library holds every year for a couple of weeks in May. I have had it for quite a few years now. It brings me MUCH JOY. Especially pleasing to me was the discovery of Fra Giovanni's letter - Take Joy from A.D. 1513. I have shared it with many friends. The words bring such peace. I would like to wish you peace and joy today and every day.

thinking of others - especially at Christmas

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For quite a number of years our family has chosen to do an "operation Christmas child shoebox" to recognize those that are not so very, very rich in material things. We always end up buying much more than we can fit in the box. It's just the way we are - very loving and caring in most instances. Here's a video of a few years ago of a wonderful song to remind us.

A CHRISTMAS FAIR

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My friend Karen has hosted a Christmas fair. I decided to start this blog in response to Karen's invitation to participate. Karen has had a Christmas blog for a few years already. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to do my own special place for Christmas and this special holiday season. Take some time to look around. Get into the holiday spirit. Tell me about your favourite place online to prepare for Christmas. Watch for a give away to be announced in the next few days. Take your time. Grab a cup of your special Christmas tea or some apple cider and relax.
Wishing you a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah for those who celebrate in that tradition.

words by which I am very inspired:

Take Joy

I SALUTE YOU! There is nothing I can give you which you have not; but there is much, that, while I cannot give, you can take.
No heaven can come to us unless our hearts find rest in it today. Take Heaven.
No peace lies in the future which is not hidden in this present instant.
Take Peace.
The gloom of the world is but a shadow; behind it, yet, within our reach, is joy. Take Joy.
And so, at this Christmas time, I greet you, with the prayer that for you, now and forever, the day breaks and shadows flee away.

FRA GIOVANNI A.D. 1513

preparing for Christmas

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winter sunrise

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solstice light

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a winter sunset

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Christmas in blue

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winter berries

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Billy alerted

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a child's view

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lights and colours

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Christmas dreams

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