it's beginning to look a lot like...

season's blessings: *trumpeter swans flying over honking all the way* day-after spaghetti* creating home-made cards* christmas lights going up all over town * warm, snuggly quilts * time with loved ones (esp. moms!!) * egg salad sandwiches * coffee and scrabble friends * artist friends * petting warm, cuddly kittens * christmastime coming!!! enjoy this most wonderful time of the year... toasty marshmallow wishes to you...

holiday blessings...

so many blessings at this time of year: *precious baby grandchild * woodstove warmth* christmas lights * creating cards * homemade soups * dragging out the christmas decorations * a clean craft room (it will only get messy again...but tidiness for the moment...) * my kids and my kids by law * snowflakes * snowmen* hot chocolate * peppermint mochas * watching Ellen and laughing out loud... happiness and fairy wishes to you all!

it's coming... it's coming...

it's coming! a big storm... the wind is battering the cottage and the rain is belting sideways down the windowpanes. it's coming and there's christmas music playing softly and the woodfire is warm. it's coming and it's time for a gratitude fling!! the bohemian is SO thankful for: thanksgiving time, a gathering of family, laughter and stories and turkey and gravy and her children near, her warm cottage when the wind and rain rage outside the door, constant comment orange tea to soothe her sore throat, good books to read under a blanket. (just a few of the best things in her life) it's coming... and she has been busy, busy making christmas tags! (browse through and enjoy...) it's coming and it's time to count down with anticipation... and so it's almost time for advent calenders!!! it's coming... and she needs to make squares for the advent calendars, lots and lots of squares, lots of 'em! 00ps...oh... a tangent: the paste paper snowflake tag she mentioned last time... half an advent calender to go (times 4... one for each daughter/daughter-in-law)... it's coming and the bohemian hopes you are knee deep into christmas joy and creations. and NO, it's not too early for christmas music and watching Elf and the Grinch!! and listening to "baby, it's cold outside" and smiling quietly.... cheery, holiday joy wishes to you today....

november...time for a gratitude fling...

here in bohemia, signs of autumn saying farewell are all around... chimneys are puffing woodsmoke softly into the wind. the bohemian's lovely ginkgo tree has lost, overnight, it's brilliant yellow leaves, which now carpet the lawn beneath. the warm red leaves of the blueberry bush are dropping to the ground beneath, leaving scraggly branches dancing in the wind. the sky above bohemia is a moving picture of purple clouds, brilliant sunbeams, rainbows, and blue, blue sky. the pumpkins, tomatoes, cabbages, onions, and cukes have all been plucked from the dying vines. and the bohemian knows... winter is approaching. no, she has not put away her halloween things yet, but the "harvesty" stuff can stay for another month. she has christmasy things happening on her workspace, and the nutcracker ballet playing softly in the background. yes, she thinks, i am ready to move on... bohemian gratitude fling: she is sooo happy for these things (only a tiny partial list, you understand!!!): *the magic of grandbabies *the warmth of woodfires *the taste of coffee with honey and cream *the variety of colors *quiet serenity *her faith in God *her wonderful best friend and hubby *the deep satisfaction of creating art what are YOU thankful for at this time of the year? her stamping exchange group played with paste-paper-making (glorified adult version of finger-painting, really) and then were challenged to use it in cards. this is what the bohemian did with hers. the leaves and the punched border were punched out of the paste paper that she made. her last "fall" card. with some of the leftover paste paper she punched snow flakes. she'll show you that another day. deliciously messy painty wishes to you all...

an appetite, a feeling, and a love...

Wordsworth: "...Their colors and their forms were to me then an appetite, a feeling, and a love..." What an incredibly gorgeous Fall in bohemia this year!! the bohemian ate hungrily of the intense colors in the world around her and she was nearly satisfied...or so she thought. even the rain did not dim her wonder and delight at the sights she drank with her eyes. but a rainstorm, a violent wind, and a frost later and she was mourning the downfall of the leaves which heralded the starkness of winter coming. only the joy and anticipation of the coming holidays lightened the gloom descending... and the rumor of snowflake dances coming, and the threat of glistening crystals on the windowpanes. she truly hopes that this month will bring blessings, and LISTS of blessing as we count each and every one. and she hopes for you a tablefull of yummy wishes, too. happy November!