it's the day after christmas...

it's the day after christmas and all through her house...

not a creature is stirring, not even her spouse (back to work he went... bummer).
her house is quiet and full of peace,
and she is all snuggled down under her fleece.

 
"Yule Log" is quietly playing a song (with its faux woodfire burning),
while the bohemian softly hums along.
the previous two days were filled with fun,
table-full of family and feasts, all done.

it was such a joy to have her fairy grandchild there
playing wildly, loudly, or softly with care;
grown children with spouses all gathered around,
reminiscing with shouts and laughter, beloved sound.

but this day after christmas, she's just soaking it up,
christmas blessings abounding, overflowing her cup.

she's hoping for you that the same will be true
and wishing a barrel-load of happiness to you...
(corny but true... o so true!!)

farewell christmas 2012...

so. the bohemian thinks she will just finish off the countdown calendar she never got back around to...

snowflakes and yummy hot drinks: egg nog, cocoa, hot toddies...

alas, she didn't get sparkling snowflakes for christmas this year. but she spreads them liberally around her cottage to make up for it!!

on gifts

on tags

in windows...

and so we come to rest of the december, which in reality (as opposed to bohemia) has already passed by her:

she is wishing you such wonderful memories made over this holiday stretch... wishing you bells ringing, children singing and laughing, yummy cookies and gingerbread houses to nibble, and many good gifts of the heart. merry christmas 2012.

behind...

yes, she knows... knows how far behind she is... it really  isn't bothering her.  she's inclined to drag out the sseason as long as she can!  she starts listening to christmas music in october.  if she puts the faux tree up, she's inclined to leave it up til her honey says PLEASE take down the tree!  her lights...the white ones... she calls them party lights so she can leave them up all year round...

day 12: wisemen.  wisemen bringing gifts for the baby.  she loves to buy presents for people. but the royal children got money this year.  it's what they all needed. more than socks. but no one got gold or incense or costly herbs...

day 13:  christmas time is the one time of the year she's sorry she waged war on the holly tree and eradicated it. although it never had berries. just spikey leaves that got under bare feet in the grass. thus the war... she's wishing for great joy for you this christmas time... those angels brought good news!! baby Jesus was born to save us all.  hallelujah!

day 14: and O my! no tree this year?! she thought she might cry. but she didn't want a tree for the fairy grandchild to pull over on herself! so. she went with this little sparkly 2 and 1/2 ft. faux one sitting high up where the fairy grandchild could oooh and ahhh but not touch. and you know what? the bohemian is very satisfied with it!!  well... she must run... time for music practice.  her bass guitar, a few friends, and some christmas carols! oh yeah!  happy happy.  countdown anticipatory joy to you all!!

deeper into december...

well! blogger is having its way with the bohemian today!!! this is where it insists that her words must go!  so... here are some more christmas advent calendar squares. the christmas lights are on to ward off the piercing-cold-but-yet-not-snowing rainy day.  dirty clothes are washing themselves in the magic washer (think about it as if you were a poor village woman in africa!). vegie soup is going onto the woodstove to simmer through the afternoon hours.  satellite is bringing christmas music into the living room of the cottage.  the cat family is well-fed.  the wood pile is full.the bohemian is well content. and she hopes from the bottom of her heart that you are too!  sending bright wishes full to the brim of holiday cheer and happiness.  hope you find time to play today.

december 5th, 6th, 7th...

as she so knew it would happen, the bohemian bogged down. she is the queen of  "start now, finish whenever..."   but on the 5th day there were stars...

the bohemian loves astronomy although she really doesn't know that much. she loves to catch the eclipses and the other strange and wonderful things that happen in the sky. she can only find the big and little dipper, as far as knowing the constellations.  and loves reading the theories of what astronomical happenings might have accounted for the wisemen's star that they followed to baby Jesus. her favorite "sky" happening occurred when she was little... it was '64 or '65, she thinks she remembers... there was a meteorite shower that was so incredible that her father woke her and her siblings up to watch it! and it looked like every star in the sky was falling to earth. she has never seen anything like it to this day...

some of her favorite christmas memories happened in church services... the candle light, the pageantry, the softly sung carols, the live nativities, the special christmas eve services in the barns...

the bohemian would love to hear about some of your favorite christmas memories and traditions!  please do leave a comment!  she sends out twinkling starry wishes and softly sacred hopes for a peaceful, meaningful celebration to you and yours...

day 4 of december...

day 4 square of advent calendar

one of the things the bohemian likes to collect are nativities. small to large. primitive to elegant. from all around the world. just to remind her what christmas is all about. what an amazing thing happened when God came to earth as a tiny baby...

Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
The child that you delivered will soon deliver you.

Mary did you know that your baby boy will give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will calm a storm with His hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you've kissed the face of God.

The blind will see,
The deaf will hear,
The dead will rise again.
The lame will leap,
The dumb will speak
The praises of the Lamb.

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy will one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is Heaven's perfect Lamb?
The sleeping child you're holding is The Great I Am.

words and music by Mark Lowry and Buddy Greene

on the 3rd day of december...

ho hum. rain some more. makes it hard for the bohemian to get into the holiday spirit. well, that, and the nastiest of nasty cold/flu bugs, which IS really bugging her!!  but everyone she knows has suffered through it. so she will too. and be ever so grateful for the multitude of comforts she has with which to baby herself through it. short list: nyquil, tea, warm house, DRY house, comfy bed/chair/couch (whichever angle at which she gets relief), chicken soup, fuzzy blankets, warm slippers... oh. she did say "short" list, didn't she...

3rd day square of advent calendar

snowmen. she just happens to adore snowmen. she has a great collection of snowmen, which come out just after the christmas stuff gets taken down and put away.  she puts them out because she can't bear the emptiness of the house after all the decorations are gone.  she's not sure why she loves snowmen so much.  she certainly doesn't live in a snowy place. although there is a snow-covered mountain about an hour away from her house.  she never goes up there anymore. her fibromyalgia makes it so that she can't bear the cold...

the bohemian cottage in the snow

but if and when... when it DOES snow... when those first few flakes come floating down... well, she just gets up and does the happy dance!!  it's absolutely magical!

snowflakes fascinate her! she has cut them out of paper every year since she can remember! still! to this day! and she pours over mr. bentley's snowflake pictures every year  in amazement and wonder. what an incredible thing that happens to water in the freezing air!

and around her house there are a few snowflakes that seem to get left up through the year... this one is in her kitchen. because it's pink and red. and her kitchen is pink and tan.  and she made this one with her children when they were small.  you know the kind... that you put all the little plastic pellets in the metal frame and bake it in the oven. and watch the magic...  she's pretty sure she was more thrilled than the kids were.

and, of course, her favorite tree at the holiday show is always the one with SNOWFLAKES all over it!!

may all your snowy wishes come true and may you experience that magical peace that steals over you when the snow flakes fall.  even if you live in a desert place and your flakes are made of paper! she hopes you are enjoying the holiday season to the max!

the second day of december...

it's rainy in bohemia today.  and the bohemian and her prince are sick with the curse of the creepy crud.   but there's a fire in the woodstove and outside the window the raindrop are sparkling like diamonds on the rose bush branches in the dull gray light...

square #2 on the advent calendar

day two... a day to ponder pairs of things. mated things. the feelings pairs of things evoke...

for example: swans are the most magical of all birds. alone, all by themselves, they are magical. yet a pair of swans are the most romantic pair of things (besides champagne and chocolate, of course!). feelings of peace and serenity and a longing for such grace... that's what the bohemian feels when she watches swans.  and add a few baby swans! warm fuzzies by the truck load for sure!!

a pair of old world arches on a building in russia.  the bohemian was somewhat awestruck simply by the age and history around her there. but she's so fascinated by arches! she took way too many pictures of architectural arches while she visited... each one so different from the others!  awestruck... that's how she felt.

oh yes, MORE warm fuzzies!! a pair of soft, warm, fuzzy kittens with their little motors purring up a storm. is there anything more full of the feeling of contentment?! 

a pair of lattes... hot, creamy, artsy...  this is the symbol of fellowship, heart-to-heart talks, companionship, friends... lingering over the last sip of cream in the bottom of the cup. sweet happiness.

and a pair of hand-made christmas tags...  wishing the recipients the peace of christmas. that peace of the baby Jesus. that peace of the snow softly falling and blanketing the earth in serene silence. that peace of having all your grown children gathered safely together in your home... even noisy, wild, love-filled peace counts,  you know!!  wishing so much snowflake peace and fuzzy warm love to everyone at  this blessed magical time of year.   

on this first day of december...

snowflakes on the advent calendar but none on the ground...  it's rainy today in bohemia.  gray. wet. cold.

but inside the bohemian cottage, there is peace. peace that surpasses intellectual explanation. peace that comes from knowing Jesus is the reason for this so so magical season that is being celebrated. and no, it's not the actual birthday of that precious baby. and no, there were no snowflakes on that day. probably no rain, either.  and yet. here we are, 2012. celebrating none-the-less.  with candles wafting yummy aromas. with greeting cards showing up in the actual mailbox. tasty things to eat. everything lit up with colored lights.  o yes, it's a magical time here in bohemia.  and thankfully...

no grinch is allowed into the bohemian christmas celebration!  sparkly, sweet, peaceful december wishes to all...