holiday happiness day 12 ~ 12 days of christmas

as many of you know...i am joining my sister, meems @ hoe and shovel in posting from the garden or outside decor...the 12 days of christmas. today is our last post for 12 days of christmas.


to say that it is cold here is an understatement for
sure....brrrrr baby it's cold outside.








we celebrate christmas for one main reason....Christ.
he is our Saviour and it is in honour of Him we set aside this
special time of the year to celebrate our lives in Him.

so the manger becomes a central focus for us.

the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes...

with mary and joseph...and the shepherds.....the wise men bearing gifts.
.
here at the green household we wish you a merry christmas...

but also one filled with whimsy....wonderment....

and joy.

our tree also is a huge part of the whole atmosphere of celebration.

of course we love the whole idea of having a huge live tree in the house anyway.

full to the brim with all it's decorations.
tassels....flowers......hearts......lights......ribbon....berries and golden hued leaves.

pears.....sugar~coated grapes........spheres of feathers....

birds......elephants......chimps..........doggies........zebras...

anything sparklely....shiny.....glittering....we love it.

christmas time is here....and it is the best time of the year.

and of course presents everywhere.

happy december......the 12 days of christmas...

thanks for coming by everyday.

holiday happiness day 11 ~ 12 days of christmas

christmas time in here...

as many of you know...i am joining my sister, meems @ hoe and shovel in posting from the garden or outside decor...the 12 days of christmas.


every year i change things up a bit...it's just in my nature to do that.


this year i used the bottom of the tree branches on the entry fence
with a snow and berry covered wreath....and a big red bow.

i have the christmas soliders at the front door guarding santa.

they always do a good job and are never distracted.
even when hopey, the cat is trying her darndest to.
some old gates are on the opposite sides of the front door
embellished with live fraser fir wreaths and a brown/gold velvet ribbon.

santa has been on the scene trying to get down the
chimney for days but we have a fire going constantly
seeing as we are in the 30's.

he is waiting patiently to deliver his packages...
behind him are two trees made of golden branches
with berries and leaves. one is placed in an antique urn.

did you notice the copper mailbox...it's filled with

santa's letters.

.

lastly here is a teaser for tomorrow...

the last day of 12 days of christmas.

our tree with just lights and ribbon.

happy december.

holiday happiness day 10 ~ 12 days of christmas

as many of you know...i am joining my sister, meems @ hoe and shovel in posting from the garden or outside decor...the 12 days of christmas.


we have had our lion's share of rain...flooding in some areas.
the colours of this cabbage for ornamental sake is so vivacious.
with the water droplets on it...stunning.




















the birdbaths are all refreshed with rain.
















not planned but nice none the less is
this photo of nandina berries overlayed on the trees.





this day is also the birthday of our grand.....gwyne...she is a treasure and 10 years old today on the 10th of december, on the 10th day of the 12 days of christmas.

happy day dear gwyne...have a wonderful day.

holiday happiness day 9 ~ 12 days of christmas

as many of you know...i am joining my sister, meems @ hoe and shovel in posting from the garden or outside decor...the 12 days of christmas.

i love vintage...antique....things with a history.
so when it comes to decorating adding those type
things in the christmas decor just comes naturally.

antique apple orchard pickin' ladder adorned with greenery.

an old pair of snow shoes standing on a black antique chair
just inside the backdoor.

a wrought iron gate usually covered with
a vining plant now holds a live wreath from
last year...saved and dried naturally...for a very
rustic feeling it evokes

an old snow sled hung just outside our back door
made more beautiful with a live fraser fur wreath.
and just opposite that are some carefully place antique oars
leaning against an old ceiling tile with the best rusted green patina.

next to my newly planted violas a
completely rusted milk can with just a
portion of a piece of vintage fencing.

happy christmas dressed in vintage.

holiday happiness day 8~12 days of christmas

i am joining my sister, meems @ hoe and shovel in posting from the garden or outside decor...the 12 days of christmas.

remember my
apple pickin' red ladder....i recently featured

in the gardening gone wild photo contest called "end of the line."

although i didn't win i did get a mention...i was very happy seeing
as they interpreted it just the way i saw it....

.
once again it becomes a focal point. this time for christmas...
when you drive up to our house with a decidedly bird loving theme...


i love to repurpose things in an unexpected way...



i have an ole' wrought iron hanging basket of sorts...i used to
have it in a guest bathroom hanging above the commode with
necessary toiletries. then i used it in my potting shed to hold gardening equipment...
.
now...it serves as an outdoor vessel with greenery from our garden.
complimented with a few sweet faced birds and their new dwelling.

adorned with pine cones and a huge burlap bow.

happy december...to all...

and to all a very merry christmas.

holiday happiness day 7 ~ 12 days of christmas

whew!!! abbey is a genius...she and i worked on fixing my blog together....but really she figured it out...thank God.
i was to say the least quite devastated...but what relief i am feeling now...i will not be changing my layout....forever.
thank you dearest abbey.

and now i can post....yippee!




i just had to get my hands in the dirt one more time before it is all frozen and just too cold to be out there.

on a relatively mild day...abbey and i visited another one of my favourite local nurseries.

moore and moore garden center.

i really love this place but find it expensive...but sometimes a girl has to do what a girl has to do.
i had to plant some things that would weather the winter...so off we set out.

like i said the weather was beautiful the day i bought...
...a flat of.....all white violas...sorbet coconut...don't those sound delightfully delicious
...one small.......chamaecyparis obtusa 'nana' ....true dwarf hinoki cypress
...one very healthy looking helleborus... ivory prince
...a cryptomeria globosa 'nana' dwarf japanese cedar
...one small nandina harbour belle....stays very small but produces berries just the same


of course, by the next day when i went to plant these beauties it was below 4o's and the wind
was crisply biting at any skin exposed...face...ears...nose...

but like i said a girl has to do what a girl has to do.

i am sure if i had neighbours that were close enough to see me
they would say oh it's just that strange gardening lady "again."

i love how it turned out and i so want to go back to moore and moore.

i guess a little dirt for the hands....was just not enough.
happy december.