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.

away we walk...

from thanksgiving right into the christmas season....it all happens too fast for me.

thanksgiving and autumn happens to be my favourite holiday and time of the year.

it is all about family...being together....laughing....listening...telling....

but it always flies by so fast...then we have birthday celebrations and move on to christmas

decorating and trimming the house...getting the tree...wrapping presents...............

we were able to get the tree and put it up the day before thanksgiving....which is a first for us.

two of our sons were there to help...david cut off the bottom of the tree while jesse was helping hold it steady.

i saved the trimmings from the tree for some homemade garlands to hang.

we had some very interested first timers, for us, that were viewing our christmas traditions.

renny and beatrice wondering what in the world we are doing bringing a tree into the house.

just wait until the lights go on it.

i am reluctantly moving into the cooler season not wanting to give up on autumn....but with the nutcracker performances just around the corner and the leaves almost all gone....except a few here and there like these gorgeous oak leaf hydrangeas....i know it is just a matter of a few weeks before our winter sets in.

the days just keep getting shorter and my internal time clock does not adjust. i am home alone and take a walk with the dogs.

after the initial hoar frost back in early fall...we have had relatively mild weather.

it is cool but not cold...this time of day is always extra beautiful when the sun gives off it's golden amber hues. even the fence line glows at this hour.

a walk just isn't the same without buster brown, our chesapeake bay retriever...wanting to retrieve something.....usually his favourite thing....his frisbee.

sometimes in mid~ air....sometimes...with three or four other dogs in his way.

whether it is in the clearing or in the tall grasses....

where you can barely see him go....

buster comes thru with his prized possession....his red kong frisbee....

it makes the walk more fun....

and the others tag along...bronte' jane.....lylah......bea.......

the neighbour's cows barely even look up to see the raucous we are making.

so we walk and take in the beauty surrounding us.....some of our neighbours are burning a fire behind their green barn. the smell is delightful and wafts towards us as we trek.

beatrice is always on guard....good girl bea...

we discover a few more colourful leaves hanging on.

grasses have all gone to seed.

there are wild berries all around.

and the days always come to an end too quickly....

the sun is setting on another day.....another time of giving thanks together....another season...

winter is on the rise. good~bye november.....hello christmastime.