TY Jeff--a diamond necklace!

My brother Jeff came for Christmas and we had a great visit.  It is always fun to have him as a guest.  He gave me a diamond necklace.  It's a diamond mounted in a snowflake and is so sparkly and pretty.  Love it, and love Jeff.

The nice thing is I can wear it after Christmas, too.  In fact, I am wearing it now...as we expect a big cold snap this weekend.  

A Sweet Little Bird!

Jenifer gave me this sweet little bird which is perched in the hall upstairs, where I go by it several times a day.  It is ceramic and is always very cheerful.  Jen also gave me a watercolor a day calendar.  It gives a painting tip a day, and is fun.  So far, I have kept up with it...pretty much.

It was also fun to have Jen here for Christmas.  We had lots of good fun, and went to Lincoln's Cottage and saw "The Imitation Game."  That's in addition, of course, to good times with the Smith family.  

Fun to have you for Chirstmas, Jen, and thanks for the little bird.

Thank You, Virginia

Another nice tradition for my Christmas.....flowers from Virginia.  They are always lovely, and arrive just before Christmas so we can have them on the table for Christmas dinner. It definitely adds to the festivities!  This year's were especially lovely and had lots of pine greenery to add to the smells of the holiday.  I don't if it is evident, but I painted it front and back...just so I could give it more space!  When folded, the left side with the candle is on the front.

Virginia also sent me another surprise, but I didn't make a painting....maybe next year.  It is a beautiful little Christmas tree with snowman ornaments!  Those were adorable  It was just right because I was feeling a little sorry for myself that I didn't have a tree.....then, a tree arrived, and it is small enough for my townhouse.  I will love it for years.  Virginia is generous is so many ways, and so thoughtful. I am grateful to have her in my life.

TY Bobby

 

One of the fun things at my house every Christmaas is getting the Moravian Coookies.  My sister-in-law "Bobby" Woodwell sends them and they usually arrive right after Thanksgiving.  I hoard them, though, until Christmas.  "Bobby" and Howard were raised as Moravians and it is a link for me to that family history.

There is nothing quite like Moravian cookies---especially the Ginger Crisps.  They are made by Mrs. Travis Hanes in Clemmons, North Carolina.  She makes the thinnest, crispiest, gingery-est cookies that I have ever tasted.  She (and her helpers) make them by hand...hand rolled, hand cut and hand packed.  They have come to taste like Christmas to me.

My little painting doesn't do them justice because they are MUCH thinner than I made them look. The star above is a Moravian star, which also comes out for Christmas at my house.

Just posting this now brings the taste back to me....

I'm ready to get back to my gratitude challenges, beginning with Thank You Kathy

For a variety of reasons, I have been a slacker on posting my little "thank you" drawings.  It was busy because Christmas was coming, Christmas came (and went), I broke my hand, I got the flu, etc, etc.

But now I am ready to get back into the process.  At Thanksgiving, Kathy Droege Mullin gave me two little jars of jelly that were very nicely presented with a big, sparkley snowflake.  I sent the card to Kathy some time ago but only now am posting it to my blog.  MMMM....taste of Summer in Winter is always nice.  I just have to remember to return those jars.