Advent

Today marks the beginning of the season of Advent. In our church this morning we introduced our Advent wreath and the first candle was lit by our oldest member, who is in her 90s.

The word Advent comes from the Latin 'adventus' meaning arrival, and this is a time when Christians remember that Jesus came into the world. It's the beginning of the Anglican Church's year.

The wreath possibly dates back to pre Christian times when in the dark days of Winter the German and Scandinavian people used it as a sign of hope that spring and sunny days would be coming.

In the Middle Ages the wreath was adopted by The Christian church, as Christ is 'the light that came into the world'.

Even the greenery is a symbol of life. the Laurel symbolises victory over persecution, the yew immortality and the cedar, strength . Pine cones recall life and resurrection.

The four candles symbolise the four weeks of Advent, and in some churches are purple and pink, the pink, or rose, used on the 3rd Sunday, the midpoint of Advent.

How lovely to have this living symbol of the Christian season of Advent.

Tagged by Miriam

Sorry Miriam, I was reminded of this by 'Allthings bright and beautiful', who I'm pleased to say is a bit late also, so I'm not alone!

6 random things about me....I know I've done this before but cant remember any of it.

I was born in the War years (2nd WW, please), and remember sirens.

I live in France, in a village in Brittany. I speak French fairly well.

I spent most of my career as a Special needs teacher, but also worked for 2 years in a home for Autistic young adults.

I am a Churchwarden in the Anglican church here in France.

I love to sew, cross stitch and patchwork mainly.

I still have countries that I want to visit, though I have seen a great deal of the world....Canada, Australia, Hawaii, Malaysia, Dubai, Europe....., but never USA.
There you are, not frightfully interesting or different!

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL MY AMERICAN FRIENDS!

Rose Wednesday again!

This is a view, perhaps one of my favourites, of the arch from our terrace.

The roses are , on the left, Domaine de Courson and on the right Pierre de Ronsard.

When the photo was taken they had been planted for only a year, just after our house was built. I find it difficult to believe how much they have grown. They are obviously very happy in this position, sheltered and receiving sun through most of the Summer days.

Pink roses will always be my favourite, though I do have many other colours in the garden!

Lists.........

This painting is called 'Women make lists', by American feminist painter, Joan Snyder. Joan is an Abstract Expressionist, as you might imagine, and lives and works in Brooklyn and Woodstock, NY.

It does seem to encapsulate my state of mind at the minute. I have little pink post it notes stuck everywhere, on the printer, in my handbag, on the phone.....

Mostly they are of the 'to do' variety, you know, 'phone re magazine subscription', or 'send birthday card to friend'. But of course the main lists now are to do with Christmas. Although we have deliberately cut back and minimised our sending, there are still grandchildren whom one cannot disappoint. A cheque just doesnt do it for me, though that's probably what they would prefer. So I make endless lists.

It's not just gifts. It's 'finish the felt stars' type message, that only I can understand. My local friends will all be getting big glass jars of home made biscuits, the top wrapped in pretty red and white check fabric, with a red felt star strung on each lid, just to make it look Christmassy. (Copied, I freely admit, from glossy magazine, stars priced at £3 each!) I am never happier than when I'm creative, but it does mean organising all the bits that I need to help me in my efforts.

So that's why I make lists.

How I wish my Christmas parcels looked even a bit like this...

or like these.

I've been busy today finishing parcels to go off to grandchildren in Australia, in Canada.

My parcels start with good intentions. They finish with too much sellotape, wobbly bows and non matching labels.

Ah well, it's the thought that counts?

A little Christmas patchwork.

This is finally on its way to being finished. For no reason at all it has taken me ages, in fact I cut it out last Christmas, then put it away.....as one does.

All it needs is the border, and then I can stitch in the wadding and the backing, and maybe, just maybe, it will be done for Christmas 2008....or 9?

Thank you, and..

Thank you to all of you who sent me good wishes whilst I was 'off'. I picked up a very nasty virus which sent my Blood pressure soaring to danger levels. Our lovely Dr visited twice (yes we are in the French health system!), and put me on medication and rest, rest, rest. Maybe it is a reaction also to the stress of the last few months, as I feel completely washed out.

However, just before I succumbed, I went to a local quilt exhibition, and thought I'd show you a photo or two. There are two groups of ladies who meet once a month to sew, and they produce some interesting things. Some of the colours were a bit bold for my taste, but obviously we are not all the same. So much work had gone into these quilts, and there were certainly all shapes and sizes.

It makes me realize how slow I am being with my stitching, but little by little I shall get there.

A winner!

A brief post to announce the winner of my giveaway. I'm pleased to say that the winner is........

MARIE

who has a lovely blog called Proverbs 31.

Congratulations Marie. Just send me an e mail with your address, and the parcel will be on its way to you.

There were forty names on the list, so they got put in a big basket and drawn by my husband with his eyes tight shut!

All activity is suspended for 24 hours while I recover from illness. I'm lying low for a couple of days, but the giveaway will be drawn as soon as possible.

200 posts, and a giveaway!

So, at last, I've reached the 200th post. All written since April 2007. Writing blogs was something I never expected to do, but once tried, one is hooked, not so much the writing of, but the visiting of!

For there are so many interesting people out there! Once you have found a blog that appeals, you also find that the readers and commenters of that blog are people that you like to visit too. They may have similar interests, in my case, sewing, patchwork, quilting. They may be of the same Faith. As a committed Christian, I have been so inspired by many of the Christian blogs that are written. Gardeners are out there, plants to discuss, seeds to swap. There will always be people who , for no particular reason, are 'talkable' to, readable, and whom you know you would get on with if you met. I have learned so much about America in my browsing, and wish I could be whisked away to meet some of the lovely bloggers there. I've 'met' ladies from Canada, friends in Holland, Norway, Ireland, and yes, even England!

All of a sudden, one finds that one has built up a list of like minded people. People who rejoice with one, sympathise, contact. And yet many of them will never be seen, met or even spoken to.

So in honour of all you 'unseen' people out there, I'm having a giveaway on my 200th post.

There are lovely Roger et Gallet guest soaps for your bathroom, a truly French company. There is a pretty embroidered nightdress case to enhance your bedroom, and there is a little scented 'thingy' , as my husband would call it. There will also be one tiny surprise gift popped in too.

Just add a comment andI will draw names in one week's time on Nov.14th.

Hope you win!

Cold.

Post number 199.


It's very cold here tonight.
We woke up this morning to a chilly house with a Central heating boiler that didn't work. The thing is only two years old, how dare it?
By 8 am I had called the maintenance man, the one who installed the boiler, explained the problem, explained that my husband is only recently out of hospital and feels the cold, and got a promise that he would come this afternoon.
It's now 8pm. No maintenance man.
His wife tells me there are many boilers needing fixing. That seems very odd. Why are we the last on the list?
Fortunately we have a back up electric fire, but only in one room.
Friends arrive tomorrow to stay for a few days!
Siberia.
And this morning...he arrived! All is fixed and we are once again warm.