How did it get to be January 2019 so quickly? Reflecting back on Christmas 2018, it was a beautifully sweet and blessed time as we did not enter into the "rush" of things that is so prevalent this time of year, but rather focused on sweet, simple, meaningful and the small joys.
Today I am sharing some pictures of the days leading up to Christmas, and the holiday season here.
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| Beautiful colors in the skies dazzle... |
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| It makes getting up early in the morning for my walk easier! |
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| Every color of the rainbow spread in dabbles of color... |
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| Walking with my husband on icy roads, as the sun diffuses through the fog. |
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The skies dominate the world with the diffused sun and clouds.
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| Annie-girl's pensive expression as she walks, always alert and on duty... |
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| Can't get enough of these gorgeous snow-covered firs... |
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| The girls come out to greet us each day as we walk by. |
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| I think they want to walk with us! |
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| Something about the continuity of fence lines always captivates me. |
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| Another brilliant sunrise announcing the new day as we begin our walk. |
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| I walk past this red barn every day... the morning light gracing its worn walls. |
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| Walking 5 miles of icy roads with these two in the brisk crisp mornings is always a great way to start the day. |
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| The ice and snow covered lake sits quietly and still beneath the icy covering. |
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| Our family made our traditional Paintbrush Cookies together. |
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| I make a tray for each family member and we have fun painting them. |
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| The recipe... |
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| Pecan pie is always a favorite at Christmas. |
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| On Christmas morning, we always read the story of the birth of Jesus together. |
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| Our simple and traditional Christmas dinner. |
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| After the dishes were done, I boxed up leftovers from the meal and delivered them to 6 of our friends who weren't able to enjoy a home cooked Christmas dinner. It was a great way to share the joy of Christmas! |
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| As I was out feeding the chickens the morning after Christmas, this brilliant sunrise greeted me while I was in the coop. It lasted just a few seconds, but the brilliance of the colors was stunning! |
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After a roast turkey dinner, I always boil the bones down to make bone broth.
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Each season seems to pass more quickly than the last! The anticipated holidays are now but a memory in our hearts and the season of winter is here. I enjoy winter because it is a time of rest... the soil is at rest and is being nourished by the snow. Days pass quietly with cozy moments sprinkled throughout the day, and often a cup of tea is nestled in my hands as I look out upon the landscape. Walking each day gets me outside to enjoy the quiet still beauty of the winter months. I enjoy this season of winter and savor its beautiful moments. Soon enough spring will be here with its blooms, sunshine, and warmth.
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But for now, I choose to enjoy the restful days that winter brings us. :) How about you?
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Ah...lovely and serene scenes!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, as always, I enjoyed all your photos, but oh! Those sunrises? God held no color back from His brilliant palette! So glad to know you are enjoying this season of rest. I, too, love the calm that comes with winter. Wishing we could have a bit of snow, though.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
The seasons do seem to pass so quickly. I so agree that we should focus on the "sweet, simple, meaningful and the small joys." Of course, I love your photos and can only imagine the real beauty that you enjoy each day. A brisk five-mile walk should be just what the doctor ordered!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing such beautiful, peaceful scenes with us. What a beautiful place to be able to take walks. The horses look so sweet and like they’re just waiting for you. I’m glad you had a nice calm Christmas. Ours was the same. Thanks for sharing with us today. Blessings, Betsy
ReplyDeletePecan pie was always my favorite holiday dessert...we always called it Karo Nut pie! Love those pretty cookies and ALL of your snow scenes! Wow! It really looks like Christmas where you live! Happy new year!
ReplyDeleteWhat a joy to visit your blog today and see those beautiful photos, such beauty in each and everyone that your shared with us. I am enjoying the peaceful calm now that we have arrived back to out our cosy little cottage.
ReplyDeleteThose sunrise pictures are simply amazing. The colors!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe red barn is gorgeous too and the horses ...
Do you have ice grippers for your boots? I have trouble walking on icy roads. My friend and I have been so blessed. Up until this week we have been able to walk on bare roads. Today though we have lots of snow and wind. Two falls in the last 3 years have me so scared of falling. Next time it could be a much more serious injury. I'm probably not going to be walking much if our roads turn icy.
At Thanksgiving I make a caramel pecan pie that our family loves. For Christmas, though, we just had an assortment of Christmas cookies and fudge. My sweet NV daughter glimpsed a cookie tray in a photo her sister sent her --- and said she could almost taste our traditional Christmas cookies right through cyberspace. Oh, my heart.
Well, that was a delightful scroll through your December! Beautiful scenes and great times!
ReplyDeleteWe dont seem to have sunrises, or sets, like yours. Truly beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAll your pictures are lovely to look at but the snowy ones and the sunrises and sunsets are the ones I most enjoy. Snow is much lovelier to look at ( and photograph) than rain.
ReplyDeleteI made some pecan tarts this year but not a pie. Anyway, there was so much to choose from I don't think anyone missed it.
Have a great week!!
Marilyn, I get so caught up in your writing and in your beautiful photography. Your blog is a blessing as well as your sweet blogging friendship.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you,
Connie :)
My goodness!
ReplyDeleteWhat beauty surrounds you!
And your photography is amazing.
Thank you for sharing your December and Christmas with us.
It made for a cozy evening read for me.
I too enjoy winter for the same reason you wrote of.
Have a cozy evening!
Such wonderful pictures of God's beauty all around you...and you walk 5 miles in the morning at sunrise? That is pretty amazing...in what temperature? We take an early walk too, but only about 1/2 mile or a little more, and then another in the evening before dark. But in Florida our chilliest morning is around 35. If it dips lower, we usually wait a while to go out. You are very adventuresome! Your Christmas cookies, pie, dinner, etc. all look wonderful. Love the paintbrush cookie idea. Thank you for sharing this wonderful vignette of winter in your part of the world. Makes me want to get a cup of tea and read it all over again. Lovely, lovely. Blessed for sure. Praise God.
ReplyDeleteThe scenery is beautiful! I was brave to walk on our icy road on a walk with a friend. I'm a little afraid to walk by myself for fear my clumsy self will fall down on the ice!
ReplyDeleteWords fail me as I look at these pictures. Such glorious beauty.I enjoy winter, but then, I enjoy all seasons.
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos! You were so thoughtful to take dinner to those who needed a special meal for Christmas! Makes Christmas even more special to bring joy to someone!
ReplyDeleteThese are fabulous images, Marilyn! I especially love the fence. There is always something about a fence! :-) XO
ReplyDeleteGlorious sunrises AND snow too! That's special. Not a combination that will ever happen here in San Diego. So I'm very happy to be enjoying the beauty though your photos. In my case, here on the hill, it's the sunsets that have been stunning us lately with so much joyous color. I guess every part of the world has its own particular beauty. Don't you love it that God's creation is so amazing in its variety. There is no end to the wonder and the awe if we keep our eyes open.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos and equally beautiful words to accompany them. The snow and scenery is stunning. Evenings are mostly peaceful lately, although with the start of school on Monday, my days are fuller than during the holidays. Still, it's a quieter time of year.
ReplyDeleteOh, those beautiful photos!! They are just breathtaking!! Especially the ones of the horses...I just love seeing those. Wow, that is so admirable that you walk five miles each day! And such a beautiful place to walk! I am so thankful you and your family had a wonderful Christmas season, sweet friend, and I trust God will richly bless you in this new year! SO thankful for your friendship and prayers!
ReplyDeleteAs I scroll through this post I am thinking that if I were surrounded by such beauty I too would want to get out there and walk through it to take it all in. I love the quiet, crunchy cold days of winter. Beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful. I sure would love to rehab that old barn, smiles...
ReplyDeleteOh I adore the pictures. Breathtaking! I would LOVE to walk past a barn such as that one. You are truly blessed. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteSuch beautiful photos and I love the winter coated horses. The food all looks yummy too.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy each day and thanks for sharing ~ FlowerLady
Ah...just a beautiful post, Marilyn. Your photos of those glorious skies are absolutely stunning...like you said, every color of the rainbow! Your Christmas sounds so restful and full of joy and what a blessing it must have been for the families who received your generous act of sharing. I do love winter too. There is nothing to compare to the quietness of falling snow. We have some in our forecast for this weekend! Happy New Year to you and your family! Hugs!
ReplyDeleteJust beautiful Marilyn.... I feel so rested after a visit to your blog home.
ReplyDeleteWhat lovely country you live in.
God bless you dear friend.
Shirley
After seeing and readingbyour post, I feel at rest.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn my friend, you should be working for a magazine. Your photos are too good not to be seen by more people. You have a gift...
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Marilyn. These photos are beautiful!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, your pictures always reflect the beauty of our Lord. The sunrises are more beautiful than any Christmas tree lights. Your Christmas dinner looks so delicious and how gracious of you to share with others. Thank you for praying for me and Lilah Rose. xo
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteYour photos, Marilyn, they are amazing!
I like to get out in the winter as well. Right now we have NO SNOW, so I have been walking. There is something about the still of winter that I enjoy. The beauty of snow and cross country skiing too. ;-)
Happy New Year,
Carla
Enjoyed each beautiful picture and thank you for sharing.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
Phyllis
always, always, I find beauty and life and joy here, Marilyn.
ReplyDeletesuch a pleasure to drop in to catch up on what's happening ...
bless you in 2019!
Oh my word, Marilyn, I am simply amazed st the pictures that you capture, and the beauty that surrounds you! You are so lucky to enjoy the glorious scenery of God's creations. It also looked like you had a wonderful Christmas with great food. New Year's blessings are sent to you.
ReplyDeleteMarilyn, I love your heart...taking a homecooked Christmas dinner to six friends is such a precious way to share the love of Jesus. You are a blessing!
ReplyDeleteMarilyn,
ReplyDeleteWell I knew you'd have beautiful photos, and this post is loaded with them. Your skies are so beautiful! You are truly fortunate to live in such a beautiful, scenic part of the country! I love the horses that you visit! The look so pretty in your photos! I remember reading about your meal that you took to your friends. You are so thoughtful and kind! Looks like you had a nice Christmas even though it seemed to fly!! Sending hugs, Linda
Sounds like you all had a wonderful Christmas, I have not heard of painting cookies like that, how fun to do that together. Love the picture of the horses, they are so pretty. Of course who doesn't love a good sunrise and sunset, such a special way to start and end a day :) You sure are blessed to live in such a beautiful area, and thanks for sharing it with us!
ReplyDeleteThese sunrises are glorious, especially that first one! And your Christmas cookies are delightful. I just made sugar cookies with strawberry whipped icing, and had them this morning with my coffee. I've been wanting pecan pie lately as well, and yours looks delicious. That red barn with all the snow on the property would be a charming sight to see as you walk that path every day. Your photos make my heart sing, Marilyn. They are truly beautiful.
ReplyDelete~Sheri
Sorry I missed this post! It went into my spam folder.. but I look there now and then... so glad I did! Those first photos are stunning and surely God's work! You are such a trooper to go on FIVE MILE walks! Wow! I'm lucky to go a few blocks.. I bet that long walk is so spiritual. I used to do that (the long walks) years ago... I had beautiful places to walk. In town.. not so much. The skies are always the most glorious it seems. I too have a "thing" for rail fences covered in snow. Where I lived a few years ago, south of where we live now... we lived on two acres and the next door neighbor had 5 acres and the most wonderful rail fences! I would go out every winter and take tons of pictures of them... with the gorgeous sky too of course. I may have to do a blog post just to reminisce on those snow covered fences. Of course, love the horses coming to greet you every day too.. and how thoughtful and kind of you to take food and share it with neighbors and friends. Your heart is very big! I love the winter months as things slow down.. and we can be calm and relax more and just enjoy the moments of the day. I think time slows down when WE slow down.........hugs... Marilyn
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