Christmas emerging

Christmas happening around our home happens to be my favorite activity the of year. I love taking the kitchen chair and reaching high up into the passage cupboard to hall out the dusty boxes I last saw almost a year ago. Its a bit surprising in itself seeing what we have collected. This year is a Maileg and Greengate Special. I have always since young been fascinated with the the vision of quaint village toy shops. This I am sure brought about by beautiful books I have read through the years and our trip to Germany. My kitchen spot, where I change this area like the wind changes, has become home to our little village shop window. We have already started playing our Christmas music. Brogan has produced 3 delicious Christmas Fruit cakes. Our real Christmas tree didn't make it into the house this year. Its grown too big! One thing I wish we had here in South Africa is being able to choose a real Christmas tree from a tree farm. We now have this gorgeous grand old lady tree standing in the entrance hall.

I hope your homes are beginning to feel a little cozier with the smells that come with this time of year.

A happy day to you~
Suzanne
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My dear friends~

I saved so many photographs and ideas for my last blog post of this wonderful year. I live in the South African highveld where the weather is renound for its spectaclar thunder storms at this time of year. Well, one big bolt of lightning struck our home and down went my computer..I would love to wish you all personally via email but all my addresses are on my computer. I have missed this space and realised how much this world has become a part of me..My father in law has lent me his lap top for a milli-second to wish you all a wonderful Christmas day tomorrow. I send all my love and look forward to a wonderful new year of friendships.

Love to you
Suzanne
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The Christmas Rhythm

I have just finished watching a 'Nigella's Christmas Kitchen'. Only Nigella can get you feeling sexy while you bake. Her ingredients, her passion for every little inch of what she creates. So, the kitchen is abuzz with bread baking, orange covered cacao treats and another Christmas cake. Brogan made two last week for Gran and Grandpa. This time it's Nigella's chocolate fruit Christmas cake. At least that one I can put raw Cacao powder into it.

Our Christmas tree is full with decorations the children and I made. We have put our fairy lights onto the veranda and once those go up, the whole house feels wrapped up for Christmas. We picked bay leaf and rosemary sprigs to hang up around the home. Cinnamon and orange rings are hanging in garlands on the fire places. Berries are ripe for the picking... Its truly impossible to tame my traditional heart at this time of year. I too hope for some peaceful and reflective moments as I go about this Season.

Now how nice would it be if I could have you all for tea~!

Love to you
Suzanne
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Celebrating Summer and getting into the spirit of Christmas

I am sure everyone's kitchens are staring to work overtime. I know ours is and we are producing some pretty good festive treats. Brogan, Auntie karen, Gran, Aaron and Olivia have just finished baking Christmas mince pies. The pastry has ground almonds in it and being the pre- Christmas taster, they are delicious melt in your mouth beauties. It is boiling hot outside, Papa is playing the piano and getting us all feeling fuzzy and warm with his incredible playing. Gran is outside sitting under our Beautiful big tree separating big earth worms from littlies and removing eggs. Noodle the poodle has just been washed and had a Summer hair cut. We are having many meals under the trees with friends and on the veranda taking in the beauty that Summer offers. Our peaches and plums are being eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner. What a gift. We had a special meal with our neighbor friends last night celebrating Summer Solstice. Our Christmas tree is flashing and children are eagerly awaiting their gifts. Our days are good and lazy. Lots of reading happening and just being. Mmmm just what I wished for.

An emerging Christmas Season

I am sharing little bits of my home with you over the next couple of weeks. I love bringing in the festive spirit and I just love home decor. This is one time of year that I feel I can spoil almost every corner and empty spot. In my entrance hall I have an old large french antique mirror that I absolutely adore. This lovely bright red berry heart wreath hangs loosely on it . Although my home is "old South African" built in 1928, I have filled it with french antiques. Somewhere deep in my past, these pieces have started emerging again.. I was inspired by Tasha Tudor to make and place this wreath in my old farm style kitchen. In one of her DVDs, she hangs a beautiful old wreath with red satin ribbon given to her by her mother or grandmother from the 18th century. I have found some lovely red gingham linen ribbon that looks equally as nice. Closer to Christmas, I will fill the wreath with herbs from my garden. Rosemary, mint, and lavender. I also spent most of our cold Winter months oven drying orange slices to hang from this wreath. I think some cinnamon sticks also deserve a spot up on this homely festive wreath. My Christmas potpourri has found its way to our sitting room table. I have been nursing this gorgeous bowl of scented goodness for a few months now. I can truly say that it is Christmas wrapped in a bowl..The smell is heavenly. My dear dear Mother handed me an early Christmas present. I am in awe of this "Santa Lucia" that she knitted for me. Before dawn on the 13th of December this knitted daughter will find its way to a special spot for us to celebrate the Scandinavian tradition. So, although I am finding myself in a peaceful place, I too am getting ready for the arrival of our Gogo and Papa who will be spending this holiday with us. The children are so excited...Too be honest, so am I. I would also like to mention the link on the right hand side of my blog called "the wellness tree". Nicole from Gardenmama has started a blog for a mama called Kelly who is very ill. Nicole has put together a project for all those who can, to send a Christmas decoration that you have made to add to Kelly's Christmas tree . I am thankful on a daily basis for my good health, for the energy I have to look after my children..Please visit "the wellness tree" blog to find out more..

The first light of Advent

We always look so forward to this time of year. I have cleaned house and packed away clutter to make way for our homemade Christmas decorations...We started today with gathering rosemary from the orchard to make our advent wreath. Last year, Brogan made this beautiful candle. She sun melted beeswax and moulded this perfect angel. We decided it was the perfect candle for this special Sunday. I have been hard at work knitting these knitted pears. I have hand spun most of the wool for these treasures which will be listed in my shop shortly. The theme I chose for my first homemade decorations is a "a partridge in a pear tree". Brogan put out our first Christmas cook book . "Nigella's Christmas" Can you see her itching to bake something..So today we got our first home baked Christmas mince pie's. The kettle is brewing and I am off for a tasting....

A water coloured Christmas scene

A couple of little hands and a paint brush and a beautiful creation. This was our Christmas project. The children water coloured individual theme pictures and then we combined them to form this Christmas scene. The manger, the little drummer boy, the Shepard boy, the angel and the three wise men. They did it all themselves and I think its beautiful.

OH Christmas tree, OH Christmas tree

This has got to be our all time favourite. Decorating the Christmas tree. We found a lovely real tree .The smell of pine needles wafts through the house. The children threaded popcorn . I made our star for the top of the tree. Brogan felt the need to hug our tree. I love the feeling of taking out a decoration and remembering the Christmas you brought it and which child was still a baby. Tradition is special. I made Advent calendars for the children. I wrapped goodies in tissue paper along with poems and Christmas stories. Happy Christmas tree decorating everyone.

Advent

The children loved the Advent walk this evening. It was calm and peaceful. I loved to see the light of the candles flickering as they walked the spiral outside. Brogan decorated a lovely candle with bees wax colours. We made a lovely wreath of pine needles, bay leaf , holly and cinnamon. I decided to follow the tradition of purple candles as it was the colour of royalty. It is the season of the coming of the king. The symbolism of the candles are ... First candle- Hope. Second - Love. Third - joy. Fourth- peace. I look forward to the three Sundays ahead.