Monday 24 December 2012

Christmas Eve

I gave a party. I never give parties. I mulled the wine and decked the halls and the whole family came, from eighty to eight months. I love all the generations, gathered together. It really was quite a success. Stanley the Dog was much admired, and behaved impeccably.

I am quite tired now. There is just time to steep the milk for the bread sauce with onions and cloves and bay leaves for tomorrow, and then I shall collapse in a heap.

I miss my dear departeds, but that’s a thing to be expected, at this time of year. I know you shall be thinking of yours, too.

The choir of King’s is singing O Come All Ye Faithful, and the night outside my window is very black and still. I have that bittersweet feeling that comes on the night before Christmas. I am glad and grateful for all the ones still here, and a little melancholy for the ones that are not. As news comes in of floods in the south of the county, and right down in the West Country, I feel very lucky that I am not stuck on a stranded train. I feel pretty lucky altogether, and I don’t ever take luck for granted.

And here, in this small corner of the wild internet, I feel exceptionally lucky in all the Dear Readers, who have stuck with me so staunchly this year. I send you all love for the Christmas season, and hope you have a delightful day. If Stanley and Red and Myfanwy could speak English and understand the concept of a winter festival, I feel certain they would wish you a very happy and peaceful Christmas too.

 

Some Christmassy pictures for you:

24 Dec 1

24 Dec 2

24 Dec 3

24 Dec 4

24 Dec 6

24 Dec 7

24 Dec 8

24 Dec 9

24 Dec 11

24 Dec 13

24 Dec 14

24 Dec 15

24 Dec 15-001

24 Dec 16

24 Dec 16-001

My menagerie:

24 Dec 20

24 Dec 21

24 Dec 23

24 Dec 24

24 Dec 26

My dear old ladies, who still live in my heart:

24 Dec 29

The hill:

24 Dec 30

14 comments:

  1. Happy christmas to you and your menagerie. Magnificent ear action from Stanley. Raising my glass to our dear departeds.

    Sunnydevon

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  2. Merry Christmas to you all- Christmas Day here in New Zealand already and a wet one.

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  3. Such Beauty - in words and pictures.
    May you be blessed this Christmas time with the greatest gift imaginable - the love of family and friends.

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  4. So pleased you have four feet trotting behind. Wishing you, your family and all equines plus Stanley
    a joyous Christmas and a very happy New Year. Pauline Watchorn

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  5. Merry Christmas Tania and thank you for a year of wonderful posts. You take such gorgeous photographs and always manage to find the beauty in things, however dreich the day. x

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  6. Your house looks like a wonderful Christmas dream! Happy Christmas, and many thanks for your enlivening blog during the year.

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  7. A very merry Christmas, Tania, to you and yours all! I am with the in-laws, who have two middle aged ladies (a boxer mix and a black and white hairy mix) who are having a touch of trouble with the 3, 5 and 7 year olds (and the other 10 people) who have suddenly descended loudly upon their largely silent two-person life. I thought a few times today of your lovely Duchess and Pigeon and, with pleasure, of beautiful Stanley. I hope you all have a peaceful and lovely day.

    Thank you for everything you bring to the Readers! Your blog makes my day that much better, every time you post.

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  8. Tania, the decorations, greenery and flowers in your home are beautiful--such a festive feeling! Have a lovely Christmas. Tell Stanley his red collar suits him well.

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  9. These are such beautiful photographs. Thank you for sharing.

    Wishing you and yours the very best for Christmas.

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  10. Here, in Wisconsin, the snows are deep and the thermometer hasn't topped the freezing point for days. Snow is beautiful, but the absence of color outside is palpable. That's why I especially enjoyed your holiday photos post -- the warm tones are just magnificent!

    Happy happy holiday season and thank you for your beautiful words and photos!

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  11. MERRY CHRISTMAS FROM NEW YORK!!!

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  12. Beautiful! Merry Christmas, Tania. Thank you for another wonderful year!

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  13. Such beautiful photographs, I adore the swag on your mantle especially. Hope you've had the most wonderful time, thoughts for the dear departeds, here too, and love for the living.
    Anne.x

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