The cure for anything is salt water — sweat, tears, or the sea. ~Isak Dinesen
Monthly Archives: December 2014
Storms
Bursts as a wave that from the clouds impends, And swell’d with tempests on the ship descends; White are the decks with foam; the winds aloud Howl o’er the masts, and sing through every shroud: Pale, trembling, tir’d, the sailors freeze with fears; And instant death on every wave appears.
Homer (“Smyrns of Chios”) Quotes , Source: The Iliad
Old Houses Have Soul
Froggie’s Cairns Christmas Tree
Nature never did betray the heart that loved her. ~William Wordsworth
I love cairns. Love making them, love designing them, love the symbolism behind them. I love them so much I have devoted an entire page to both Cairns and Inukshuks
They are trailmarkers, pointers for helping one to find ones way. They have been painted or decorated for increased visibility or religious reasons.
I’ve made hundreds of them over the course of several years. But this is the first Cairns Christmas tree I’ve ever made, or heard of for that matter. It points upward towards the heavens, draped with crystal icicles and glittered cranberries. The pantheist in me loves the natural easy flow upwards towards the heavens. The Green in me appreciates the idea that when Christmas is over I will tear down this Christmas tree and recycle the stone for a pathway in my backyard.
Merry Christmas and happy holidays to all!
Living Nativity Village at Discovery Baptist Church, Gig Harbor, Washington
“For unto us a child is born.” Isaiah 9:6
Peninsula Baptist Church, 4902 Gustafson Drive, Gig Harbor.
This is the first time I have ever been to a living nativity village. It was easily the coolest thing I’ve seen in a while. I am not a practicing christian but it was so neat to see a christian community come together to create such a very interactive, vivid representation. There were sheep, goats, horses, donkeys, chickens, ducks…markets full of grains and shekels and candles and traditional clothing. There were guards and shopkeepers and shepherds in full garb, and little children welcoming with “Shalom! Welcome to Bethlehem” as I was invited to go into the stores to browse and sample their goods.
It was very apparent the amount of planning, work and detail that had been put into recreating old village Bethlehem. Kudos to the Discovery Baptist Church for creating a real, authentic place for us moderners to experience. If ALL christian churches made the effort to bring in sheep and donkeys to their programs I’d be more inclined to be interested.
“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” ~Corinthians 12:4-8
The angels watched their flocks by night.
Bison Neighbors
Lots of people talk to animals. Not very many listen, though. That’s the problem. ~Benjamin Hoff, The Tao of Pooh
Still Still Still
Still, still, still,
One can hear the falling snow.
For all is hushed,
The world is sleeping
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.
While guardian angels without number,
Watch you as you sweetly slumber.
Dream, dream, dream,
Of the joyous day to come.
~Austrian Christmas Lullaby
[All photos taken December 13, 2014 in the Key Peninsula, WA]
Scenes From the Lily Pad 