After Christmas thoughts and of Snow

It's after Christmas and I've been so busy I haven't had any time to enter anything for awhile...I've visited a few of you out there journaling...here are a few thoughts of after Christmas and snow. ....which we did not get!   These four pictures are just some nostalgia, a reflection and a couple of funny ones I got via email at the end.   The first picture is Victoriana for sure...the second is the peace of the birth...the third and fourth are good for a couple of chuckles........ 
some of these were bigger than the others...:)

Winter Scene                            Peaceful Family
                    

Some New Year Humor from an email I got: 

Enjoying the deck
                                                   





Front door Freezer
                                 

Maria   :)

Rose Hello and Geese Visit

                                        

 I used this little Rose hello last year in a Christmas Powerpoint file I made for my family.  It looks best with a white background.  If you have never put a slide show together in powerpoint...well it's pretty cool some of the things you can do.  You can have things fly into the screen or just pop up, you can have things twirl or go around and around. 

I don't know who made this gif but it is one of my favorites...do I like roses?  YES!  

Then below is a picture I took recently and just love.  We have so many Canadian Geese here in Seattle.  Seems they like to rest near where I work and one frosty mornings in between buildings I was walking just after a meeting and spotted these birds in the whiteness.  Having my camera and camera permit with me I stopped and took a few shots.  This makes a great desktop picture as a background and is what I currently have on my screen.   Feel welcome to use it...but leave a comment or send me an email.  I have learned that non AOL readers cannot leave comments so just send me an email at gotomaria@aol.com.  I love hearing from people.  

                                                    Maria  :)    

                   

My Hammered Dulcimer and an Angel

             

Yes, I own a hammered dulcimer.  I play it infrequently but always at Christmastime.  Sometimes when I play it I feel like I'm in a different land.  My background is hungarian and these instruments are fairly common in Hungary...but they are called Cimboloms there.   I play christmas tunes and a couple of folk tunes.   My favorite is music box dancer. In my previous entry the Magical Strings orchestra played and plucked on a couple of hammered dulcimers as well as a harp, flutes and violins.  This one was made for me by a traveling instrument maker during the early years of my marriage (awhile ago) and somewhere I still have his picture....when I find it again I will post it on this entry if not much time has passed.  Maybe someone will recognize him.   The instrument makes beautiful sounds with the help of a human hand and maybe a patient angel watching overhead and sending along a little magical twinkle or two....                

                                                 Maria   :)         

 

                 

                                        

Magical Strings

                     

Hello all,  I am borrowing a couple of gifs today from other sites.  They are so pretty.   Went to a wonderful musical last night performed by the Magical Strings music group.  This is a family operation and has been performing for over 27 years.  Celtic music and hammered dulcimer.  I still have my hammered dulcimer from my college days ...need to wipe off the dust and practice.  I usually pull it out during Christmastime.  I'll post some pictures of it in another entry.  Their website is www.magicalstrings.com  if you want to learn more.  They had dancers in the river dance tradition and right after intermission they had a procession that included some of the audience that wanted to get dressed up.  It was a real family affair.  A very talented and musical family...;)        

               

                                

                                               Maria

Weekend Assignment #90: Holiday Memories

http://journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/5215  link to Scalzi's page
In all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, it's good to take a moment to remember that this time of year is full of wonderful memories. And that brings us to this week's Weekened Assignment:

Weekend Assignment #90: Share a treasured holiday memory. If it happened during the holiday season (which means, basically, from the the day after Thanksgiving to the end of the Bowl Games), it's eligible.

I have lots of favorites so it's hard to pick but one of my strongest memories is an early one sitting under a huge christmas tree in Pittsburgh, PA.  My mom always dress my sister and I up like twins...we were 1 and 1/2 years apart..it was pretty cute.   Me on the left.....in the black and white.

But I have to also include another one a little later where we both were wearing red velvet dresses that my mom made us.  I loved velvet...still do.   Me on the right in color....:)

Extra credit: Fruitcake: Ever, you know, had any?  
Yes and sometimes good, sometimes not so good...:)

Maria

Rose Tree

This rose tree was at a department store in our Southend Mall called Westfield Mall.  That store is Nordstrom's.  The whole store has themed it's decorations with Roses.  I loved them.  The roses all had sparkling edges which don't show up too well here.  The pink and magenta colors were very dramatic.

   

Maria

My Tree

Click here to hear sound

 

This is my tree! 

   
It grew at the side of our house for about 3 years.  It was a volunteer and now it is inside.  You can probably see
I like white feather birds.   The tree developed
a flat side so it was perfect for the spot against the wall.  

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

Maria

 

PS:  also the entry for Scalzi's Monday shoot since my main decoration is our tree...:)

Your Monday Photo Shoot: Decorations!
Twas the monday before Christmas (and Hanukkah! And the Winter Solstice!) and all through AOL-J, John Scalzi was saying, "you know, people have too much to do for me to make a complicated Photo Shoot this week." So: Your Monday Photo Shoot: Show me the decorations! Yes, time to pimp your seasonal decorating bug, folks. Show us what you got. Take the picture, post it on your Journal/Blog, and then come back to leave a link. Easy! http://journals.aol.com/johnmscalzi/bytheway/entries/5231