On the Fourth Day of Christmas

                             "On the fourth day of Christmas ,my true love gave to me..."
                                                            Snowy coast mountains.

                                                Loons sitting in a row on a rock.

                          And  a white Cat, named Cordelia, sunning herself on the fence.

                             "On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me..."
                                                 Quadra Island dwarfed by snow coastals.

              Huge skies  going south.

                                               One sleepy Spencer scratching on the gate.

                                                       And snow. Of course. At Tyee Spit.
                       

                               "On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me.."
                                                       More snow . On the mountains.

                               
                              And one grey Smokey, looking in the door, at just about four...............
                                                          On the fourth day of Christmas.

A Very Spencer Christmas

A VERY SPENCER CHRISTMAS

                                (For J.S. May you have great joy, becuase you bring great joy!)

                               It was Christmas Morning. Spencer played in the snow.               

               Deer had been there.                                      Spencer saw the stardust fly.

              It had snowed again. Smokey huddled on the fence.

                                             He could hear it. This morning of mornings.

                                                                           A song.

            Cordelia was snoozing on the Moai.

She dreamed. Walking with angels again.

 She woke up. Snow! How deep was it? She turned herself into a snowball.

What tomorrow is it? It was Christmas.

                                                             Hope. Joy. I Am.

                      Smokey stretched. It was a little chilly for this happy, funny cat.

 It was warm inside. Candles. Light of the world. A song.             Bunny heard it.......I Am.

                                     Two brothers. Paused. In this wobbly, wobbly world.

 Varied Thrush twittered.            Woodpecker contemplated apples.         They heard it as well.

                            I'm ever so pretty. Purred Cordelia. What tomorrow is it?

                Christmas it is. Day above all days. Smokey yawned. Snow made him sleepy.

                   

"Over all the  mountaintops is peace. In all the treetops scarcely a breath. Little birds in the forest are silent. Wait then. Soon you, too, will have peace. " ( Goethe 1749-1832)

        "The blind will see."                                   "The deaf will hear."                 

   Bo heard the song as well......                                     "The Perfect Lamb."

                   "We shall find peace........We shall hear the angels............

              ....We shall see the sky. Sparkling with diamonds. " (Anton Chekov)

                                Gift of God from Heaven. At last it was tomorrow.

                 On Christmas day the bells rang out.                     For the Great I Am.

 To Spencer, Smokey and  Cordelia ( the photogenic cats who have homes in the neighbourhood, but who love  to visit) . And to Bo and Bunny and Pye, who is camera shy, long may you purr.

Song reference is "Mary Did you Know?"

Tidings....

                         The angels announced the good news. That shall be to all people.

                                    "Behold I bring you good tidings of great Joy!"

                                                        Hope. Peace. Love. Now : Great Joy.

                                  The evergreen  of Christmas symbolizes new life.

The round shape of the traditional advent wreathe means God has no beginning and no end.

 Candles that are unlit are for the dark days and times before Light  comes  into this world.

      "My soul glorifies the Lord, my spirit rejoices...his mercy is from age to age... and raises the lowly....He fills the starving with good things. " ( From the "Magnificat")

                   Composers, over the years, have wrote many works in honour of Mary the Mother of Jesus. Claudio Monteverdi  wrote "Vespers for the Blessed Virgin" ( 1610).Vivaldi's "Magnificat in G minor" and Bach''s great "Magnificat" in 1723, are all still performed to this day. John Rutter ( one of my favourite composers) wrote a "Magnificat" ( 1990). It has 7 movements for soloists and orchestra, incorporating the phrase "Of a Rose, a lovey rose" in the lyrics.  Gorgeous thing.

                          Each year we wait in darkness for the Light that is coming.

                                             Definitely Tidings. Of great joy. To all people....

Whipped Christmas Shortbread

WHIPPED SHORTBREAD   (These melt in your mouth like angel dust. Absolutely lovely. )

                                   

This shortbread/cake/mincemeat tart stand is very old.It's part of the collection of Paragon china carrying the Royal Warrant of  the Queen Mother. Paragon china began as Star China in 1897, changing to Paragon around 1919, though  the name Paragon appeared in 1900.  Every year,whenI was growing up,  my mother would pile this stand with goodies, whenever guests came over.  And every year I use it I remember  the scent of hot mincemeat tarts, pale shortbread and rich fruitcake spillng out over its edges.

 RECIPE INGREDIENTS:

1 pound butter, softened, 1 cup icing sugar, ½ cup cornstarch,

1 tsp vanilla, 3  1/2 cups flour

 

Beat everything till the consistency of whipped cream. Takes about 15 minutes or so.  You can drop by teaspoons onto cookie sheets, lined with Silpat, or parchment paper.

 

Or take a  piping bag with large tip, stuff with as much batter as possible and pipe to the size of rosettes you prefer on trays.

Bake at 350 degrees about 10 minutes…add about 2 minutes if needed.Watch them closely.

Should be cream coloured and lightly brown as possible. You can swirl with melted chocolate if you wish, but I think they are beautiful plain, served on your favourite plate .