The blessing of Seasons - Winter

I know, most people don't like Winter. 

Because it's too cold, or has too much snow or even because it's too wet.

Well, I like it any way.

I can't say I have snow here, which is a pity. Some years ago it snowed which was such an happening. Even the television stopped what it was doing it to announce that was snowing. Not anymore. What we get each year is a good dose of rain and wind and a little cold.

The forecast is announcing rain till the middle of the month and I, who like to dry my clothes in the sun, feel a little depressed about it.

To say the truth, Our Lord must be tired of complaints. First it was that it didn't rain for too long and I was fearing a severe drought. And I like so much the rain, I needed it to feel well. 

Now I complain that I need some days of sun because I can't dry my clothes. Oh, well, it's better to leave it with Our Lord Who knows better what to do.

Even so I can't wait to see my lines full of clothes to dry !

(old pictures, I'm afraid! Some new ones soon)

The twelve days of Christmas

....or why I still have my Christmas tree on.

As Christmas is not only a day but twelve, we must leave our decorations till the 6 of January - the Epiphany of the Lord - even if to put things easier many countries make the liturgical celebrations of Epiphany on the previous Sunday. Anyway, as I work outside and I am outside my home since the morning till the evening, I'm afraid we will only have all our decorations down by next Saturday, which is very much ok to me.

And now, do you, by any chance know the song The Twelve Days of Christmas ? And if you do, do you know its real meaning?

Here it is the song.

And its meaning.

“The Twelve Days of Christmas” celebrates the official Christmas season which starts liturgically on Christmas Day and ends twelve days later on the Feast of the Epiphany.
 “My true love” refers to God, “me” is the individual Catholic. 
The “twelve lords a leaping” are the twelve basic beliefs of the Catholic Church as outlined in the Apostles Creed. 
The “eleven pipers piping” are the eleven Apostles who remained faithful after the treachery of Judas. 
The “ten ladies dancing” are the Ten Commandments. 
The “nine drummers drumming” are the nine choirs of angels which in those days of class distinction were thought important. 
The “eight maids a milking” are the Eight Beatitudes. 
The “seven swans a swimming” are the Seven Sacraments.
The “six geese a laying” are the Six Commandments of the Church or the six days of creation. 
The “five golden rings” are the first five books of the Old Testament called the Torah which are generally considered the most sacred and important of all the Old Testament. 
The “four calling birds” are the Four Gospels. 
The “three French hens” are the Three Persons in God or the three gifts of the Wise Men. 
The “two turtle doves” represent the two natures in Jesus: human and divine or the two Testaments, Old and New. 
The “partridge” is the piece de resistance, Jesus himself, and the “pear tree” is the Cross.

http://www.catholic.net/index.php?option=dedestaca&id=3465