Let it snow

Such a pity it doesn't snow here. But never mind, I keep hoping.

Christmas from other times

As Christmas day approaches I catch myself looking for nice images and that feels so good.
Either those of Victorian Christmas time or just some funny clip art, I am always so pleased to watch them.

Then it came to my mind to make a post of some I found and that I like.
Let's begin by the Victorian ones.

But I have to say that I even prefer the ones from later times like these:

I think I was born in the wrong time.

Dreaming of a white Christmas

It has been quite cold here which makes me dream of some snow even if last time it happened was years ago.
Anyway, we can dream.

I leave you here with this wish.

24 days to Christmas

Christmas time is in full swing. Yay ! Now we really are.

I know I've been thinking about Christmas since October, (cough, cough...I mean September...) but there were other things to think about too. 

First it was the beginning of the School year which here begins half September. Then I wanted to feel I was really in Autumn and the weather in his antics sometimes gave us good, true Autumn days, either with a little rain ( it didn't rain much) or with nice, fresh days with pure air and not a hint of heat or some hot days as if it was Summer!

After having Autumn well installed, I had in my mind some birthdays. Then it was Thanksgiving all over the internet.
And this year we had a special day: yesterday one of my girls, nº3, Carolina, had her Confirmation- called also Chrismation.
It was a happy and so special day, full of blessings.

But now...rolling drums...It's Christmas Time !!!

In my house we have a date set to begin decorating: 1 December. We must put the tree up that day and also the Nativity.  In the next days we do the other things, one bit at a time.

So as we are ending November, we can't wait to put the wreath at the door and begin the party !

I will, obviously, post some pictures when things are done but for now I will leave you with some of Christmas though the years in my house.

The First Thanksgiving

Blaring trumpets and thundering artillery serenaded Don Pedro Menéndez de Avilés as he waded ashore on September 8, 1565. The Spanish admiral kissed a cross held aloft by the fleet’s captain, Father Francisco Lopez, then claimed Florida for both his God and his country. As curious members of the indigenous Timucua tribe looked on, the 800 newly arrived colonists gathered around a makeshift altar as Father Lopez performed a Catholic mass of thanksgiving for their safe arrival in the newly christened settlement of St. Augustine. At the invitation of Menéndez, the Timucuans then joined the newcomers in a communal meal.

Some Florida historians have argued that this feast—and not the one held 56 years later by the Pilgrims and Wampanoags in Plymouth, Massachusetts—was actually North America’s first Thanksgiving. “It was the first community act of religion and thanksgiving in the first permanent settlement in the land,” wrote University of Florida professor emeritus of history Michael Gannon in his book “The Cross in the Sand.”

https://myfloridahistory.org/frontiers/article/140 

One more month

One more month and it's Christmas. However I have to say that I am in Christmas mode since October - secretly since September.

As we haven't Thanksgiving, we don't need to wait for after it to gear into the Beautiful Season.

I have been shopping for presents since October but in spite of all my good intentions, I'm afraid I didn't wrap any of them.

The stash keeps growing and if I will not be careful I will end up with marathons of wrapping sessions.

Anyway. we still have time.

We only decorate for Christmas from 1 of December. I can't wait to put the Nativity and the tree up and candles and garlands and bells...

I began singing Christmas songs in October when everybody laughed at me because of that, imagine now that I can sing all I want.

I began putting together a Christmas planner with list of presents, to whom they are, the amount I spent and also what I need to buy as presents and for the meals of the Day and Eve.

I will keep reporting and reminding everybody that is the time to do it.

It's Autumn - or it is not

I'm amazed.

Usually, in this corner of the world, the Autumn arrives so late which is a bad thing for me as I don't like the Summer, other than when we go on holiday all together. That I like and the fact that my younger girls are school free till September.

But something good happened this year: the Autumn arrived on time and even gave us some little samples when it was still Summer. Oh, I was happy. It' so good to not have to endure the hit anymore, the display of bodies dressed in less clothes than they should, the heavy air with less oxygen, the car being hot when I get in and the sun burning my skin.

Not anymore till the middle of next year! I felt so relived and full of psychological energy. I felt I wanted to live ! I caught myself making plans for me, for the house and just breathing the nice fresh air in the morning.

I was even thinking of wearing stockings already. I think I never did it before October - the middle of it.

I know for many people the Autumn and the Winter are prone to depressions but not for me, with me it's the opposite.

I had a big smile in my soul.

Life is good.

And then...
Summer came back. I can't believe we are in the end of October and having bouts of heat for days and days.

First it came a little and I thought that it was the Summer saying goodbye for good. But then it came such a heat wave that it was hell on earth with cathastrophic fires and all. It was the Hurricane Ophelia bringing all the heat with it.

And now we are having heat again... Some forecasts say it wil be 28 today but I saw another saying it will be 31 !!! I just can't believe it !

Oh, well, let's hope that it will end soon and we will have a good, true Autumn. I really want cold days.

..

Just a note: maybe you are wondering why I posted about the heat and put a picture of a nice day of rain. Well, it's to counteract the depression the heat gives to me. Some days ago it rained and very nice it was, so each time I think on the heat, I look  at this and feel better.

October is coming to an end

The Santuary of Fátima on a sunny day. I leave this to you in the end of the month of October, when the Centenary of Fátima is coming to an end.

A sky that could not be more blue.
For  Skywatch Friday.

I'm still here

I know, I have not been blogging lately but that is just because I'm busy on Facebook - nothing related with this blog, just other kind of things.
And if that was not enough, some time ago I opened another Flickr account - the other, the old one is just sleeping. So, more time consuming activity plus all the work of a mother and homemaking and work outside, etc.

Anyway, just to tell everybody that I intent to come back and post more often.

And now I must go.