Here are my contributions to the eighth month of Project 365.
What an easy month to take pictures and a hard month to decide which ones to use! I thought the winter months were going to be harder, but December certainly wasn't one of those months. With Christmas and our three week holiday in Ireland, it didn't take a whole pile of encouragement to pull out the camera. I once said I loved the Autumn more than any other season, but Winter has so many fabulous aspects to it too.
Where is the time going? I only have another 120 pictures to take and that's it!
On our last day at home (in Ireland), I had two cousins (sisters) that got married and shared their special day together. At this stage the snow is gone and it's a balmy 7°C, I'm sure the brides were thankful! I drove down to the Church to watch them say their vows and get a few pictures.
I didn't get a lot of pictures of the girls, because to be honest, there were a lot of people with the same idea in mind! However, I did get a great shot of my Dad & Mum - pictured above. I love them so much. The saying stands true, 'You don't appreciate your parents until you become one yourself'.
I also got a nice picture of my Uncle Goodlet and Auntie Deirdre. They are, in fact, my Dad's brother and my Mum's sister. Two 'Ardis' brothers married to two 'Brown' sisters - you can just imagine how close we are to this family. When my sister and I were growing up, we spent a whole lot of time with them and their children. They mean the world to me.
{ A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart }
[ more pictures here ]
Both our families were together for Christmas Day. We eat and eat and then eat some more! Turkey and all the trimmings.
Lilah got her much longed for guitar and glasses, and a whole lot more. She spend the day putting on 'guitar shows' for us, strumming and singing. I think she's in love!
Later in the afternoon her cousins came around. There is nothing better than a day spent with family.
warm mulled fruit punch
almond mince pies & homemade shortbread
sparkly reindeer food
an excited little girl
and a stocking
It's Chrismas Eve.
winter is the king of showmen
turning tree stumps into snowmen
and houses into birthday cakes
and spreading sugar over lakes
smooth and clean and frosty white
the world looks good enough to bite
that's the season to be young
catching snowflakes on your tongue
winter is the time for comfort
for good food and warmth
for the touch of a friendly hand
and for a talk beside the fire
it is the time for home
[ more pictures here ]
Pa & Na have a farm, a dairy farm. Well I should say, Na is a nurse and has been for many years, at a local doctors clinic, but technically she has been retired for a couple of years now, even though they call her now and again if a staff member is sick or needs the day off. Retired is a redundant term to use on Na though, she literally never stops. She helps milk the cows, can whip up a fine dinner, plods away at the crazy amount of bookkeeping it takes to run a farm, educates herself in all the fancy new electronic gadgets farmers are required to have nowadays and everything in between.
I'm 99% certain I would not have made it as a farmer's wife.
The jury's still out on Lilah's desires to farm!
In her defence, she does have a love for animals. She's very very caring and gentle and loving. I know by times that Na can see Sally-the-dog far enough, but Lilah, she absolutely adores that dog and I'm pretty sure the feelings are mutual. She also thinks Tyson-the-horse is pretty amazing and every single morning she was bound and determined to find and see the sheep.
You just never know, if we got her out of the big city a bit more often, there's a possability she could be a farm girl. Although I'm quite certain she'd need to ditch the white coat and the regular "Ewww. What's that smell?"
