Come away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Three days to Christmas, so loosen your belts, there’s a lot to eat before falling asleep in front of the Queen!
Someone’s getting a Gilly treat!
Oh no, there’s an awful lot left, what shall I do?
Whatever you do this Christmas, have a very happy time x š x
“You can tell a lot about a person by the way they handle three things: a rainy day, lostĀ luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights.”
Maya Angelou
Thank you my friends, wherever you are around the world, my world is richer for your presence.
From my home to yours, I wish you a very happy Christmas, and a peaceful 2018. May all your dreams come true.
Ā It’s Christmas Eve, time to draw the curtains, put your feet up and relax!
āThen the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before! What if Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. What if Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more!ā
ā Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
When I was little Waltons was a shop in Exeter that had the most wonderful Christmas displays. You walked through an area of display windows that seemed really big at the time. Each window was more magical then the one before, and waiting at the end was Father Christmas, in his red coat and with a real white beard. In those less commercial days it was one of the very best things about Christmas.
There are still displays like Waltons, often found in garden centres, and Keydells has multiplied the magic many times over. Look at all these Santas!
And their visitors,
Seasons Greetings from my little town.
There will be no snow in Exeter this Christmas, a very mild 14 degrees is forecast for tomorrow. Even I wouldn’t have minded a very light sprinkle for a day.
This year has brought it’s challenges, but those trials make us stronger, wiser people don’t they? It’s also been a year of happy experiences, some travel, back to Spain and around the UK, meeting friends old and new. All in all, while I’ll never be wealthy, I’m a very lucky girl with a full and rich life.
Thank you all for your company, your visits and lovely comments. Even though I often don’t have time to respond, I love to hear from you and I learn from you every day.
So as we lookĀ towards 2017,Ā I wish each of you a very Happy Christmas season, and most of all a peaceful, healthy new year.
The picture of Exeter Cathedral above, is ‘borrowed’ from the Facebook group, Exeter Memories andĀ I believe it’s actually a Christmas card, one that I’ve sent and received in the past.
This week, share a photo that saysĀ anticipation.Ā A candid shot of your niece, eager to blow out the candles on her birthday cake. A photo from the trip youād long dreamed of. An image of something you hope to have one day, or something that was worth the wait. For those who celebrate Christmas, how about a photo of the stockings hung by the chimney with care?
Right about know, Santa is getting ready for the busiest night of his year, a bit like year end in my office. I’m sure the elves are working their socks off and Mrs Claus is planning to make the biggest packed lunch ever, she doesn’t know how many mince pies her husband eats on his journey.
One of Santa’s very important helpers, Vixen,Ā in anticipation ofĀ next Saturday, is getting as much rest as possible, snoozing in the barn.
Michelle created this weeks challenge, see her cute cat anticipating mice for dinner.
Merry Christmas to my dear friends in the blogosphere, thank you all so much for your kind visits and love this year. I’ve enjoyed visiting you and learning about your world and look forward to seeing you all in 2014.
Love, peace and best wishes
LG x
Is there enough love
can you open wide your heart
share with the lonely
Wrapping unravelled
spreading smiles and happiness
gifts are delivered
Everyone hush now
can it be a child is born
wait for his wise words
Killerton House and estate is a National Trust property a few miles east of Exeter. I’ve been wanting to see it decorated for Christmas, so after a manic day of shopping and wrapping gifts I checked the internet thinking that I might pop out tomorrow. This was at 4.30. I saw that today it would be open until six for the last time so that people could see the house in the evening light. I was there by five!
I’m having to use a fixed 50mm lens at the moment so my options are limited, even more because of the dim light, but I enjoyed capturing some of the tree decorations.
I don’t know how many trees they had, I lost count.
This is a glimpse of the dining room
The staircase was decorated with foliage and snow
and the inner hall had this lovely barrow
There were some old fashioned toys on display in the entrance hall
Including these creepy ones
One of the trees in the hall
See how pretty the entrance hall is?
The walk back from the house to the old stable block entrance is about two hundred yards. It was really dark and I was on my own, so I was glad to hear the voices of a young family behind me. And seeing this beauty on my way was a real treat!
I hope you enjoyed my half hour visit, I was back home by six!
As always you can click for a bigger view of my photos and to seeĀ some earlier posts about Killerton go to https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2013/11/03/travel-theme-delicate/Ā and https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2013/11/04/objects-of-desire/Ā and https://lucidgypsy.wordpress.com/2013/09/04/a-killerton-evening/#
Jake posted a great Christmas tree animation but I can only produce simple today I’m afraid. Check him out, he’s very talented.
http://jakesprinters.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/christmas-tree/
Lucid Gypsy 