It’s
beautiful out today. You should be here. The sky is blue with fluffy white
clouds and the sun shines warmly through the windows. It’s 53 at this writing.
Maybe spring has come. Well, we can’t count on that – especially on a day when
the forecast is for rain and wind -- but that early cold snap might have been
winter. It’s happened before.
Back
in December when I was posting about Ina’s Christmas, I had her drinking from
her Christmas teacup. I really did find a Christmas teacup in the farmhouse,
though I don’t suppose she had it in 1934. More than likely it came to her
post-WWII. On the bottom it says, “hand-painted,” and a well-worn sticker says,
“made in Japan.” I love the theme -- the stagecoach and the houses amidst the
wintry scene. There’s really nothing about it that's specific to Christmas –
sorta like “Jingle Bells” or “Walking in a Winter Wonderland,” so today I’m
drinking “Timothy’s Peppermint Ginger Tea” from this cup.
I’ve
come to realize that I handle Christmas best if I don’t treat the actual day as
a deadline. True, those who come to my house must have gifts on Christmas Day.
It would hardly do to say, “Oh, and I’ll have a gift for you later.” I try to
have the gift cards to the older grandchildren on time. But the simple things I
have for 5-year-old Emmy – doll clothes and color books and such – I think those
things are better on days when she might need a quiet evening activity. So, I
send her things from time to time and not so much for Christmas.
Now
we’re one week – almost two – into the New Year. I have yet to tackle my
ongoing sewing projects, though slowly my studio becomes more organized. (I can
sit on the sofa now.) And so that you won’t wonder what on earth I do with my
time anyway, I’m working on a study project. I listen to lectures recorded in
the 1950s by a gentleman who speaks English with a heavy Swiss-German accent.
It’s tedious work but I love it. My friend and study partner needs my notes in
order to follow him at all, and Hallie helped us tremendously by finding a
transcription program – that is, once we cleared my laptop of the virus that piggy-backed
with it.
There’s
just one left-over Christmas topic I’d like to tell about – our annual
Christmas bonfire. We pile our burnable yard waste down by the pond at the farm
and during Christmas, we have an evening bonfire. It’s a memorable part of our
celebration, but it didn’t work this year. Too wet with snow. KW
Yes, the bonfire was a total waste of time this year.
ReplyDeleteThat's a very cute cup and saucer. There are no other markings on it?
Teacup -- you mean, like the name of the painter or the manufacturer? No, just a number.
ReplyDeleteI suppose it's possible that the teacup was originally purchased as a blank and then painted. I think it's very pretty -- very well done. Unfortunately, it has a tiny chip. I ignore it.