Comfy Candles

 

One of the most pleasant parts of Christmas, 2025, was enjoying every evening,  the light of three candles by Luminara in the living room.

The candle wicks are dead ringers for real flames but they are not. 

They got switched on as soon as I arrived home and were turned off at bed time.

  Lights of all kinds are so important in decorating,  all through the year, not just at Christmas time.

I like to have several lights on in every direction in a room,  including corners.

It makes for a very nice atmosphere.

In a different context, human beings can serve as lights in the world, making it a better place.

We do this by being compassionate, helpful, non-judgmental, and understanding. 

HOW ELSE CAN HUMANS BE LIGHTS IN THE WORLD?

Letting Go

 

One of the hardest things to do as we age is the ability of letting go.

We have to let go of so much, even though it may squeeze our hearts.

We have to let go of friends and loved ones who leave this earth.  

We have to let go of spouses who we've spent half our lives with.

Yes, it's true, we also have to let go of expectations. 

Some things we want will never be.

Right now, I'm in the process of letting go of many Christmas decorations since the place in which I now live is small.

I used to have a big house and it's now just a memory.

It's hard to let go but it can be good, too.  

We realize how little is needed to be happy, to feel joy, despite all the losses.

If we've lost loved ones, we can realize how blessed we were to have them for the time they were part of our lives.

                                     This little angel is one thing I am NOT letting go of!  I just got her at Christmas!

The back seat of my car is now filled with bags of Christmas decor ready to be dropped off at Goodwill. 

It was so hard to haul those out, too, but it's done-----one more thing to just let go of.

DO YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY IN LETTING GO OR IS IT JUST NATURAL FOR YOU?

Remembering Cardinals

 It has been said that cardinals, especially the ones that are bright red, are visitors from the other side of life.

They often represent loved ones of ours who have already crossed over.

Whenever a red cardinal is spotted, it makes me think of my beloved late husband.

No matter how many years have passed, most people never stop grieving. 

Life has changed, circumstances have changed, and we have changed.

When I saw this sweet little angel with the cardinal, it made me think of my late husband. 

It's always so bittersweet to think of my amor, no matter how many years have gone by since he left.

Wishing you a totally lovely day today!

Catch-Up, Thanks for All, Kind of Day

Today is the kind of  day we all need.

Packing away Christmas decorations, preparing some of them to go to charity, and being thankful for all the gifts one received for Christmas are all part of today.

It's a lot of work to put decor away but once it's done, one feels really happy.  It's nice to get back to simpler decor, emptier surfaces, and gratitude for everything.

Looking over Christmas gifts, a few of my favorites follow.

This Pottery Barn diffuser, shown above, from my dear daughter-in-law, is really beautiful.  

The fragrance fills the small bathroom with lovely scent.

Crabtree and Evelyn's Summer Hill lotion, a gift from my daughter, is one of my all time faves, year round.

A brand new notebook, from a niece, will be used for budgeting and expenditure tallies.  I like to put pretty magazine cut outs on opposite pages. That way, the hard task of keeping track of expenses and bills is less harsh.

The photo below, of the little purse, also from my niece, does not do it justice. 

 It's bright, colorful and sparkly and is one of my favorite Christmas gifts.

Here's wishing a good second day of the year to you, too, dear blog peeps!

A New Year, Dreams, Hopes, and Plans

Happy New Year to All!

It's always exciting to get the fabulous gift of a new year of life!

It's actually fun to think about what could happen, changes we can make to enhance life, and be grateful for all we have been given.

One life lesson I have learned very clearly from many decades on earth, is that it isn't always the huge things that are valuable.

Sometimes, even the smallest things can bring us joy.  

For instance, one of my nieces attached the darling pinecone angel she made to her gift to me.

That little angel is so darling.  

Her wings are handpainted by that niece.

May angels light your way through life, guiding and protecting, during this new year!