1st Day of Advent, warm day walk, scrap quilt, and wool ornament for our Jesse Tree

We began the day at church to celebrate the first day of Advent.  The first candle was lit. During these dark days of winter we are reminded to take time to look at our own heart and soul, not to judge others but to look at how we might be compassionate, merciful to others, and fill it with love and patience.

Our class began the Jesse Tree. I gave each student a tree from the Dollar Store and our "ornaments" to begin decorate.  I was surprised that , like me, none of them had experienced a Jesse Tree.  It traces the ancestry of Jesus one day at a time.

I used THIS link as our guide from Catholic Inspired.

 We discussed Advent, what the Jesse tree is, and any family traditions they might have.

After church I couldn't help but go for a snow walk on this beautiful day!

I set up my Grandmother's clay Advent Wreath she got long ago from Mexico.  I know blue is not the correct color but it will have to do until I get to the store tomorrow. The colors of Advent are Purple and Rose. 

Dinner was split pea soup made with the leftover hambone from Thanksgiving. 

It was perfect. 

Then it was time to put in a book and sew!

I finished the border for the scrap quilt. 

Then time to make my first Jesse Tree ornament representing the creation of the earth. 

December 1 - Creation: Genesis 1:1-31; 2:1-4 Symbol: earth 

I used some of my own fleece from our lambs.

I like the way it turned out. 

The end of the day was as beautiful as the midday. 

peace 

Cardmaking day, continue working on scrap quilt and getting ready for advent.

I left early this morning to head a couple of towns over to go card making.  I have been snowed in and couldn't wait to see people again and create. It snowed again overnight but the forecast  was for possible ground blizzards(where there is no falling snow but the winds are so high it causes a ground blizzard from the recent snows). It was a big possibility for our area but the wind wasn't even blowing when I left .  Plus, I went only about 20 minutes away. 

Card making was so much fun. My friend Sherri does such a great job teaching us and having all our supplies ready. 

In the middle of making cards my husband called to say it's a blizzard and you are not coming home, the highway was stopped.  I started cards at 10am and was only halfway through. It should be okay by the time I finished, right? 

By 12:30pm I looked at the county road updates and the highway was still closed. It was strange, only 20 minutes away no breeze and the sun is shining.  The alerts all over Colorado and Wyoming where coming in... road closure, road closure, road closures... car pile-up, fatalities.... I went to my son's home.  It was great to see them but I am sure they wanted their day back. 

I finally took a chance and left at 4pm. There were only a few of us on the road and the roads were clear.  But the time I got to my exit it was clear there had been some issues earlier.  The highway was closed at my exit and beyond.  The alternate highway (the back road and highway) was closed too. The department of transportation sighting too many fatalities for the amount of highway people working.
I made it home only getting stuck in drift in our driveway! It was still windy here but I am glad to be home.  The weather this week is to be warmer and no snow! Yay. 

Today we celebrated St Andrew.  Patron saint of fishermen, Scotland, Russia and Romania.  "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." This is the first place I have lived that was not near an ocean.  A couple of my sons were born in Hawaii, one in Virginia Beach, I was raised on the coast of  North Carolina, before that, my younger sister was born in California.  My dad was a meditative fisherman, he would cast a line, light his pipe and wait.  I had hoped for a lovely fish and shrimp dinner to celebrate, but due to getting home so late, I had kippered herring and cheesy cauliflower.  oy. I had also planned to back and mount this Santa Fisherman I did a while back. ohwell, project for another day. 

But I did get the sashing done on the Ultimate Beginner Quilt I  did all out scraps.  Tomorrow I hope to put the border on it. 

Tomorrow begins Advent and I am so exited.  It is a season of Joyful and Hopeful waiting for Christmas. I remember the nuns teaching us it was a time to clean our house and get ready for a wonderful guest... Jesus. It is a time of kindness and sharing HOPE. 

December 1st begin lighting the Advent Wreath and start a Jesse Tree with my religious education class 4th -6th graders. I will post what I am doing with the Jesse Tree - it will be my first year doing this. 

Celebrations along the way:
4th  Feast of St Barbara
6th St Nicholas Day
7th Feast of St Ambrose
8th Immaculate Conception
9th  Juan Diego
10th  Our Lady of Loretto
11th  Our Lady Queen of Angels
12th Out Lady of Guadalupe
13th St Lucy
14th St John of the Cross
21st  St Thomas
CHRISTMAS!
then we begin Christmas Time with the 12 days of Christmas to Epiphany. 

So, we hope you will join us in this very happy time of  Preparing and Celebrating.

peace

Day 23 of blogging 4 Sunday of Advent, Breakfast , Our Yule Log and more...

Here it is , the fourth Sunday of Advent.  We lit the candle of Peace. 

We have had a very stressful Advent.  And to deal with it my husband has always used humor. Whenever someone begins to lose their temper or raise their voice we say our dog's name in an exaggerated Boston accent..... NAAAMMMMAN!  (his  name is Norman)

So breathe.... 

We began the morning with egg cups but with a twist.  I put hash browns in the bottom of the tin. 

Then bacon wrapped on the edge, crack an egg and add pepper and parsley from the garden. 

Bake 400* 25 minutes.

Perfect.

Putting a load of laundry I see these two out the back window. They crack me up. 

They walk and hunt together. The dog will also drag the cat like it's a puppy and then they will begin their trek all over again. 

We took the dog for a walk today. 

Step by step , a little conversation, a little nature and home. 

I did glean some leftover corn from the field. 

Picked some Russian Olive branches.  I think they are pretty. 

Plus carrots... we are trying to eat a carrot or pepper a day. Today was carrot day. 

I brought in and stacked fire wood. It is a chore I actually like doing. 

For another long but not as long as the last night... a yule log is going into the fire. It smells wonderful.  Our log is not from a sacred tree but a symbol of the light to come and the ashes will be use to bless and nourish our garden. 

 

Dude is watching football I will be wrapping his presents and sitting in my favorite spot... reading.

In case you missed today's reading:

"Blessed are you among women, and blessed 

is the fruit of your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of our Lord should come to me?  For at the moment of the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled."

peace