Boy, am I having a hard time waking up this morning! I feel drugged. Sometimes, when I go back to sleep during the early morning hours I will fall into what I call a ‘hard’ sleep. When I finally wake up for the day, I feel incredibly groggy. Plus, I must have been dreaming something dire because all my muscles were tense and my back hurt. Yikes!
Anyway, I’m on my second cup of coffee and I feel better. Just moving slowly – both mentally and physically.
I ran a couple of errands yesterday and one of them was a stop at a local antique mall that is one of my favorites. I ended up with three smalls, one of which I’ll show you now.
This little guy. He’s about 2 inches tall, if that, and I love him. The vendor had five of them, all dressed in different colors. But they weren’t inexpensive, so I only got one. He’s on skis and he’s holding a bell or a cymbal – not sure.
For some perspective, here he is next to a modest sized vintage Christmas ornament.
Now, of course, I want to go back and buy the others. Isn’t that always the way?
What’s on the docket for today? Some wrapping, I think, and another batch of linzer tart cookies. I want to take some with us when we celebrate Christmas with our pals, Rick and Doug. Don and I had two each last night while watching Christmas in Connecticut and moans of happiness were heard throughout the house.
How are you all doing? Are you rushing around madly, trying to finish up your To Do list before Christmas Eve? Or are you finished and enjoying family and friends?
It’s raining here today and it’s gray and rather barren looking out there. The forecast for Christmas Eve now says 3 to 5 inches of snow overnight! Looks like Don will be doing some snow blowing before we can make our way to Rick and Doug’s house. (Good thing that one of his presents is a pair of heavy duty gloves to wear when snow blowing! Shhhh.)
Happy Saturday.
Good morning! What a darling Santa. I do believe he is playing a saxaphone. Were the others a part of the band? I’m done with my Shopping, but heading out to help in a friend’s store, hoping she has a great day. But now I think I will also mosey down the street to the antique store to see what could be waiting for me! Have a lovely day!
I think you’re on to something but I think he’s blowing a horn. Not that a saxophone is not a horn, but I think it’s a generic horn. Thanks, Verna!
The face on that little Santa is priceless! I love finding special little things that make me say Christmas!! I’m going to wrap presents today. Listen to some Christmas music, maybe watch a Christmas movie or two and remember my brother who passed away two years ago. His candle is lit and will burn all day long.
We do the same for our parents and my brother. xo
Your little ‘just because’ is adorable…great find. I saw on instagram he wasn’t alone. Maybe a companion for him is in order?
My last present arrived yesterday…thank you USPS! And it’s already wrapped. I am officially done….and am enjoying my family, and friends. There is cooking involved, of course, but this time of year…it isn’t a chore. This is the first year that I have been this ready, this early…I don’t know why either, but it is nice not to feel the usual panic. So..there are Christmas movies to watch…and watch them we will. Enjoy your day! ;)
I may have to go back and get one more, but I also might not have time!
So glad you’re all set and that you can enjoy your family and friends and Christmas movies!
Wonderful little Santa you got. To me looks like he’s playing a French horn, probably because I’ve always been in love with the sound of the French horn. Merry Christmas, Claudia!
Kay
Yes, it’s definitely some kind of horn now that I look at it. I agree about the French Horn – it might be my favorite instrument. Merry Christmas!
Love the little Santa! It takes me back to my earliest Christmases when my Mom would set a tiny table-top winter scene of cotton snow and mirrored lake with candle Santa, reindeer, trees, and snowman, all heavily sprinkled with glitter. Of course, we never lit the candles! That would have melted them and I know they made appearances at several Christmases.
Our shopping is done, presents wrapped. Only a trip to the local chocolate shop and the ever-present baking projects stand between us and The Day. Merry, Merry!
Oh, I loved those scenes with mirrors! I might have to do that next year – thanks for the reminder! A trip to the local chocolate shop sounds like my cup of tea!
What a sweet find! That face is amazing!!
Today we allowed ourselves a sleep in. On tap for the rest of the day ….. baking, wrapping, cleaning, then a trip in to the Big City to visit with our son, daughter in law and granddaughter (pictures to follow), followed by a visit with my mom in her new assisted living home (story to follow), then home for dinner and a night by the fire. Tomorrow …. finish the baking, fill the stockings and then we can relax. Picking up my mom for Christmas Day and then friends over for Boxing Day. The rest of the week is unplanned so we can just soak up the time and stay cozy in our little house in the big woods!
Merry Christmas Claudia and Don!
X Chy
You have a busy time ahead, but it sounds like it will be filled with family and fun! Merry Christmas, Chy!
It was! Now we’re home and just in time as the snow has finally arrived and it’s a true Christmacy look outside. No driving for us now until late in the week. Time to kick back and relax! Chy
Relax and enjoy, Chy!
Awww, your wee Santa makes me grin! I’m almost done! Have about half the binding for my brother and SIL’s table runner to finish up, and the all-day cookie baking marathon tomorrow. Today, we’re going to see Aladdin.
Have fun at Aladdin!
Sounds like we’re getting the same weather up here in Rochester. Blah and “blicky” [one of my nephew’s words, at age 4]. Basically I guess I’m done. Just have to put together my niece’s gift bag [will do Mon morning before leaving for our family thing at 3 pm]. Am making a NYTimes recipe for noodle kugel to take to that – will do THAT tomorrow & bake it Mon morning. It’s more like noodles Romanoff than kugel [has cottage cheese & sour cream – no raisins, nothing sweet in it]. But for some reason they’re calling it kugel. Oh well, it TIS delicious so a rose is a rose, I guess. I love your new mini-Santa – where’s he going to live? At Caroline’s or at Don’s studio? Still salivating over your Linzers, which look as good as I’m sure they taste. I still clear of the cutouts usually. Alas, no rolling & cutting skills. I’m a pro at bar & drop cookies though! LOL. Have a nice slow easy day. Peace.
🎄
#Resist
#ProtectMueller
He’ll probably be packed away and just come out at Christmas! I just made some more Linzers – they’re good, but I got a bit distracted so that batch is staying with us and the good batch is going to Rick and Doug.
Hi Claudia, that little Santa has the sweetest face, I just love him! Gray skies here as well, it’s actually been gray for many days in a row, except for Thursday. I’ve finished all my baking and am getting ready for my clan tomorrow for lunch…my sisters, my brother, nieces and nephews. And of course my own children and our first grandchild Anna. Soup and sandwiches -I strive for simplicity but my son always laughs and says that it’s never ‘simple’ and that there’s always an ‘explosion’ of food on the table. 😊
Merry Christmas to you and Don and have a wonderful day with your friends. xxoo
Ann Marie
Have a wonderful holiday with your family, Ann Marie! Merry Christmas!
what a cute little santa! if you want more, i hope they are there when you can get back to the shop!
nice of you to bring cookies to share. they look yummy!
am done with buying presents, but need to wrap everything. in the process of cooking … about halfway done and that’s good.
merry Christmas to you and don, to everyone!
kathy in iowa
I’m also making biscuits, mashed potatoes, and Don is making stuffing. We are bringing pies and sparkling cider. We’re bringing a lot!
Merry Christmas, Kathy!
you are bringing a lot … and it all sounds good!
we have chili, biscuits, cheesecake and my beloved mother’s baked spaghetti on the menu (no pies this weekend for having had two at a family gathering last weekend).
and watching “it’s a wonderful life” on Christmas day.
saw “Christmas in connecticut” on sale today. almost bought it based on your previous positive mention of it. maybe i’ll go back and get it. :)
are you going back for more sweet little santas with skis and instruments of unknown varieties?
merry Christmas!
kathy in iowa
I’m not sure if I’m going back. Quite frankly, the idea of doing any shopping at all makes me tired! Merry Christmas!
If the wee Santa/elf is part of a band with the other ones holding diff instruments – I’ve seen similar – I definitely think you should go back to complete the set. Just darling stuff! I actually have a set like that, what am I thinking? My piano teacher, when I was age 8, gave them to me and I have them packed somewhere. I just KNEW your post today rang a bell with me; my little set is only ’60s era, though, and some sort of better-quality plastic (doesn’t look like plastic, but they’re like 3″ tall and bright colors, each elf dressed differently and in diff colors as you say. One holds an accordion; one holds a horn (and so on). Not nearly as unique as your little dude – do you think he’s maybe 1940s-ish?
Me? Just trying to catch up after life on hold for too many days with firewatch. Errands today like the post office, the box store for paper goods; flowers (expecting high prices; ugh) for the cemetery; a few “Happy Holidays” calls to make and thank-you notes to write (our neighbor gifted us yesterday evening with a beautiful box of homemade cookies/different kinds; I have no idea how she finds the time, raising a couple of teenagers and doing a lot of civic work & volunteering, plus she’s a freelance artist and writer; makes me worn out just to ‘say’ all that).
Would love your snow; would really love some rain. But I’m really, really happy to see more blue sky today. Bountiful blue sky. Can’t ever take it for granted now.
This one is, I think 40s or 50s. Not sure.
So happy that you have blue sky today, Vicki. Bless you.
You, too. I’m so glad you’re going to have a nice Christmas with Don home and your nearby friends. I wish I knew what it felt like to have the crunch of snow under my feet. Some day, for sure! Right now, I’m just glad for a night with NO WIND. Claudia, I am your new friend on wind. I now shudder over wind just as you do. I’ll take the calm!
I understand and you certainly have even more reason to dread the wind! xo
That Santa Claus is adorable. Hopefully Queens will not get 3-5 inches. Snow is nice if you do not have to shovel,especially on Christmas.
Marilyn
Well, we’ll have to shovel. On Christmas! Or we don’t be able to get out of the driveway!
Hope the snow isn’t too bad. It’s in the mid 70s here and I love it. I finished cooking the vegan shepherd’s pie building blocks (vegetable filling, browned tempeh layer and yam–the tropical Dioscorea, not sweet potatoes– for the potato layer) for Christmas dinner. Gary made vegan sweet potato and pecan pies, and others are bringing the sides. Now we’re just cleaning the house.
We decided a couple of months ago not to exchange gifts beyond what we’d already bought, which was basically stocking stuff. I must admit it does feel good. We really don’t need anything and it takes a lot of stress off. I do miss finding the perfect present though, so enjoy that for me.
Merry christmas to all!
I’m excited about the snow. We’ll have a White Christmas and I love that. I love to see snow falling on Christmas Eve. Nothing better!
Merry Christmas!
Snow on Christmas must be lovely, I meant I hoped it wouldn’t be too bad to prevent your journey to your friends’ house,!
What a lovely picture on your X-mas eve post!
Well, now that you mention it: There’s an advisory up for tonight and tomorrow, so now I am worrying a bit about traveling to their house!
Here’s hoping your journey is an easy one and that you won’t be forced to eat all those Linzer tarts by yourselves!
That would be terrible!!
Love your Elf on skis! I have several red ones from my 1950’s childhood. I saw some on eBay and Etsy and quite pricey! Enjoy him…
I will, Judy. Thank you!
Doing baking today…love little Santa!..rain all day here…Enjoy your Christmas snow!
I will. Although there is a winter weather travel advisory up for tonight and tomorrow!
That is one cute Santa! I can sure relate as I’ve been hobbling around since Thursday when I woke up with an aching back. No choir singing for me; I tried Thurs. night and was worse on Friday. Vegging out till tomorrow……
I’m so sorry to hear about your back! I hope you’re feeling a wee bit better today!
I’m late to this party!
but we had an early Christmas here with my little family. they’re in from George where Master Sgt Mike is stationed in Air Force Special Operations. We’re just so glad he got to be home for Christmas this year! last year he was not.
our family now is my darling brother and his son M/Sgt Mike and Reve’ with Blake 18 and Jacob 13. they are both head and shoulders taller than I am now and it seems so strange to look UP at them! proof of time flying by.
a crowded but cozy little apartment here that rang with laughter and good will.
this is a lovely post. and the santa on skis! I love him!
and I never EVER tire of seeing that beautiful little tree in all kinds of light and any time of day or night.
have a WONDERFUL Christmas darling bean!
Christmas in Connecticut is on again tonight and I will be watching it … AGAIN! lol xo♥
I never get tired of that movie, Tammy. Have a Merry, Merry Christmas!
I finally figured out how to post a comment to your blog!!! I really like your pictures that you post and also your blog telling of your life. The pictures are so inviting, wish I could see your garden. I recently have gotten into creating miniture rooms, am having alot of fun but so much,of it is creating it in your head first! I did two Christmas rooms to give as gifts and for my first time they turned out good. I would post a picture but don’t know how to post pictures (yet). I love your house in the snow.
Good for you, Linda! I bet the recipients were thrilled. Thanks so much for posting!