Christmas Theme: Pic #4

At Christmas family gatherings we can always count on my dad to make friends with the littles, if they aren't already best buddies with him. Here he is pretending to be distressed by playful face squeezes from his Jewel of a granddaughter.  

Christmas Theme: Pic #3

At least every other year, our Christmas season involves a trip out to Wisconsin to visit my family. This year we spent a few days at a Lodge on the shores of Lake Couderay (Englishified version of Lac Courte Oreilles) in the Hayward area where I grew up. I still think it's pretty hard to beat the crisp and clear Northern beauty that abounds there in winter. I took this pic during a very chilly walk-at-dusk with my mom, a daughter, a sis and a niece.

Christmas Theme: Pic #2

Attending school programs is always a highlight during the Christmas season. After the students give their songs and recitations, the friends and relatives are invited to meander through the classrooms to see the artwork displayed there. This year, the manger scenes in the Grade 4 classroom took my eye. Each student had designed his or her own nativity set using whatever media struck their fancy. How to portray the wonder the nativity characters must have felt when they gazed at the newborn King? I think using googly eyes is just quite appropriate! 😊

Week #44 Theme: Christmas

I know it isn't the most important part of Christmas and I realize it can be overdone, but I really do enjoy Christmas decorations. This centerpiece comes from a variety of sources. Some friends made the wooden candle holder from old corncrib boards, the glass tea light holders are jam jars from my fruit cellar, the cranberries are from the grocery store and the pine sprigs and cones were nabbed from local evergreens on the farm. Oh, and the "runner" is actually a turban cloth that Ken purchased from a street vendor in Jericho. (The guy had it all arranged on Ken's head before he knew what was happening, so then Ken had to buy it, right?) Yes, the pulled-together creativity of Christmas decorations is what I like. 

Found in Egypt Theme: Pic #7

The last evening in Cairo we enjoyed some balmy-weather sailing in a felucca on the Nile. What a perfect way to end the Israel Trip!

Found in Egypt Theme: Pic #6

When you visit the pyramids in Egypt and there are people around who are eager to set you up in unique poses...this is the result. 
That day was a memorable part of our Egypt experience.  To see the pyramids up close, and learn about their history was pretty amazing. We got to go inside The Great Pyramid. I kept thinking how incredible it was to actually be there in Giza and see the real thing, after only reading about the pyramids and seeing pictures of them all these years.

Found in Egypt Theme: Pic #5

Here is a sample of the goodies we had on the dessert buffet at our hotel in Cairo. 
Today is another day of many delectable options along the food line. While the food of the season is noteworthy, this day especially I want to focus my attention on the Bread of Life sent to nourish our souls forever. Merry Christmas, everyone!