Tuesday 30 November 2010

ADVENT


I am snowed in, well actually girls I am snowed out of work , the road to the farm where I work is closed due to snow.. yesterday I only actually got to work because they came from the farm with a four wheel drive, they did joke they were coming in a tractor for me, but a 4x4 car came, still a very hairy drive in though as i actually live in a valley and the roads are both very very steep from my house, so today girls I am having a bonus at home day.

This is the front of my cottage this morning ..

went out briefly with the dogs.. and on my return I rushed in to grab the camera as I was been watched ... the look said I am so glad to be in the warmth .. nice and cosy..

he was watching the snow flakes.. as I had gained a day, I decided to have a me day and try and do only me things.. things i like.. so,



When my eldest son W was a baby I spotted this in the 1991 edition of country living , a hand made advent calender ,i thought it lovely but did,nt want to copy it so, but wanted to make something that would be come part of our Christmas and I could bring out every year , so as I was very into cross stitch. at the time I made this...



its from an American cross stitch pattern, it didn't take long ,I adapted it as it was framed piece in the pattern book.. I added little brass rings to hang chocolates from and D made the wooden hangers..
So for the last 20 years it has been brought out of the cupboard, I like it a bit more every year as its Beginning to look aged.. and I always think of past Christmases,


So I sat with a mug of hot chocolate, a couple of biscuits, played some christmassey Celtic folk music and tied all these chocs on, only the odd one ended up in my mouth officer!
Here it is fully laden . I used to put two chocolates on every day for the two boys, but as eldest is not home for advent ,i have only put two on the odd day ,well the string tier deserves a chocy treat don't you think??
I remember one year my eldest W ate all the chocolate on day two, when i discovered what he had done , he said his little brother had eaten them , Nat was 5 weeks old!! Also the dogs spend time under it as they remember a few usually drop off! Don't you think Christmas is a time for tradition's? Starting new ones and keeping the old ones up.. last year Nat was 16, so decided the advent calender should be put away for grandchildren, ( NOT FOR QUITE A WHILE PLEASE!)but on the first of December ,great wails of you have,nt done the advent , from Nat, so dash to buy chocolate, so I guess the the retirement of the advent is not to be yet.. and I am glad .....what tradition in your home would you be sad to see end??? Linda x x

12 comments:

  1. Firstly I am SO sorry to hear you fell over..poor you.Hope you're not too bruised and battered. Your house looks so warm and cosy,I love the shot of puss looking out of the window.
    I absolutely love your advent calender,and the tradition of bringing it out every year and remembering the stories that go with it. Too right Nat,you have to have your advent choccies!
    Hope you won't be housebound for too long,but at least it gives you a chance to catch up with all your favourite blogs! :0)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Linda,
    WOW....what a lot of snow you had. We woke up to some but it has gone now, although it is snowing on and off.
    Our children are 31 and 29, one is married and they are expecting their first baby in April.....they both STILL love Advent Calenders !!!!
    Enjoy eating the choccies.....and, your cat looks so sweet at the window.
    Keep warm Linda. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
  3. What a lovely cosy home and adorable calendar a fantastic idea .we have the hanging the stockings out on Christmas eve each one with the childrens names embroidered on and popping the carrot and milk out for father Christmas (even though they don't believe in him how silly)my eldest is now seventeen and virtually married so I can see this slowly diminishing ..how sad.
    Those chocolates look yummy and reminds me I really must get some for the tree
    xx fee

    ReplyDelete
  4. cant believe how much snow you have.. we have had the finest dusting of it .. almost not been worth the effort!!!..
    your house look ssoooo cosy .. it makes me want to come in cosy up in front of the fire and have a cuppa!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your house looks so lovely, stay warm and safe!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Your house looks great in the snow - you could make a photo of it into a Christmas card! LOVE your Advent calender - really sweet. And you were restrained with the chocs - a day off? - I'd have sat there and eaten them all!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your house looks so cosy and inviting! I have an advent calendar my Mum made for me a few years back and it comes out every year, in fact I got it out earlier on.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your home looks like the perfect place to be snowed in - very cosy! Your advent calendar is quite lovely. My son is 38 and still gets a satsuma in the bottom of his stocking (well large sock actually) just as he did when he was a little boy! Keep warm. Louise xx

    ReplyDelete
  9. WOW! You have the most beautiful cottage! This is the kind of place I can only write about, and how beautiful it looks in the snow x

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Linda sorry to hear that you fell over, the question is did any one see! On Friday I won a Chiltern Toy push along dog at he auction and will take a photo soon for the blog. He is lovely and I am a very proud of him. He is in very good condition and I am happy with what I paid for him. At the moment I am sewing and painting on an evening this week as work is getting in the way. Alan and I have a stall at Durham on Sunday and then one at Hexham on the Tuesday. Still have some cushions to make on Saturday as I can't face getting the machine out at night and disrupting the kitchen table whaer painting takes place!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love the advent calendar, so lovely.
    Unfortuantley its Thomas the Tank here, so uncreative!

    ReplyDelete
  12. such a beautiful sight your home in the festive spirit of things- looks so cozy n warm ;0)x
    beautiful cross stitch of the advent ;0)
    best wishes for the festive period x

    ReplyDelete