Sunday, December 21, 2014

Sunday Gratitude

On this last Sunday before Christmas there is a lot I am grateful for.


- There is still color in my garden. The rain has knocked off most of the flowers that were still standing, but the Pineapple Sage still is strong and beautiful. Real eye candy at this time of year.

- The rain. Since the beginning of December we have had a lot of rain, and boy do we need it. Although we got quite some inches it hasn't put a dent in the drought yet. Conditions are still pretty severe. However, everything looks so pretty and fresh. The hills that were brown most of the year are green. I think the cows have a field day (literally!).

- We had a huge rainstorm the week before last. School was cancelled and we were advised to stay at home if possible. Nothing happened here - no flooding, no power outage. Some towns and villages nearby weren't quite that lucky and were flooded. Many roads were closed due to flooding, even the freeway. However, everything cleared rather quickly, but there certainly is some damage. We were lucky that nothing happened here and are very grateful for that.


- Kaefer was my assistant at our second artisan holiday fair. Our booth was much smaller than at the first one where we had a 10' by 10' booth. Here, we only had one 6' table and I had to redesign my display quite a bit. The day before I changed my sign to get more space on the table. It is now hanging from the burlap at the front of my table. Even though we had much less space, we sold so much more and got lots of compliments for the display and my items. The energy at the fair was happy and positive, the organisation of the event was excellent, the entertainment great and the food was good as well. Kaefer and I had a wonderful time. She is a great helper!

- Re-discovering knitting has been such a blessing. By now I have knitted so many doll's winter accessories and sold some of them during those holiday fairs. The next project is boot socks for Kaefer which she would like for Christmas but probably will turn out to be a sometime-in-January gift. After that I'm planning on a hat and infinity scarf for myself. Jo and I love to go to knitting stores, and I usually go through the patterns to get some inspiration. There's always the Internet for some wonderful inspiration as well.


- My friend Jo and I had our Christmas breakfast when we chose a nice café somewhere in the county, have breakfast there and exchange our gifts. I am so grateful for this wonderful friend. We got to know each other when our daughters went to the same charter school for fifth and sixth grade. We connected immediately and our bond has become stronger over the years.

- Kaefer and I love to spend time in our locally owned bookstore. It's wonderful to see how much she loves to read - and she reads actual books! She has very similar sentiments about a book like I do. It is good to hear that from a teenager.

- School is over for the holidays. Kaefer had finals last week with Thursday being the last day of school. It is a big relief to have a two weeks break, and fortunately she has almost no homework. She can really relax and I'm so glad about that. She has worked very hard and she certainly deserves a break. We all do. And this is why we all take time off for this winter break - time off the computer and similar addictions. It will be family time for the next two weeks. That doesn't mean that I won't sneak over to your blogs every now and then, I just won't post here.


I wish all of you a merry Christmas, happy Hanukkah or whatever you're celebrating - winter solstice, Kwanzaa... - and all the very best for the new year. May it bring you lots of inspiration, health and joy.





16 comments:

chasing the sun said...

I am glad you guys got rain..That area of the country has been in drought :/ Have and awesome week! Happy Happy Holidays :-)

Unknown said...

Wie die Mutter so die Tochter - zwei Hübsche :)
Du hast da ein paar ganz tolle Sachen, für die Du dankbar bist und auch sein darfst. Nette Kinder und tolle Freundinnen sind sehr rar geworden in der Welt.
Der Herzchen-Kaffee ist was ganz was tolles :))
Wünsche Dir eine schöne Blogpause und Dir und Deiner Familie ein schönes Weihnachtsfest sowie einen guten Rutsch ins Neue Jahr.
Würde mich freuen, wenn Du am 24. noch einmal bei meinem Blog vorbei schaust :)
Liebe Grüße
【ツ】Knipsa

Michelle said...

Schools is out here too. Nice to have some time with family. Merry Christmas!

Tammie Lee said...

ah, life sounds so good for you. i am glad the rains did not damage your home. Water can really make a mess of things. just the right amount is what we all want. So glad your December is going well. lovely holidays to you and yours.

Gail Dixon said...

I'm glad that you received no damage from the rainstorm. The art fair looks like fun, with lots of creative items. Hope you have a great Christmas!

Elephant's Child said...

Another gorgeous, heart-warming post. Thank you so much.
You and Kaefer look beautiful and I am so glad all your hard work paid dividends.
Happy celebrations to you too - may love and laughter abound.

Bethany Carson said...

The Pineapple Sage is gorgeous! Very nice display on your table at the fair!

Miss Val's Creations said...

Your table looks gorgeous! I hope the weather improves for you soon. Flooding causes so many problems. We see it a lot in March and April in New England.

I love that Kaefer reads real books at her age! I just ordered my first e-reader at a great price but will definitely miss books at first.

Wishing you and your family a wonderful holiday season!

Kia said...

A lovely and heart-warming post, Carola. We all have so much to be greatful for, even when we struggle to see it.
Lovely photos, and those wooden reindeer are sooo cute!
Merry Chrismtas and Haooy 2015.

denthe said...

Your market stall looks great! No wonder you sold a lot. And those coffees are just so adorable. It's a good decision to make the next two weeks family time! Enjoy your holidays, and have a great ride into the new year ♥

Magic Love Crow said...

Merry Christmas and many blessings ;o) Beautiful post ;o) Love the photos ;o)

Geckostone said...

What a beautiful post Carola. I love your coffee mug hearts photo and the one of you and Kaefer at your booth is a treasure!Hugs, Deb

JoZart Designs said...

Dear Carola
Frohe Weihnachten unt ein glückliches neues Jahr!
I'm sure you have celebrated today Christmas Eve and will enjoy another celebration on Christmas day, just as my daughter does.
lots of love and Best Wishes form Liverpool, England.
Jo x

Maria Ontiveros said...

I am grateful for all your beautiful photography and for blog friends near and far. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and I'm looking forward to being more active in 2015.
Rinda

Sally H said...

Wonderful photos and lovely thoughts, Carola. I hope you have had a wonderful Christmas and that Kaefer has had a good break. Meg had a university interview on 23rd December and is busy revising for her mock A levels in late January. she has allowed herself some days of family time too though.
Happy New year if I don't make it over to see you gain before Thursday

Darla said...

Catching up with you on this post was great. Your booth looks so nice, glad sales were good. I've been knitting a lot and enjoying it. Happy New Year!

Darla