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Monday, January 3, 2022

"In the Bleak Midwinter," Some Light!

I love that song, "In the Bleak Midwinter."

Oh, it's not midwinter yet, but it can feel like it when the Christmas lights come down and all seems dark. Even though the days are getting longer, January and February can still feel gloomy, especially in climes where it is cloudy and cold.  


I am extremely sensitive to light, or rather the lack of it. But even in the sunny desert, the winter days can feel dark. So, I always have a "substitute Christmas tree" ready for when the real tree comes down. I used to have a tall birdhouse on a turned table leg, but during the last move it disappeared, and so I am using a little birdcage I have, and reusing some "rice lights" or "fairy lights" that run off a USB plug. 


It uses negligible energy so it's on all day right now. I have a glittered bird's nest in there because I cannot yet let go of all the sparkle of Christmas! At night it gives a wonderful glow.
 


Morgy relaxing by the new display.

I saw on another bloggie fren's post that she has electric candles in her house year 'round. I am going to try for that idea, too! I hope some of the thrift stores will have some when they reopen this coming week.
 
And I am already at it with Valentine's decor. Just a bit! You might recall these items from last year, too.


 
We had a day of rain yesterday, unusual here. And then that cold front that's sweeping across the nation came in, and when the clouds lifted, there was snow on the mountains. 


I drove hubby up to the foothills and took some photos. We couldn't get close because the road had a gate across it. It's usually open.



Driving up to the foothills caused me to miss Mass at the parish I prefer. But God had a plan; Father Alex at the big parish had a homily I really needed to hear. It was about letting yourself feel joy, feel appreciation, despite the sadness in this world. To not feel guilt when seeking out joy and beauty. It's not a seesaw, where if you have peace and joy on one side, the other side tips up and dumps more sadness on the world! Well, he said it much better than I can. He feels that any happiness you have can help you reach out to others and combat darkness. "While you are biting into a piece of cake, don't let it turn to dust in your mouth because you think of the hungry children. Enjoy the cake and think of ways to help the hungry, and do it."

Some lore:

"When snow flies, rain falls, you see a bird on the wing, or breath is visible the first 10 days of January, so too will especial fortune and hope mark the days of the coming year."

Twelfth Night is coming! I will put up my usual post about it this week, maybe tomorrow. Don't forget to buy a new corn broom, if you can! Brooms are rather prominent in a lot of old lore.

Practical lore: 

525,600 minutes in a year! How many can you spare to help others and treat yourself kindly? 

This year, if you want to do so, get an inexpensive "planner" and on each date, write the weather, and if you feel inclined, write something you thought, or that you did. You will be glad you did, at the end of next year!

FOR THE DISORGANIZED: Get a very large box, if you are a disorganized person such as I. Get one of those photocopy boxes. Into the box, throw everything you think you might need, paperwork-wise. Receipts, notes you jot down, mail that you received. Keep it all in that box, if it has no other designated place. I used to have to dig through it constantly, but now my skills have improved and I am just comforted by it and don't often have to go rustling through it for something important. The box idea has helped a lot of young folks out on their own for the first time.

Thank'ee for stopping by! Do you know any New Year lore? What's on your mind today?

Kind regards,
Holly, The Olde Dame




36 comments :

  1. Great idea! Your lighted bird cage is beautiful combination of two delightful elements.
    Thank you!
    A room in a magazine from years ago that I cut out to try to reproduce that look, has a bird cage. A wire lamp frame is as far as I've gotten with it.
    Now... Add more wires to look like a bird cage, and fill with lights!

    Love the cake and dust, Father Alex's wise words.

    Happy New Year!🎉

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    1. We are super blessed to have Father Alex. He is so full of joy and energy and life. I hope you get the bird cage light finished this spring! I would love to see it.

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  2. I like the sound of your Father Alex, he sounds like common sense to me.
    Love the paper hearts.
    Briony
    x

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    1. Father Alex is GREAT. Very practical but still a starry-eyed soul. We commiserate about the sin of gluttony, as he enjoys eating also!!!

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  3. The homily is perfect, the idea behind it and I agree with it totally. the birdcage is beautiful and a really great idea. in 2020, when I took the small tree down that sits by my chair, bob mentioned he missed the lights. I said that is good because I ordered a lighted bonsai tree. now it sits there year round. it burns until about 10 am and then i turn it back on about 4 pm. the lights can't be seen in our sunny living room. even though we have brilliant sunshine almost every day, which we love, it is still important to have things that make you fell joy when you look at them. today I took down everything Christmas, but I did leave the 18 inch tree sitting in the nook. Bob was happy with the idea to leave it. it has tiny pinecones and lights and makes us feel good

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    1. Oh I just love the idea of the lighted bonsai tree! And how fun to leave the little pine in the nook. So many pretty pines in Florida, too.

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  4. Wow that is beautiful to see the snow on the mountains in the dessert! I do think we all feel guilty for things we should not.
    Happy New Year
    Cathy

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    1. Oh yes, guilt that does nothing to spur us into action is all too prevalent! I like the snow on the mountains, too, but I want it to stay up there and not come down here in the valley, lol!

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  5. I do love the bird cage idea!! And those beautiful snow-capped mountains.

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    1. Snow caps in the desert, very odd! The highest peak is 8,999 feet high.

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  6. Thank you so much for this wonderful post. The birdcage is a wonderful idea. I, for some weird reason, love this cold and dark season, but I understand it can be a difficult time for so many. Happy New Year!

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    1. It's funny, but I didn't mind the dark gloomy winters when I lived on the seaside near Canada. Something about the sea kept the sadness away. What a gift to be welcome to winter, you have!

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  7. Holly, I love your bird cage with lights! What a good idea to still have the sparkle around you in the new year. And I am thinking of Valentine's Day also. Such a fun and loving day. I've never seen your hearts, they are so cute. A creative idea to put them all in a basket. I'm glad you took a drive to the mountain area to see the snow gracing the top of the mountain. We are having an exceptionally cold week. I smiled at the snow lore, cause we are getting lots of it.

    Happy New Year, dear Holly.

    ~Sheri

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    1. On the weather channel, the mountain areas of Northern California sure seem to get hit with those winter storms! Stay snug!

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  8. The bird cage with lights is beautiful. I think it's a good way to keep from getting SAD that affects many of us this time of year.

    How wonderful to see snow on those mountains, Holly. Sorry I don't know any new year's lore, but yours is great.

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    1. SAD is a real problem for many! I used to get pretty weepy about the opposite, too, when I lived in Tucson. Five months without a cloud, and I would get super anxious and cry!

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  9. Ice daggers, that's a good name for them, Holly. You wouldn't believe how big and long they are! So pretty, but a bit scary to walk right next to them. One of them, a BIG one, is right next to the patio door that I have to walk out of to get in my car, so I carefully get out every time.

    ~Sheri

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    1. I am so glad you are being careful. Sometimes when we move to a new clime, we don't know the dangers!

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  10. Those photos of the mountains are absolutely STUNNING! The sky looks like something out of a movie set. Love the twinkly warmth of your birdcage. Bird cages and nests seem to follow me wherever I go for some reason...perhaps it's the name...and, yes, I have candles and fairy lights in a couple. Such sweet little paper hearts! ~Robin~

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    1. Thank'ee, thank'ee. The weather atop the mountains is very different from us down in the valley! I can see why Tolkien and Irving wrote their mountain scenes the way they did. Giants and otherworldly goings on up there, it seems!

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  11. Like the others here I love the substitute Christmas tree and I'm going to try to create one too. I do have a string of white lights in my sunroom that stay on 24/7 but there's always room for more light.
    Seeking everyday JOY and Peace, GM

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    1. Everyday joy and peace -- that sounds so good to me!

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  12. I know exactly how you feel about the darkness and light this time of year. I had a terrible time when we lived in Alaska - It went on for 10 years. Even here in Virginia, I'm sensitive to the lack of light too.

    But I really love the birdcage, it's lovely and perfect and has such a good vibe to it!!! I have rope-lights on my mantle that are on a timer that come on around 5 PM, and pillar candles (battery operated) also with timers that do the same thing, but not as much as your birdcage - Can I say again that I love it?

    So, onward we goth into 2022. I hope it's a year full of fun new memories and good health!
    ¸¸.•*¨*•*´¨)
    ¸.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•*¨)
    (¸.•´ (¸.•`Happy New Year!!

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    1. I got that birdcage a few years ago at a Michael's store. It was when for some reason they were priced extremely low. I think I have the door shut for the photo, but it's usually open, so imaginary birdies can fly in and out as they please!

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    2. Let me add, UGH on the dark, dark winters of Alaska! Ten years! You are a TROOPER!

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  13. Well my first day back to work in the new year was just as bad as last year. Thought things would get easier...but no its getting harder to do my job. UGH I hope I can retire soon. Loved reading your January lore. I have heard about the one where you sweep out the bad vibes in the new year. Janice PS Morgy looks like he is enjoying himself.

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    1. Oh no, I hope you can retire soon, too. It's so exhausting and soul-smushing to work in difficult circumstances. Boo! Get your broom ready to sweep out the bad and sweep in the good!

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  14. What blue skies. Simply beautiful!
    Of the many paper hearts I made last year with the graphics you shared, I don't think I even kept one for me. I gave most away and sold the rest, me thinks.
    I definitely fall in to the disorganized category ;-(

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    1. I have tended to be extremely disorganized in the past. I think I was trying to be TOO organized and it backfired because I'm a goofy gal.

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    2. I have tended to be extremely disorganized in the past. I think I was trying to be TOO organized and it backfired because I'm a goofy gal.

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  15. When it's dark, it really is dark! I go through the house turning on lamps. I would love to have a corn broom. Your photos are amazingly beautiful!

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    1. I know, I do the lamp routine, too! I have one with the fake flame and it's in the corner and is on all the time, all year, until it hits about 100 degrees outside. Then it goes off!

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  16. I like your box idea. I'm quite organized now, but that was what I used years ago.

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    1. I am glad you graduated from The Box system of filing!

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  17. I love your lit bird cage and I need lots of light this time of year.
    I'm usually semi organized, and I tend to put order in my papers once in a while as I can't function in chaos.

    The box system is a good idea and is more tidy but I have so much papers and they keep coming.

    Your mountain pictures are beautiful.
    Hugs, Julia

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  18. I am trying to play catch up here with my friends. I love your post, and I agree, we need to keep some special lights in the house in the wintertime. I hate to take down our tree and all the little lights around, but then again, I get anxious to have some space back again too. But I may leave up some little lights here and there for a while yet. I love that you took a ride and saw the snow on the mountains. So beautiful! You are a very creative and talented lady. I enjoy reading your posts so much, and love when you visit me too. Thank you for being a special friend.

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