By Elizabeth Prata
I've been enjoying 'All Things Christmas' more this year than I ever have. Maybe because it's my 3rd Christmas in my new apartment and without cats, and over time, I've accumulated some wonderful decorations. Maybe it's the three Christmas CD's I found that I really like. (Nashville Christmas, The Brothers Cazimero A Hawaiian Christmas, and Narada Christmas Collection Vol 2). Maybe it's because this apartment is twice the size of my other one I lived in for 13 years, and I can spread out my decorations and finally feel settled in. Or maybe I'm just getting older and more nostalgic.
Whatever the reason, I am listening to great music, enjoying the neighborhood's decorations and lights, and getting into the swing at school. Of course, the children are all abuzz with what their mischievous 'Elf on the Shelf' is doing. Whoever created that nasty little imp surely is raking in millions of dollars now. They stand in interest to children only to Santa. I dislike Santa and the Elf, but enjoy everything else about Christmas.
My favorite vintage store is having a half-off Christmas sale. There was also 'Fill-a-Bag-for-$5' sale. I went up there yesterday after school to see what I could see. Usually I save my pennies for buying something "big" at Christmas for myself that I need. Like last year, a half price sale on Calphalon 10-piece pots and pans set, the best purchase I ever made. Or the year before, a half price Roomba. The year before that, a new area rug. This year I didn't really need anything, so I spent a few cents at the vintage store yesterday as my Christmas present. Here's what I got!
Going clockwise, a framed Van Gogh print of Fishing in the Spring Pont de Clichy, 1887, not the silver bowl but the silver balls, a LED branches (no power source, any idea how to light it up, please comment) art sketch book, Narada Christmas CD, Thomas Kinkaid small tray, Giani Bernini purse. Not pictured was a bag of metal ornament hangers.
The balls, branches, and tray were either in the free pile or the $5 fill a bag section. The sketch book, (a nice size by the way) was $1.50. The purse was $10 and so was the art.
I plan to use the small tray outside at my patio on the table, and the balls will decorate my new white Christmas tree next year. I got the tree earlier in the season thinking I already had silver ornaments, but I didn't. So this year it's decorated with a red ribbon and red balls, next year I'll go white and silver. The year after that, maybe blue...it's nice to have a tree big enough to make my theme tree. (It's only 3' tall).
The Narada CD intrigued me. Here is a review of what Narada is about, in a review. The label soon expanded from New Age to Celtic music and World music.
The Narada Christmas Collection Review by Robert Taylor from Allmusic.com:
In the late '80s, the Narada label competed with Windham Hill in the new age market, so it was not a surprise when this Christmas collection was released. Using the same format as the Winter Solstice series, this recording is made up of the label's top artists offering their interpretations on seasonal classics. Unlike the Windham Hill recordings, which are almost exclusively acoustic, most of these selections feature the heavy use of synthesizers and sequencers. The results are surprisingly impressive as the combination of electronic and acoustic instrumentation prove to be quite evocative. There are many subtle moments here, and there isn't a weak track in the bunch. This recording will certainly add to the Christmas joy either through carefully listening or simply as background music.
I like world music. This CD has interpretations of standard Christmas hymns and songs from other countries.
The handbag is a Giani Bernini which isn't a big name label, really, it's for Macy's. The bag isn't expensive enough to fake, even. But it is clean and it's in reserve for when the one I'm using gets too faded or falling apart to use.
If I can't figure out a power supply for the LED white branches I'll just strip the cord off and use them next year for my school classroom decorations.
The colors on this photo make the art look washed out but the piece is quite vibrant in real life.
The Van Gogh struck me as I walked by it. I didn't know it was a Van Gogh at the time, but it looked like "it's something" as my brain says when it perks up at certain things. It reminded me of a watercolor I have in my bathroom from Winslow Homer, "Indians Making Canoes." The Homer original is hanging in the Huntington Museum and Library in San Marino CA. I like water scenes. I just realized as I looked around my home, most of the art I have depicts scenes of of the sea, rivers, or a brook. 🙂 We like what we like, don't we?
Winslow Homer
A sketchbook for $1.50 is a great deal. The paper inside is sturdy and large. All in all it was a pleasant half hour browsing at my favorite store. After that I went up to the Christmas Market we have annually at school. The staff worked VERY hard to encourage vendors to come, to decorate the gym and cafeteria so beautifully, and to staff the different stations (coffee and cider, Santa pics, etc). I went to throw my support behind all these preparations. But the Gym was packed with people and vendors and I had a hard time with the influx of sensory input, so I took one walk around, saying hello and admiring the wares on behalf of the vendors who came, then I left for the quietude of my home.
We get 2 weeks off at Christmas from school. I am looking forward to re-organizing my Rubbermaid plastic container cupboard. I know, I'm weird. I bought a new set of Rubbermaid containers and didn't throw out my old ones yet. I need to sort thru them and keep the good ones and re-organize. The new set has some that are round, which don't fit into my old ones that are square. If you give a mouse a cookie...the new set means when I open the cupboard it's like Fibber McGee's closet. I hate that. So the re-organize will be fun to do and I'll feel good afterward, not having to take out every blessed piece of plastic and hunt for its top every morning when I pack my lunch. Don't the little irritations set your teeth on edge after a while? They do for me.
I am going through a course at the Institute for Church Life (ICL) at The Master's Seminary on Heaven and Hell with Dr. Kevin Gruber. I ordered the accompanying book and I'll finish the course during the school break. I've already done 2 1/2 weeks of the 10 week series and I like it. I also ordered from Inter-Library Loan the new David Grann book "The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder". Or I just might buy the book. Grann wrote The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon which was ONE OF THE BEST narrative nonfiction books I ever read. Phew what an adventure that book was! I am hoping his new book called The Wager is just as good. I love ship stories.
OK the sky is pinkening and I'm off to get ready for the church ladies' breakfast. We have wonderful women in our church, we have good fellowship. These ladies are hard workers, diligent, and graceful. They are definitely an inspiration.
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