Nonnie's Observations

First time for this meme.  I wavered back and forth between these two images.  Really, it's impossible to compete with our Lord's paintbrush.  Or better, there is no competition, is there?  But I am very fond of the star ornament; it was made with a special paper made during WWII. I put the notation about its history away for safe keeping.  It's so safe that I cannot find it! Star, bright on the tree, wished it had been in the skies, over Bethlehem. more Weekly Top Shot

Shadow of a chair, inviting me to sit there to eat, pray or write. more shadows

Reading to the young, teachers' delight!  One retired and the other one not! more Haiku My Heart My friend Kathy B. and I taught together at one time. She taught 2nd, and I taught 3rd.  We are still friends after all these years.  And we both receive joy in our hearts by reading The Polar Express to the children who come to visit Santa and receive a gift from the Cardinal Greenways here in our fair city.

Christmas continues in reflections of past days.  It's day number four.  more  reflections In the song, "The 12 Days of Christmas" , the fourth day brings the gift of 4 colly birds , which seems to be common blackbirds. That's not my idea of a wonderful gift. Some have the theory that the song was a secret way for Christians, more specifically Catholics, Anglicans and Orthodox, to learn their catechism.  Who knows for sure?  Any way, it is a song that has been around since 1780.  I'd say that the song has lasting value as a Christmas song.  And many do celebrate the 12 Days of Christmas up to Epiphany , the feast of the 3 Kings.   Hmm, I daresay that some people are thinking, "How on earth does one go from reflections on a bank building to the 12 Days of Christmas?"   Reflecting  (:D) on the fourth day of Christmas led me down the proverbial rabbit hole and hopefully you followed me. So, I wish you all a happy 4th day of Christmas!

The Week of Inward Looking  via Patti Digh and Others Question 1 . What have I learned and lived in 2012?  In my head, in my body or both? What would living more fully in y body in 2013 bring to me?  How can I embody life and learning as I move through this liminal (transitional) space between now and next?  How can I more fully learn from the neck down in 2013? This long question relates to my own hopes for the new year.  Just today I referred to a mental health site to congregate a list of my symptoms for calling my doctor.  I wanted to be prepared when the nurse asked me what’s going on with me.  Here is my list, it seems extensive to me, but I’m experiencing all of them.  And it’s wreaking havoc with my life.  My symptoms: depression fatigue insomnia restlessness  inabilty to concentrate weight gain I know that many of these are part of Fibromyalgia, which I have. Goals that I have set recently have fallen by the wayside such as: 1. clearing the table that sits

In stores and outside, I was capturing all that I saw of people's ideas of what Christmas looks like. Happy third day of Christmas! video of a neighbor's display near my daughter's home

a foggy day in Londontown, not   but Muncie, Indiana, home!   more Cool Clicks more Himmelsk

Happy second day of Christmas to you readers! Cheers to the new year! more Christmas Cheer

I went a little hog-wild with my photo choices.  Here they are, ABC Wednesday! JaX eXamined the food bowl, and refuses to eat till it's been filled.  He is waiting patiently, don't you think? Myah is eXcited about her new gifts of a stroller and baby doll. Ting Ting likes the Xenial of Myah for leaving her doll bed. Xenial: relating to hospitality of host to guest Forgive me if my sentence is not proper syntaX-wise.  I could not find any sample sentences using the 'x' word. The sun appears to be eXalting its creator. more ABC Wednesday

Happy 2nd day of Christmas to you all! If you live in a snow-laden town in Indiana, please stay off the roads!  Some counties have emergency-only status.  I want you to be here to welcome 2013. blessing of the Nativity The little girl at the right was privileged (and I dare say, thrilled) to carry the infant Jesus to his manger bed. Christmas Vigil Mass, celebrating our Lord's birth with worship and song.

The Bethlehem star guided the Magi to Him,   the Lord of us all. Matthew 2:1-11 New International Version (NIV) The Magi Visit the Messiah 2  After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea,  during the time of King Herod,  Magi [ a ]  from the east came to Jerusalem 2  and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews?  We saw his star  when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3  When King Herod heard this he was disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him.   4  When he had called together all the people’s chief priests and teachers of the law, he asked them where the Messiah was to be born.   5  “In Bethlehem  in Judea,” they replied, “for this is what the prophet has written: 6  “‘But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,      are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler      who will shepherd my people Israel.’ [ b ] ” 7  Then Herod called the Magi secretly and found out from them the exact time the star had appe

Ornaments with "boost" from PicMonkey, for edits. We've waited four weeks and now it's Christmas Eve. What have I pondered during this time? With the help of blogging friends, I feel that I've delved deeper into knowledge of and attitudes toward the Virgin Mary.  I have tried to be more prayerful and less consumed with myself and the fact that I am a widow.  With my chronic depression, it is so easy to blame it for my moodiness and loss of energy.  So with the impending new year, I am pondering my goal for 2013. I am asking for assistance from  Our Blessed Mother.  After all, she had the cumbersome task of raising our Lord.  She surely can help this hapless human.  Right?  Now all I need to do is sharpen my skill at hearing words that one doesn't hear through one's ears.  Maybe it is necessary to plead for that too. Leaving you to enjoy the day, I am... Quoting Clement Clarke Moore: "Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"   more

Silent night, holy night All is calm, all is bright Round yon Virgin Mother and Child Holy Infant so tender and mild Sleep in heavenly peace Sleep in heavenly peace   more Christmas carols on  Quotography The origin of the   Christmas carol  we know as  Silent Night  was a  poem  that was written in 1816 by an Austrian priest called Joseph Mohr. On Christmas Eve in 1818 in the small alpine village called Oberndorf it is reputed that the organ at St. Nicholas Church had broken. Joseph Mohr gave the poem of Silent Night (Stille Nacht) to his friend Franz Xavier Gruber and the melody for Silent Night was composed with this in mind. The music to Silent Night was therefore intended for a guitar and the simple score was finished in time for Midnight Mass. Silent Night is the most  famous   Christmas carol of all times. Origin history from here .

Straight from my Canon, a red vintage ornament, pleasing my vision! more Straight Out of the Camera to satisfy your eyes!

a yard display seen on way back from Christmas concert a gift of blessing from a student's parent who visited Rome  this year's tree seen in my backyard lights at Target storm passing through gift from Granddaughter; bought during her semester at the London Center Light, light, I crave light! No matter from whence it comes, Lord, let there be light!