These early December days are always as autumnal as they are Christmasy…here. But I am now really beginning the lovely work of bringing Christmas in, to our home and to my heart. It’s best for me when this goes slowly and steadily, and so it seems to be this year. Yesterday I spent most of the day creating cozy posts to see Wisteria & Sunshine through most of the rest of the week, so I may spend some days simply pottering about, in a festive December way. And also because I will probably get my booster on Friday and know that may send me to the sofa for a few days.

For the past few weeks I’ve been reading the journal of the artist Emily Carr. She was so unusual, warm, honest and delightful and I am going to miss her presence in my days. She really struggled with the Christmas season while she was still constrained by traditions and pressures outside herself. As she went deeper into her sixties, tho’, she let much of that go, and this passage from her journal of nineteen thirty-seven speaks of the spirit of the season I am gently working towards…

“There is great peace in the cottage this morning. Louise is very busy “lining up” so that she can get away early for all day. Alice and I Christmased yesterday. We had a tiny tree in a flowerpot on the table and the presents round it. In the other window burned three red candles in my old red Swedish candlestick. Louise cooked good turkey and plum pudding and brandy sauce. There was a dandy fire. The lovebirds, chipmunks, and dogs and we ate, enjoyed, and were thankful.”

…and my wish for you is that you may find and make and feel the spirit you are hoping for…this December and always.

xo

Lesley

P.S. There are many more glimpses of my first week of December in my latest film. I hope to make one for each week in December. If you subscribe to my channel and set your settings in you~tube to email when channels you subscribe to have something new, you will know just as soon as they come out.