Just home from the cantata tonight. The final songs sung with everyone holding a lit candle were Silent Night and Let There Be Peace On Earth. I wish I could stop playing and take pictures – it takes my breath away every year. Last year I didn’t play as I’d just gotten out of the hospital. I wore the vest!
Here we go again – enjoy with your morning coffee – I will, too!
I’m on the borders of the calendar quilt.
And then there’s Gracie…..
Stay warm, Everybody!!
I’m enjoying all the Christmas pictures and quilts. The vest looks great. Im behind in reading your blog so im slow in commenting. Have a wonderful day.
Mary, thank you for all of these magnificent Christmas decorating photos! The first one! My mother had a trestle sewing machine like that, and made a lot of my clothing on it when I was little. I never could master the pedal myself!
Mary have I missed your report of being in the hospital?
She was in the hospital LAST December, came home just in time for Christmas. Look in the 2024 November-December posts if you want to read more.
Ruth – wow! How do you remember this stuff? I hardly remember it!
Dale – I came home from Mayo last year on Thanksgiving Day after 9 days. Turns out I had a malignant tumor in my left lower side which was removed. Then I developed a hernia which was repaired this September. Today I feel 100% except for arthritis.
Beautiful photos. Really puts me in the Christmas mood. All the quilts are beautiful! Thanks, Mary for posting. 🌻
Wonderful photos! Love your hair,Mary, and the rescue of the vest is perfect.
Interested in Kay’s cute quilt with 2 birds and a cat. Is it a pattern?
You look great in your vest & the new bindings are perfect. As usual I loved all of the decorating pictures.
Mary, you looked lovely playing for the cantata! Your hair and vest were so festive. The new binding is perfect Thanks again for posting all the photos. I wish you and Rick a very “Merry Christmas!”
So fun to look at everyone’s decorating. Mary you vest turned out so nice. A great improvement with new binding. Your hair looks so pretty.
I’m interested in the red/green quilts that were shown. I’d love to get a better look at the churn dash in red and green. Thanks everyone for sharing your holiday decorations.
Beautiful vest Mary. Love all the pictures. Merry Christmas to you & your family. 🎄
I especially love the pink and green quilt and the boots that l3ave snowflake prints. Your vest looks wonderful–such a great improvement!
Mary you are beautiful inside and out. Thank you for posting pictures of all the beautiful Christmas decorations. You are an inspiration daily. Snow day today here in central Illinois. Children are home from school. Merry Christmas to you , Rick and your fur babies!
Mary, you look great – the vest looks wonderful with its new binding. Perfect choice. The photos of Christmas decor are wonderful, the quilts are amazing. I’d love to know more about the beautiful oak piece. Is that a buffet? The carving on it is just so pretty! It’s up to 19 degrees here in North East Massachusetts. The birds are very active at the feeders – until the hawk comes and sits in the apple tree! Poor little birds, we love feeding them but it does come with danger to them. My chickens are safe in their covered run. Supposed to warm up by Thursday – good thing because I need to do a bit more shopping! Merry Christmas everyone! Jan in MA
Jan – I asked Mary Beth about that oak piece – it’s Tully a bed that comes down but springs re now rusted etc so it’s no longer used as a bed – just a gorgeous piece of oak furniture to look at and admire. It really is beautiful, isn’t it?
Loved today’s blog. I’ve looked at the pictures twice then after reading comments I have to go back to see what I missed! Loved the little yoyo Christmas tree hanging from the wreath. And I thought that hanging ornaments from a tension rod in the window was a wonderful idea. Loved your vest Mary. The new binding is perfect. Stay warm!
I love the snowflake boot prints and the knob covers – small things that brought me a big smile. Thank you for sharing.
Home from retreat. 3″ of snow up there and bitter cold. -9 Sunday a.m. It was toasty and comfy in the retreat center. Half the group stayed another night but I came home yesterday.
Photos today were great. The vest looks good with new binding and you Mary look wonderful. Enjoyed the photos with my morning coffee.
I’m enjoying all the Christmas pictures!! You look beautiful in the vest that you put new binding on. Need to do a little baking this week and wrap presents!! Merry Christmas to everyone and a blessed New Year.
Peace on earth and good will to men.
Love the best and you look beautiful.
All these pictures are just so beautiful so happy to see them all. In all the quilts also beautiful thanks for sharing.
Thank you for another wonderful tour of Christmas homes. I am enjoying this series.
Your vest looks nice. The binding is a perfect choice.
The snowflake prints left in the snow from Moe’s boots reminded me of a pair of shoes I had years ago. Remember Kinney’s shoe stores that had the slogan Great American Shoe Store? One day I was in town after a snow and when I retraced my steps, I noticed GASS prints left in the snow from my shoes. We got a chuckle from that.
Thanks for posting all the Christmas photos, pretty! Mary, you look so nice in the photo, and you chose the perfect fabric for the binding on your vest.
Love the vest and your hair.🥰 All these decorations bring out the nostalgia in me. Love the Santa and snowman on the porch. What a collection of decorations!!! A little late to the party and yet it’s perfect this morning. Cold weather here!!
Your hair is gorgeous! Extremely becoming! I too have fine, straight hair —it is what it is. The vest looks great and definitely needed the black binding. I love to see the Christmas decorations!
You look Marvelous, my dear!
Vest is lovely.
Loved all the Christmas decor photos. Oh how i would love to have one of those plastic Santa’s and snowman. My grandparents had those when I was growing up and the “new” ones just aren’t the same!
The vest turned out wonderful. Makes me want to make one out of an old cutter quilt I have.
It is easy to see why we all like your blog. We all seem to have similar taste in decor, we used to call it country now they call it farmhouse. Still love it!!
All the quilt photos were awesome as well. I have made that Perkins Dry Goods pattern, the name escapes me now, but I like the fabrics in the quilt from the reader better than the fabrics I chose.
Thanks for sharing everyone!
I agree with Debbie! I LOVE looking at the holiday decorating..remembering decorations that were part of our lives growing up. THANK YOU , Mary, for YOU! and your blog. It goes along with my morning coffee!
The candle lighting at church, Mary. It’s a favorite every year for my family, too!
Merry Christmas, everyone!
The photos start my day with my morning coffee! Love all the decorating and Christmas quilts. Had 10 ads today.
So many nice pictures. Love the vest binding improvements. Well done.
The boots leaving snowflake imprints are the best! If a person has to be out, leave a good impression to make others smile😀
The quilts personalized by Kay S which I assume are for grandkids, are so creative and well done.
Christmas cactus are so beautiful blooming. Remind me of my mom. Hers bloomed at Easter & Thanksgiving🤷🏼♀️
Mary, the vest looks great. But I also want to compliment your lovely hair. I have stick-straight fine hair and would love some of the body you have in yours! Thanks for sharing everyone’s Christmas quilts and decorations.
Once again, wonderful quilts and decorating. Beautiful ornaments inside a china cabinet, that takes some dedication. Thank you for sharing everyone.
Mary – Have enjoyed your parade of photos of all of the Christmas/Holiday decorations.
Love the vest. Turned out very nice!
All is good in my little corner of the world!
Looking forward to Christmas with family again this year.
Take care everyone!
Lots of wonderful holiday pictures.
The vest looks great; I love your choice of fabric. Your hair is adorable.
Gracie is so beautiful. What does she think of Morti?
Our temp is -2. 🥶
Thanks 🥰
Wow what a nice group of photos tonight! Your vest is so lovely! And The slippers that leave a snowflake print are pretty cool as well! Thanks everyone for sharing your beautiful quilts and equally wonderful home decorations! Wow!
Lovely! The vest looks great and your hair is perfect. Would like to have been in the congregation. I’m sure the cantata was beautiful.
Wishing you a merry and blessed Christmas.
Linda – if you really want to listen it’s on Facebook under Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner. It’s a nice traditional service. The camera did not follow the lit candles in the congregation however which was disappointing. Use your imagination of a dark sanctuary with everyone lifting a lit candle!
Hah! I found it. Loved the selections. Beautiful accompaniment, Mary. So glad I found it! Thanks for steering me there.
Love seeing how everyone decorates for Christmas.
I like the new binding on vest perfect color.