A Wish for the New Year

For many 2009 was a tough year. Here's hoping that 2010 brings a new outlook and possibilities. Peace, health and happiness to all. Cheers!!

Best of 2009 Blog Challenge-Resolutions that didn't happen...

I have been watching Gwen Bell's blog for the last two weeks --the entries have been wonderful! Today's prompt is about those resolutions that didn't stick---well, given the last two weeks if eating well or perhaps, too well, was on my list of resolutions, then I would have to say I could check that one off !! Unfortunately, it was exercise that I failed to really tackle. So starting Monday--it's salads and broth for this gal with a heavy dose of daily exercise.  In case you were wondering, I made this lovely lasagna for Christmas Day for my family. It was accompanied with meatballs, sausage and bracciole, semolina bread and lots of red, red wine. Hmmmm. Hmmm. Hmmm. Boun appetito!

A Christmas Star

Christmas ... is not an eternal event at all, but a piece of one's home that one carries in one's heart. ~Freya Stark




This Christmas may those you love be near if not in their presence then in your heart. May the day remind us all to feel hope and joy as a child does on Christmas morning.
 
Merry Christmas !

Believe!

Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generosity and devotion exist, and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy. Alas! how dreary would be the world if there were no Santa Claus! It would be as dreary as if there were no Virginias. There would be no child-like faith then, no poetry, no romance to make tolerable this existence. We should have no enjoyment, except in sense and sight. The eternal light with which childhood fills the world would be extinguished.

Not believe in Santa Claus! You might as well not believe in fairies!


Francis P. Church--From the New York Sun, September 21, 1897.

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas..."

Somehow, not only for Christmas,
But all the long year through,
The joy that you give to others,
Is the joy that comes back to you.
And the more you spend in blessing,
The poor and lonely and sad,
The more of your heart's possessing,
Returns to you glad.
John Greenleaf Whittier

The Festival of Lights

May the lights of Hanukkah usher in a better world for all humankind. ~Author Unknown

Theme Thursday-History

We don't accomplish anything in this world alone... and whatever happens is the result of the whole tapestry of one's life and all the weavings of individual threads form one to another that creates something.

~Sandra Day O'Connor

I came across this wall outside of Montepulciano Italy. Set upon a limestone ridge, the town is known for its wine and looks pretty much like it has for the last three centuries. Studying the designs of the blocks and facia, I found myself wondering about the reason for the ornamentation --was it truly old? What about the writing in the lower left hand corner? Was it medieval graffiti? Mysterious and beautiful.

Regardless of its age, the wall spoke to me and is now part of my history.  Andiamo! Buona sera.