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A French-Inspired Garden and Home by Judith Stringham

Snowy Blue Skies From Yesteryear

Monday, November 30, 2015

The clear blue skies 
belied the true temperatures outside
the first week of December 2013. 


What appeared to be a bright warm day was 
a frigid day with temperatures well below freezing, 
not even approaching 32°. 

Oh, yes, it was definitely Christmas-feeling weather. 



The bright sunshine provided solar heating to the 
kitchen and added cheeriness to the 
simple Christmas touches in the sunspace. 

A sparse cedar tree, cut from the woods around the house, 
held a small bird's nest, and  
a multi-branched bare limb helps supported the spindly cedar 
standing in a blue and white ceramic crock.  

A small Santa box and ornaments hanging in the window 
offered Christmas touches to the green flower pot holding 
new and vintage gardening tools. 



Looking through the cedar tree out the window, 
the sunshine sparkled off the garden shed, 
giving an impression of balmy weather. 

Not balmy, however.  

Still weeks away from Christmas, 
the cold wintry air arrived very early 
the first week in December 2013. 



Snowy blue skies 
filled with sunshine... 
The spinning snowflake ornaments dancing on ribbons inside 
were reminders of the snow and ice that were outside. 

An Arctic-blast barreled through in the middle of a 
Thursday night dropping only a few inches of mostly ice, 
but enough to cover the roads and ground.  

Three days later the snow and ice still covered the ground. 
Three days is a long time in Texas for frozen precipitation to last. 
Usually the bright sunshine quickly warms the ground 
and melts away the snow and ice. 


But not in December 2013. 
Beautiful snowy blue skies 
were filled with freezing air. 


A small unadorned fir tree on the deck 
had patches of frozen snow and ice as its decoration. 



A mix of brown leaves and snow in brilliant sunshine 
illustrates the unusual overlapping of fall and winter seasons in Texas. 



Inside, the lone bird's egg in its nest was snug and warm in the sunshine. 



The gardening tools were enjoying a rest from their normal routine. 



The old Santa box from Hallmark years ago 
had a woodsy Santa listening to a bird on a snow-laden fir tree. 



The old clay pot added a Christmas feeling with its 
green paint and gold-lettered script 
that I painted several years ago with a quote 
about the flute. 

... next was the flute, the second oldest instrument in the world, 
emulating the sound  of the wind in the trees and 
the birds in the air, nothing but breath against wood or bamboo. 
Victoria magazine

Though the deceptive blue skies harbored freezing temperatures outside, 
the sunspace inside was warm from sun and simple touches of Christmas. 
~~~~~~~~~~
Can you believe it is time to begin decorating for Christmas this year? 

This time next week look for Christmas inspiration from all over Texas 
when 26 Texas bloggers share a window into Christmas in Texas

Stacey at Poofing the Pillows
is hosting
December 7-11, 2015

I was thrilled when Stacey invited me to be part of this 
first-ever Christmas blog hop of 26 Texas bloggers, and 
am honored to be on the first day line-up on 
Monday, December 7, 2015. 

Several of the bloggers have shared their plans with all of us, 
and this is going to be a great Christmas blog hop! 
You don't want to miss any of the posts 
that include decorations, crafts, recipes, and even a fashionista. 

~~~~❦~~~~