A Hiatus for the Holidays!

Here's wishes for a Happy Holiday season

from my house to yours.

Lots to be done to celebrate this wonderful time of year.

The tree needs putting up and trimming.

Menus for parties need planning and advance preparations started.

Cookies need baking.

Last minute gifts need purchasing and wrapping.

Cards need to be addressed and mailed.

It's also that time of year for reflecting on events of the past year and future events to come.

I will return to blogging in the New Year.

Joyous Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Note: photos are from years' past!  No snow here and no tree or decorations up yet!

Two Drive By Churches

I need to take some more church photos.  These two are the last ones I have from visiting New Hampshire/Vermont in October.  I need to carry my camera with me in the car and take some photos.

These two were drive by photos and not the best quality.

The flag above is on the telephone pole not on the church.

Joining Inspired Sundays

Outside My Window

Outside my study window is one of my birdfeeders.  It's placed in the Pond Garden.

Sunday morning it was a busy spot but the newcomer I noticed was the junco below.

It was under the feeder looking for the droppings of seed bits.  Juncoes or snowbirds are a harbinger of winter to come.

This feeder gets emptied fast because the goldfinch (not gold at this time of year) sit there and eat.

The tufted titmouse manages to squeeze in to get one sunflower seed which they take to a branch to open between their feet.

The purple finch is also another that monopolizes the feeder.

These birds must travel to other feeders through the day - equal opportunity feeding.

Hang on their chickadee, your turn will come.

Later Sunday morning I heard a loud thump on the window.  I looked up in time to see mourning doves scattering but no sign of a hawk in pursuit.  Below the window was one dove that took a direct hit on the window.  It didn't survive.  By Monday morning the corpse was gone - food for the fox, I'm sure.

Joining WildBirdWednesday

Mount Hebron Presbyterian Church

These photos are from last December 29th when my daughter got married in this church. Not many churches allow non-members to use their facilities for weddings as we found out.  Sarah and William were members of a Presbyterian church that meets in a neighborhood center - not big enough for the wedding they planned.  Fortunately Mount Hebron is very open to others using their lovely modern sanctuary so that's where we gathered on a Monday morning, yes Monday, in December.  We followed the ceremony with a brunch at the Howard County Conservancy.

Here's William relaxing on the piano before finishing his dressing.

The church was still decorated for Christmas.

This old stone building on the church grounds dates to pre-Revolutionary times.  It's used for meetings now and for the bride's party dressing room.

Here's the lovely couple with Dan and I.

Joining Inspired Sunday

For another post on this wedding link to A Three Dress Wedding