It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas....

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

all around the cabin.  O wait. That isn't how the song goes? 

Well, it is here.

A little Christmas tour for you.

We have no snow. It has snowed twice this season, weeks ago, and there is zero snow on the ground. Last weekend I was outside in short sleeves working in the yard. The house I left in Texas has had more snow in December than I have had here in Colorado.

But while it may not feel like Christmas outside, it still looks like it inside.

There are Christmas trees:

Tall and narrow covered with cabin-y ornaments and icicles.

Flat and metal. 

I love this milagro tree. 

It stays up year round some years. 

But at Christmas it has the glass ornaments added on.

And nativity scenes:

 The three kids painted this one 16 years ago. 

(Making them 8, 4 and 2!)

It's my favorite. 

Love the evil angel with red eyes and the little green monster. 

And this one from my mama and Mexico.

While I was trimming wood for the outdoor fireplace I cut 

a few rounds for display. 

I really need a band saw. I miss having one. 

The three wise men are celebrating in front of the empty libation bottles. 

Aren't these guys great? 

There are Santas from my childhood:

This big Santa was made by my aunt when I was about 8 years old. 

Amazed he's still around four houses and 50+ years later.

The Santa bank on the shelf is just about as old. 

As is the the book next to him. 

Goodness, I gave away/sold a gazillion books but there are some I just couldn't part with.

The kids' books were the hardest. There's another large bookshelf's worth upstairs. 

And yes, those are my high school yearbooks in the middle. 

Another Santa from my childhood, against 

one of the kid Christmas books and 

some Mexican pottery, literature and brass. 

My life in a nutshell.
Bookshelves can tell you a lot about a person, don't you think?

A reindeer pillow resting on my most favorite purchase this year. 

Bought that leather chair for $30 and a store credit at the consignment store. 

(And many thanks to my sister in law for keeping me supplied with fabulous winter pillows!)

Hoping I can keep the fern alive through the winter. 

The dry heat isn't that good for it. 

Isn't this a cozy scene?  Fire in the pellet stove. Hallmark Christmas movie on the TV. "Naughty" stockings hanging by the door. And another one of those great needlepointed pillows on the big comfy chair.

This is where you'll find me most nights. 

(Those windows are getting replaced sometime soon.

And curtains. There will be curtains.)

Even the outdoors is trying. No snow but a little greenery.

Kaiser, the bear, tries to hold onto his greenery. 

The deer keep coming up on the porch and pulling it out of his hands.

Fish and deer sporting greenery and ornaments 

on the side porch. 

(Ignore the fact that the wall needs painting. 

This Spring...)

Even the cow's skull over the front dooor is trying to get into the spirit.

There were even cookies baking. Except while they were cooling on the  counter, someone decided to eat some. Actually, lots of them. So I'll have to bake some more. 

(Not mentioning names but C-A-R-L-O-S comes to mind....)

This was two full cooling trays of cookies. 

Bad dog. 

Hope you are also enjoying the holidays and are surrounded by love and the spirit of the season.