Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Christmas in My Heart, and in My Home

 

More snowmen have arrived, and have settled on
 the open shelving in the kitchen. I guess the crisp, 
white surroundings remind them of their homeland.

   
Surprisingly, the bunch before them chose greener 
pastures, completely unfazed by what spring may bring!


Still, others, stand on guard on the stairwell,


just in case a notorious kitty culprit, tries to
   sneak into the house via Santa's sack of goodies!

 

This will certainly not  reflect well on his 
already tarnished reputation.


 Besides being too preoccupied with P.R.'s pranks, 

 

 I have been preparing the house for Christmas,


 filling it with seasonal freshness, 


sunny streams of sweetness,


 and sentimental joy,


to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, 
and pray for peace, and goodwill to all.


We are blessed that Liberty is home for the holidays this year, and want to spend every precious moment that we can with her. Promise to pop around to you very soon, but until then, thank you for your lovely visits throughout the year. They are the kindest gifts, and I so appreciate them, and you! From our home to yours, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, filled with love, health, and happiness.


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Friday, December 12, 2014

Breaking News: Cretan Cat Steals Santa's Hat


In the early morning hours of Friday, December 12th, a Cretan cat, known as P.R., was seen wearing a velvety red hat, with a white, furry trim and pom pom, (in addition to a very suspicious look on his face). The hat in question, is believed to belong to Santa Claus. Some witnesses also recall seeing a set of keys near the capped creature,


but this observation could not be confirmed. Interestingly, they all agreed that the suspect showed no sign of trying to flee the scene. On the contrary, it soon became apparent that


the cat actually seemed to be enjoying the presence of the onlookers, none of whom could believe their eyes, when the feisty feline actually began to model the signature hat. One passerby exclaimed, 'He was strutting his stuff on that stone runway with no remorse whatsoever!'. Only when police sirens could be heard in the distance, did the suspect stumble for a second on the catwalk, before quickly managing to dive into his getaway vehicle, standing by behind a hedge of bushes,


and later found abandoned, a few miles from the scene of the crime, behind a stack of firewood. It is believed that the suspect is now driving a candy cane red 1955 Chevy Bel Air Convertible,


after its owner, realizing his keys had disappeared during the frenzy at the fashion show, contacted the authorities. The photo above was taken by hidden surveillance cameras just minutes before the suspect made a pit stop for a strawberry milkshake at a favourite fast food outlet. He can be seen smugly flaunting the cap on his tail, in complete daylight, impervious to the shocking reactions of those around him. Anyone having information is urged to call Crime Stoppers at:
1-555-FIND-CAT


Undoubtedly, this behaviour baffles the mind! What could cause a cat to snatch Santa's hat? The motive, itself, is a mystery, but several whiskered witnesses stated that P.R. has a penchant for, (if not a preoccupation with), hats, and not just any old hats, but those belonging to famous folks. In fact, just this fall, P.R. was seen, on many occasions, sporting a cap that was remarkably reminiscent of one that the great detective, Sherlock Holmes is known to don during his own investigations.

PR, impersonating the great Sherlock Holmes, on the same stone runway, September, 29th, 2014.

Coincidentally, at around that same time, a newspaper article reported that a trademark, plaid cap, part of a rare collection that belonged to Detective Holmes, on exhibit at a local museum, had gone missing. Due to his reputation as a 'cat of many hats', P.R. was a prime suspect, but after a lengthy investigation, all charges against him were dropped, for lack of incriminating evidence. The question now is: will Santa follow suit, or, being the jolly old elf that he is, simply consider it an early Christmas gift, albeit, for a kitty that was very naughty and not so nice?!

Thanks for visiting and
happy weekend!
xo
Poppy

Monday, December 8, 2014

Merry Minis


Hello everyone!
Well, before I begin to deck the halls,
I thought I'd start with something small.
And so, as I began to trim my tiny tree,
I felt a flurry of merry inside of me!


Before long,
 the space was filled
   with friends from afar,
who braved the snow 
and followed the star
to take their place
on the mantel.


Santa proudly stands in the decorative scene,
amid the mini motifs and the fresh, seasonal green.
He has a lot on his plate in the next days ahead -
presents! - packed and stacked high on his sled!


 'Won't you stay for tea?' I ask, as we 
wrap up the fireplace photo shoot.
'Thanks ever so much, but I've got to scoot!', he says.
Then, after shining his boots and primping his suit,
he was gone in a snap - ! - airborne, and en route!
  
You might also like:
Christmas Mantel 2013

 Thanks for visiting and
have a wonderful week!


Monday, December 1, 2014

When St. Nick Does His Schtick

 

Cock-a-doodle-doo!
Is it Christmas yet?
Well, if you've been
 browsing the blogosphere,
halls have been decked,
and candy cane season
seems to be in full swing!


But, it's still autumn,
(at least here
in the Med, it is!),
when the great harvest
yields comfort food
and long, cozy nights 
of pure, fireplace bliss.


So, the roosters and chicks
who hang out at my place,
have made it quite clear that
 they won't take part in the race
to announce Christmas,
 until its proper due date! 
 

But when they do,
we'd better be ready
to welcome St. Nick.
(Milk and cookies are fine),
 but you'll probably find
that a hot brew of caffeine
- (with a wee bit of a kick) -
will help the 'jolly old elf'
 do his festive, gift schtick! 

In the meantime,
daily gifts from the chicks
are very much appreciated!


 What about you? 
Are you dizzily decorating 
or lazily recuperating? 
Me? Just sitting here, deciding
 on the safest route to take in tackling
  a basement stuffed with boxes of
   merry motifs and faux snowflakes!


Thanks for visiting and 
have a fun first week
of December!
xo
Poppy 

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Friendship Friday, Feathered Nest Friday,  Home Sweet Home,
Simple & Sweet Fridays, Wow Us Wednesdays, What's It Wednesday,
Tweak It Tuesday,  Tuesdays at Our Home, Make it Pretty Monday,
A Return to Loveliness,  The Art of Home-Making Monday,
Inspire Me Monday, Amaze Me Monday, Saturday Sparks, 

Sunday, November 23, 2014

A Town Mouse in a Country House


Whether
near the square,
set in stone,
 and bejewelled in
 ruby red radiance,


 or stucco clad,
 and accessorized by a
 signature sweet fragrance -
they charm. 


Crowning a hilltop,
overlooking the sea,
tiny, kid-drawn cottages
 bewitch and beckon me.


In the valley below,
 vanilla villas and
 patches of produce
  in bright, veggie green,
  are the perfect ingredients
 of Cretan country cuisine.


Back home,
between the finials
 of the black, iron gate,
this born and bred 
town mouse gazes at
her geographical fate.