A Christmas Tea with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Me

 Note: This post was composed last Christmas!

~Hello everyone~

Welcome to Day 2 of our Tis the Season Blog Tour.
Thanks again, Jemma for including me; it's been fun!
I'm your hostess today, and I'm so happy you're here!

(If you wish, click on each image to enlarge.)

Santa and Mrs. Claus have already arrived.

I thought they could use a little break 

from all their busyness;

Mrs. Claus baking away the days,

 while Santa tackles the stack of mail, 
as elves load toys on to his sleigh.

 Please, make yourselves at home.

 

In the kitchen, the teapot is filled with chamomile,
and a fluffy, orange cake awaits!

Into the dining room, we'll go,
I've dimmed the lights for a cozy glow.

 Have you looked out the window?

We've had snow! 

 I remember,
during Christmas holidays in Toronto, the
playful snowballs little Liberty liked to throw.

And in the calm after the storm,
we'd roll, and pack, and form
a snowman of our very own.

Christmases in Crete, meant trimming the tree with me, 

then topping it with a star, with a little help from her daddy.

From top left to right: my sister, Cindy, my mom, Rita, my aunt, Jane and me

This year, more than any other,
I long to be with family in Canada, and my daughter.

Wherever you are in the world this year,

may your Christmas days be full of cheer!

Thanks for sharing this Christmas tea
with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and me.

 xo
~Poppy~

Don't forget to visit everyone else 

on our Tis the Season Blog Tour.

Monday December 9, 2013
Jemma of At Home With Jemma   

 Chris of The Cafe Sucre Farine

Tuesday December 10th, 2013
Poppy View
 
Wednesday December 11, 2013
Sherry, Jess, and Nel of Red Rose Alley
Patty of Home and Lifestyle Design
 

Thursday December 12, 2013
Melanie of Comfy House
Brenda of Cozy Little House

Friday December 13, 2013
Melinda of The Refeathered Roost

 
Saturday December 14, 1013
Kathryn of The Dedicated House
Dewena of Across the Way

All images: Poppy View,

except backgrounds (Google),

and Tour Collage (Jemma)

Sharing at: 
Saturday Sparks, Teacup Tuesday, Home & Garden Thursday,
Make it Pretty Monday, Sunday Showcase Party, Amaze Me Monday,
Inspire Me Monday, Mosaic Monday, Seasonal Sundays,
Flaunt it Friday, Show & Tell Friday, Feathered Nest Friday,
Sweet & Simple Fridays, Home Sweet Home, Be Inspired,
Open House Blog Party, Home, Wow Us Wednesday, Friendship Friday,
Be Inspired Features & Link Party, Tweak It Tuesday,
Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesdays at Our Home, The Scoop,
Brag About It,  A Return to Loveliness, Tuesday Trivia,

It's Christmas Time in the City

City sidewalks, busy sidewalks.
Dressed in holiday style
 

 

In the air
There's a feeling
of Christmas

 
Children laughing
People passing

Meeting smile after smile
and on every street corner you'll hear

Silver bells, silver bells


It's Christmas time in the city

Ring-a-ling, hear them sing
Soon it will be Christmas day

Strings of street lights
Even stop lights
Blink a bright red and green

As the shoppers rush
home with their treasures

Hear the snow crunch
See the kids bunch

This is Santa's big scene

And above all this bustle
You'll hear

Silver bells, silver bells

It's Christmas time in the city

Ring-a-ling, hear them sing

Soon it will be Christmas day 

Missing my family in Canada,

and dreaming of an
 old fashioned Christmas.

xo

~Poppy~

(This post first appeared December 7th, 2013)
Silver Bells: written by

Jay Livingston and Ray Evans

All images: Google

 

Monday December 9, 2013  
Jemma of At Home With Jemma

Chris of The Cafe Sucre Farine

Tuesday December 10, 2013
Poppy of Poppy View

Wednesday December 11, 2013
Sherry, Jess, and Nel of Red Rose Alley
Patty of Home and Lifestyle Design

Thursday December 12, 2013
Melanie of Comfy House
Brenda of Cozy Little House

 
Friday December 13, 2013
Melinda of The Refeathered Roost

 
Saturday December 14, 1013
Kathryn of The Dedicated House
Dewena of Across the Way

Sharing at: 

A Return to Loveliness, Make it Pretty Monday, What's It Wednesday

 Open House Blog Party, Home & Garden Thursday, Home,

 Tweak It Tuesday, Be Inspired Features & Link Party, Friendship Friday,

Wow Us Wednesday, The Scoop, Brag About It, bebetsy.com,

Tuesdays at Our Home, Inspire Me Tuesday, Tuesday Trivia,

Inspire Me Monday, Sunday Showcase, Amaze Me Monday,

Seasonal Sundays, Feathered Nest Friday, Be Inspired, Flaunt it Friday,

Show & Tell Friday, Home Sweet Home, Sweet & Simple Fridays,

December at My Door

It is raining outside my door.

A downpour of pellets

pierce and poke

  coppery vines,

 like an old, itchy cloak!

 Diagonally, the droplets dive

onto thirsty fields,

and 'expectant' groves,

as boughs bearing
gifts of citrus and olives
drink, rest, and grow,
before the upcoming 
first fall of snow. 

In seconds, 
sculpted black balconies
are squeaky clean;
their engraved, tangled vines
buffed to a sheen.

Geraniums, splattered and splashed,

 petals of red, pushed, shoved and lashed,

struggle against the rain's beating hand,

prevailing over its force, in the end.

 This morning,
December rain
knocked on my door, 
and tapping the doorbell, 
it begged and implored
for my undivided attention.
So, I listened: all morning,
and into the eve,
until, tired and drained,
the rain took its leave.

Thanks for visiting!

 Happy December!

xo

Poppy 

JOINING:  
The Art of Home-Making Mondays,
What's It Wednesday, Friendship Friday, Make it Pretty Monday,

Inspire Me Monday, Sunday Showcase, Amaze Me Monday,
Mosaic Monday, Home & Garden Thursday, Saturday Sparks
Feathered Nest Friday, Home Sweet Home,  A Return to Loveliness
Show & Tell Friday, Flaunt it Friday, Fresh-Cut Friday,
 Open House Blog Party,  Tuesdays at Our Home, Home, Wow Us Wednesdays,

Tweak It Tuesday, Tuesday Trivia, The Scoop, Brag About It,

bebetsy.com, Inspire Me Tuesday, Be Inspired Features & Link Party,

November's Treasures

Sweet November, 
meandering through
 your muted hues,

 and pausing to ponder
among leaves of chartreuse,

 I hiked up your hilltops,
where the vines gleamed like gold,

and among glittering gems,
I secretly strolled.

Or so I thought!

A lazy, grazing flock of sheep,

 stood, gazing, guessing,
who'd made a peep!
 
Catching a glimpse of eagle's eye,
Thought I'd bid them all goodbye!

 Downhill I tread
on slopes slippery and steep,



  and arrived at a church,
nestled deep,
 among fruit bearing trees.

A few steps away,
surrounded by green,
St. Matthew's is part
of a pastoral scene.

And, in the neighbouring village,
at the top of the road,
 yet a third church stands,
 next to an olive grove. 

From there,
I spy my space, 
high in the sky,

 and spot others of stone,
stucco and dye,
below.

Ah, November,
with your tableau
of gold and bordeaux,
December is upon us,
 and tomorrow
 you shall go,
quietly leaving
 your treasures
in my heart, aglow.

Thanks for visiting!

xo
~Poppy~

Joining: 
Friendship Friday, Amaze Me Monday, Mosaic Monday, Flaunt it Friday,
Show & Tell Friday,  Oh, the PLACES I've been!, Feathered Nest Friday, 
 Home Sweet Home, Be Inspired, Home & Garden Thursday, Tuesday Trivia
 Sweet & Simple Fridays, Open House Blog Party, Home,  Brag About It,
Wow Us Wednesdays, Be Inspired Features & Link Party, bebetsy.com,
Tweak It Tuesday, Inspire Me Tuesday, A Return to Loveliness, Saturday Sparks, 
The Sunday Showcase Party, Make it Pretty Monday, The Scoop,
 Inspire Me Monday, Travel Photo Mondays, Tuesdays at Our Home,