Auf Wiedersehn, Mama

My dear mom passed away today, Christmas Eve, in the afternoon. She was surrounded  by her family since Friday, and passed peacefully in our presence.  My brother played "Edelweiss" for her, which relaxed her.  She has been in the Nursing Home for almost 5 years due to the ravages of Alzheimer's.  Until this last spring she still enjoyed (picture above) "helping me" plant flowers in the planters at the hospital complex.  On balmy summer days I would take her for long walks to the little lake, where we would sing old German hiking songs and pick wildflowers (see in her hands)--she loved blue ones.  She would always say:  "I must be so heavy, why don't you let me push you awhile", I would answer: "It's a labor of love, mom", then she would give me a big smile, and muse "a labor of love--I like that".  She was so worried about being a burden.
Christmas Eve was very important to her, so it is fitting that she "went home" on Christmas Eve.  She so missed those loved ones that had gone before her:  her Mom, her brother, her daughter.   Have a nice Christmas with them, Mom.

Rest in Peace,, Mom and look out for us.  I ♥♥♥ U.
I'm sure you know, but I am hoping that your Memorial Service can be on my Birthday, soon.  It is so fitting that on that day, I first met my you, and on that day I will say:  " Auf Wiedersehn, Mutti".

It's Beginning to looka lot like Christmas

On the baking homestretch.  Spitzbuben  (Austrian jam-filled cookies)

 And the all-time favorite:  Lemon Bars. (Sorry, I don't know why the picture flipped.

 And at this time of the year all these little characters move in with us to add to the Christmas spirit: Choir of Angels--the golden cloud is packing material that came in a gift from Germany.

Sleeping elves  they have the cutest corduroy pants and plaid shirts.

Snowman Family: 

 Snowmen in knit hats and sweaters--thanks to Costco--I didn't knit the clothes.

 A Pair of Bears dressed for the season:

Last (so I thought) Christmas gift:  World War II Watch Cap for SonIL

Tomorrow:  Decorate gingerbread men for my Religion class on Thursday, bake 2 pans of Date Squares, Black and White Cookies and Linzer cookies.  A last-minute pair of mitts for a friend who has to lose weight (I usually gave her a plate of baking), and another illusion scarf--this time for DD2.  Turkey into fridge to thaw on Thursday, I already have the Christmas Day menu listed, finish laundry tomorrow, clean up the kitchen.
I've also been sneaking time for the Master Knitter Level 2--have 2 out of 4 book reviews done, one swatch out of 24 done, 5 more knit but not blocked.

Wishing that all your Christmas goodies be calorie-free.☺

It takes a Village...

I think I was Santa in a previous life. I love Christmas, I love the lights, smells, decorations, hustle and bustle (but not to a crazy extent). I love planning ahead, having everything done early to relax the last week before.  I love the religious preparations, the Advent wreath, the Jesse Tree, Christmas Reconciliation.  All (except a bit of baking and Christmas Day Cooking) is done.  All the Christmas Knitting--18 pieces since mid October--are finished (might sneak in another scarf,though).

It takes a village--that means all my decorating is done; when the styrofoam packing scraps are vacuumed,the pre-Christmas cleaning is done. Let's take a walk through the village:

There is a school, with teacher ringing the bell while children keep playing in the snow:

The greenhouse selling poinsettias, where an elderly man is feeding the birds:

Skaters on a frozen pond,and a fisherman, with wildlife looking on:

 Mail delivery and a hot dog vendor:

The entire village:  homes, a bakery, a church, bookstore, carollers and much more.

The lit-up village

 The nutcrackers standing guard over the village

The entire side of the dining area:

 The reason for the season. And it came to pass...

 Final Christmas knitted projects:
Rustic cap for Richard.

 Celtic cabled hat for Kubota Man Jr.

 Socks for KM Jr.

 Boney mitts--illusion knitting to go with DGD 3 skull scarf.

 Candy Corn Creature had and mitts for DGD1

Warm,lined Chevalier Mitts for DD2

An on-the-spur-of-the-moment gift for a friend at church

We wish you a Merry Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas:

It's Hard Fun to Grow a Christmas Tree

It's hard fun to grow a Christmas tree.  Start with a stand and a trunk. Sort out the branches.  Put on a layer. Wrap the lights in and out, from the trunk to the end, in serpentine fashion.

 Add more layers, wrap more lights, continue up and up...

 Until it's all done.

Top off with angel which was a gift from DD1 the first year she lived away from home.

Now add glass ornaments, some very sentimental old ornaments,

Some new ornaments,

Many gifts from former students:

Some hand-made ornaments,

And some memoirs:  trip to Hawaii in 1980, and our Pork Producing days:

Add  many, many more ornaments, string gold beads, and "It's Light-up Time!!!

Our tree has 2500 tips on the tree, and about 1200 mini-lights.   I love
Christmas trees!!

I guess I should have put tree-growing in The Garden Blog, so, since I have done some cooking there, why don't you pop over there to see some of the Christmas goodies that I've baked so far (but am far from finished).