a christmas tree expedition on the fourth sunday of advent

 it was just greg and i on this christmas tree expedition. chanda was working, morgana was nursing a bad cold and cough at home, and brian and korrina had already bought a tree in brooklyn last week.

 it was a frosty tree farm we encountered . . all the trees were encased in ice . . 

 the grass blades looked like green beans and the ground crunched beneath our feet . .

 and the cases of ice startled me as they fell from the branches whenever i stopped to look around (searching for the concolor fir trees that i like).

we found one that was short and round and very full. greg was able to saw through it quickly.

 after carrying it to the car and paying for it, we sat by the fire to eat our lunch: salami sandwiches on sour dough bread and gingerbread and cream cheese with coffee. 

 while we were eating a family came with their marshmallows to roast over the fire . . 

dan and jake were the oxen today . . 

 we made it home in time for me to see our friends in their neighborhood production of a christmas carol . . while greg and morgana put up the tree in the living room.

 charlotte played young scrooge, her friend was her sister, fan, and her brother was tiny tim.

after the show . . 

and then home for our fourth sunday of advent dinner. we sang one of our favorite songs: people look east . . 

people look east the time is near!

of the crowning of the year,

make your house fair as you are able, 

trim the hearth and set the table, 

people look east and sing today,

love the guest is on the way!

furrows be glad, though earth is bare,

one more seed is planted there,

give up your strength the seed to nourish,

that in course the flower may flourish,

people look east and sing today,

love the rose is on the way!

birds though ye long have ceased to build,

guard the nest that must be filled.

even in the hour when wings are frozen, 

he for fledgling time has chosen,

people look east and sing today,

love the bird is on the way!

stars keep thy watch when night is dim,

one more light the bowl shall brim,

shining beyond the frosty weather,

bright as sun and moon together,

people look east and sing today,

love the star is on the way!

angels announce to man and beast,

he, who cometh from the east!

set every peak and valley humming,

with the word the lord is coming,

people look east and sing today,

love the lord is on the way!

and greg read from a christmas carol . .

happy fourth sunday of advent . .

tea and dickens . . and grammar too!

 i've really been enjoying the tea morgana gave us for christmas, and thanks to eva, i've been enjoying learning about northern germany's tea culture (here and here and here.)

 and i've been enjoying the tea with delicious panettone that we got at ferrara's cafe (two for one the day we were there . . we have a lot of panettone!)

 we finished reading a christmas carol . . 

and actually reviewed some english grammar . . morgana has been wanting to review to help with understanding german grammar.

the first day of december, errands, and a christmas carol

we started our morning with lighting our advent candle from a child's dream come true. i can't believe it's december first, and only twenty four days until christmas. this is a picture of morgana and chanda from last year.

(a lord and taylor's holiday window from last year)

after that the day went very quickly. the girls managed to do some workbook lessons before we went out. morgana had a babysitting job, korrina had dress rehearsal and a show, chanda had chorus in the evening. but first chanda and i went to 28th street to the plant stores to get a few more paperwhite bulbs (we had given them out as party favors at the ice skating party). i'd like to put about six or seven of them in planters on the windowsill for the holidays. we stopped at books of wonder on the way home to meet morgana who was there with the little girls she looks after. the new cafe is now alice's teacup. they have delicious scones, cupcakes and . . tea, of course. we then stopped at lionbrand to buy yarn for korrina that she needs in order to make kitties for the craft fair. then we went home and i managed to get dinner started and walk the dog while chanda did a little violin practice before we left for chorus. at chorus i wanted to start my next knitting project, but i left my pattern at home. instead, i began reading the current book the study group is discussing, michael howard's educating the will. instead of reading, i fell asleep. well, at least i had a nice little cat nap before heading over to the hudson guild theatre for the homeschooler's production of a christmas carol. because of my nap, i was able to stay awake for the entire show.

it was a wonderful production. the set was minimalist with the use of a scrim for scenes introduced by the three ghosts of christmas past, present and yet to come. the costumes were gorgeous (my friend janet is a true artist, with an elegant vision she knows how to present), and the direction for the actors was clear and precise. songs and movement were simple and allowed the (very!) young actors to stay focused on their lines and motivation. chanda and i really enjoyed the show (and the person who ran the lights did an amazing job!). morgana is going to try and see it on sunday.

and now i better get some sleep.

this evening we read a poem from diane goode's american christmas:

december
by aileen fisher

i like days
with a snow-white collar,
and nights when the moon
is a silver dollar,
and hills are filled
with eiderdown stuffing
and your breath makes smoke
like an engine puffing.

i like days
when feathers are snowing
and all the eaves
have petticoats showing,
and the air is cold,
and the wires are humming,
but you feel all warm . . .
with christmas coming!