Showing posts with label candle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label candle. Show all posts

Tuesday, 14 April 2026

Minding my time ...

 


I do like to have time to just 'be' - to relax & gather my thoughts in a contemplative way.  Solitude is always welcome in my world. 

My friends recognised that I am changing my work / life balance to more life this year & their gifts reflected this. 

The trio of Sara Miller gifts is perfect for quiet time - a mindful journal, biscuit tin (that was filled with homemade shortbread when it arrived) and a matching tea tin are a delight. I am tending towards fruit teas in the afternoon & this is a perfectly lovely tin to keep them in.  I am not a fan of green tea but the fruit teas are very nice hot, with a sprig of mint or lemon verbena when that leaves up again after winter. 


The biscuit tin has gifted biscuits - little almond biscotti & some delightful pfeffernusse cookies. The soft ginger texture is very tasty. They look delightful in the tin. 

The mindfulness journal requires dedication to use it often - there are no days so it is 'mindful' writing rather than needful. 

I saw this 'postage stamp' cutter used on various Instagram feeds & it is an interesting way to take a snippet of things in ones day. This one has the advantage of an open cutting side so you can position it over the part you want to use. It is a new toy that I am using to include snippets in my journal. 

I love candles but am mindful that some give off toxic fumes. This is a gifted one made of soya wax with a delicate scent in the right tone to go with the set. 

The pen was gifted last year by another friend - who else loves a good pen? It makes all the difference to how you write when you use a pen that glides. I have taught hundreds of pupils to write over my long career in education & need to take my own advice - slow down & write neatly!

I am pencilling things in to my diary - courses I have already booked & those I want to take; one has to plan ahead to enjoy the luxury of more time. I do not intend to waste mine. Inspire me with what you do ... 

Thank you for stopping by, you are always most welcome here. 

Dee ✍️📝👩‍💻🖋️📑

Sunday, 29 November 2020

The first Sunday of Advent

 I observe the countdown to Advent & the 4 Sundays that lead up to Christmas. 

Last year Ms M & I were enjoying the delights of the Winter Christmas markets in Munich, Salzburg & Innsbruck - something we can only dream of this year. 

We loved seeing the beautiful Advent Candle Wreaths seen all about that region - it is traditional to mark it with 4 candles.  I have some of the beautiful ones on this post from last year .... 

My 4 candle stick holder has been dusted down & filled with candles & it is ready to be lit in the 4 weeks up to Christmas. I love these traditional images I used on a previous post. 

I decorated the tray under my Advent candle holder with holly & ivy, the traditional Christmas combination. 

Today I found some little easy peel oranges in the fridge that were less juicy than I like so I decided to turn them in to pomander / Christingles (meaning Christ light) 

When I taught in mainstream education, we used to make Christingles in class then walk our classes to the local church for the Christingle service. 

The tradition originated in Germany in 1747 when Bishop Johannes de Watteville used an orange with a candle attached to it to remind children of the light Jesus brought in to the world during Advent. 

The orange represents the world 

The candle is for Jesus as the light of the world

The red ribbon reminds us of the blood of Christ

The 4 cocktail sticks are for the 4 seasons or 4 corners of the world

The dried fruit represents the gifts from God

The candle in the centre is lit & children carry them in to the church at a special Christingle service. It has only been adopted in England since 1968. 

I adapted mine with cloves studded in & the red ribbon pinned to a candle placed between the oranges. 

I love making spicy pomanders for the house as they fill the air with a delicate fragrance. 


However you observe the run up to Christmas, it is a good time to just p a u s e and be thankful. I will light the first of my 4 Advent candles on Sunday then every night from 1-24th December, I light an Advent candle with numbers on (something my late Mother used to do) and I love watching the candle flicker each night while we eat - it is a reminder to just enjoy the time without being caught up in the commercialism that takes over ... 




Have a blessed Advent Sunday. Thank you for your company, each & every visit & comment is much appreciated, 
Dee ~💕~