For some time, I had been considering joining Donna's Personal Photo Challenge. This month's topic is lovely but not easy (for me), because we decorate the home and the tree only one-two days before the 25th and because we haven't really had snow yet.
In addition, it is very saddening that Donna and her husband are going through difficult times.
However, yesterday it snowed all day long, and this morning I was able to take photos of the two small Christmas trees (in front of our home) with some snow. I'm not very satisfied with the photos, but at least they have colours and lights, two important and cheering things!
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| 1/50 s, f/5.6, ISO 800 |
The colours of these lights are actually red, green, and yellow, but through the snow, the red looks pink. The spruces are not very fine specimens, and with the pink lights they do look... a bit "girly", but we don't mind, we love them anyway!
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| 1/10 s, f/5.6, ISO 800 |
Our Advent Star. (This photo has already been used in a previous post.)
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| 1/15 s, f/5.6, ISO 800 |
Do visit Donna's interesting blog A Personal Photo Challenge for more Christmas scenes! Thank you, Donna!
Because it's Sunday, I will be joining also Judith at Lavender Cottage Gardening for Mosaic Monday (link not valid anymore). Thank you for hosting, Judith!
I hope you enjoy your Christmas preparations!
&
Have a blessed third week of Advent!
Pretty candles and holiday lights are so pretty for Christmas. Happy holidays my friend! Hugs, Diane
VastaaPoistaWauw, these cookies look delicious and your christmas trees are wonderful with the snow. I wonder if we get some snow for Christmas, only a small chance because it snows here about once in five years with Christmas.
VastaaPoistaLovely decorations, Christmas lights and candles are so pretty. Your cookies look delicious! Wonderful post for your challenge. Have a happy new week!
VastaaPoistaYour photos are really beautiful and I enjoy seeing the Christmas lights. The votives are especially pretty. Have a wonderful week. Blessings, Pamela
VastaaPoistaAll beautiful...especially those cookies! :)
VastaaPoistaOh My so, so pretty but oh NO, ;) you cannot show those delectable cookies and not share recipes. I think I know the thumbprint jam cookies and the center looks like a ginger, or molasses cookies, but what is the one made with Phyllo dough... that one looks really yummy~
VastaaPoistaYou are right, Mary! There are thumbprint cookies, on the right. And I just found interesting information in Wikipedia: "Hallongrotta (plural: hallongrottor) is the name of a common Swedish pastry. The name means 'Raspberry cave' in Swedish. In the United States they are known as thumb print cookies. It is an easily baked molded cookie, flavored with vanilla. The depressions are usually filled with raspberry jam."
PoistaIn Finland, gingerbread cookies are usually made using dark molasses.
And, on the left: Finnish Christmas pastries or prune pinwheels.
Judith @ Lavender Cottage had bought some in November in the local Scandinavian Church Christmas bazaar! (See her post "Orange Spice and Pinwheels"!).
Reading your comment, I learned a term (Phyllo dough) I didn't know before. These pinwheels, however, are made from puff pastry. The most popular filling is perhaps prune jam, but also apple or apricot are used.
To those interested in Finnish Cuisine :), a good start could be the Glossary of Finnish Dishes. You can find it at http://www.saunalahti.fi/marian1/gourmet/gl_finn.htm#j
There are links to recipes, too...
Your Christmas scenes are beautiful and the cookies make my mouth water!
VastaaPoistaI love these pictures all so charming in the evening with twinkling lights....and those cookies are making me hungry.
VastaaPoistaIt looks like a very beautiful Christmas at your home! I will be baking Christmas cookies this week--my favorite task after decorating our tree!
VastaaPoistaThose are excellent photos. I love the colour in the one of the two trees!
VastaaPoistaOh how beautiful... I found you through Mosaic Monday and enjoyed visiting here. I love your advent star, I saw one recently and longed for one myself.
VastaaPoistaWinter Blessings from Behind the Garden Gate
All of your photos with the Christmas lights are peaceful Sara and your baking looks delicious. Don't you wish we could have twinkle lights year round?
VastaaPoistaThanks for linking to Mosaic Monday.
If I lived alone and could make all the decisions, I would most certainly have twinkle lights all through the year! :)
PoistaBeautiful little trees...and you have snow! Happy week! Cathy
VastaaPoistaI really love the candles and the tree photos - so pretty. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas!
VastaaPoistaJulie @ Julie's Lifestyle
I think your little spruces look just fine in their holiday lights and dusting of snow.
VastaaPoistaBeautiful Christmas scenes - the snow is wonderful! Have a great week.
VastaaPoistaI have to chuckle because, while this Colorado known for its ski industry, our here on the plains if we waited for snow to put our Christmas trees, we wouldn't have Christmas trees. I do love your trees covered in snow with the light sparkling underneath the snow. Perhaps we will have snow. We had about a dozen flakes today. Thank you for stopping by the Garden Spot.
VastaaPoistaIhanan jouluisia kuivia! Kynttilät näyttävät ihanilta kipoissaan suurena kokoelmana, samoin valaistut somat pikkukuuset! Itsellä on kaikki jouluvalot vielä laittamatta, kun edellisvuosien valot sanoivat työsopimuksensa irti, enkä ole vielä muistanut hankkia uusia.
VastaaPoistaHerkkujen tuoksuu kantautuu nenään viimeisestä kuvastasi!
♥ Thank you all for your kind comments! ♥
VastaaPoistaBeautiful photo,s and i love the trees
VastaaPoistaThank you, Riet! Merry Christmas!
PoistaEverything looks so sparkly and festive.
VastaaPoistaChristmas is full of magic and sparkle! :)
PoistaMerry Christmas, dear Ida!
Your lights are beautiful! Beautiful pictures! Congratulations!
VastaaPoistaI wish a happy Christmas to you and your family!
Hugs!
Egléa
Thank you so much, Egléa!
PoistaFeliz Natal! ♥