Britt-Arnhild's House in the Woods

December 6th Angels in my studio

@brittarnhild

Up in my attic studio I have a group of angels displayed all year long. Well, not actually displayed. They live there, and day and night, when I take time to listen, they sing the happy news, Joy To The World.

I talk about angels in my Advent video today. An easy topic. A difficult topic. Angels!  What are they? Why are they? Where are they? The Bible talks about them, but usually (or always?) in connection with a person, Jacob, Joseph, Mary, Jesus.......and the persons get out attention, not the angel. 

We find quite a few angels in art, in litteratur, in music. Do we believe in them, or are they a product of our fantasy?

A woman once told us that there are two light columns (angels) standing guard at the entrance of our house. Yes, she knew they were there, she could see them clearly.

I have never seen an angel. Or have I?

Do you believe in angels?

 

 

December 5th. A morning in the flower workshop

@brittarnhild

We had good friends coming over for lunch today. I was up early to bake bread and tidy the living room. And then had time, good time to spend down in my flower workshop in the basement, where I finally was able to finish this year's advent wreath. Two days late, but who cares. It was ready just in time to lit for the guests.

Advent is such a great time for inviting family and friends for a meal. The cosy preparations, the great time spending together and then  another cosy time to clean up. I love it. Now Terje and I are making plans for who to invite next.

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Today's Advent video:

 

 

December 4th. A new nativity

@brittarnhild

Monday, December 4th and the forth door in my advent calendar on YouTube is open.

I am spending the morning cleaning (after the bestebarnfestival) and putting up a few of my nativities. I have almost 200 now (still counting) so can't obviously display them all at the same time. Through the year I have them stored in two glass cabinets in a guest room down in our basement, and now it is such a joy to decide which ones I want to display this year.

The one shown in the picture is made in Nepal, of wool. I bought it here in Trondheim, during the  St. Olav Festival downtown. I love the bright colours of the wool. Now it stands on top of our piano, together with one from Norway and one from Africa.

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Today's question:
Do you have one or more nativities? Will you tell me about it/them?

 

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Here is today's video:

 

December 3rd. The Advent Wreath

@brittarnhild

It is early Sunday m morning here in The House in the Woods when I write this. It is dark outside, and cold, icy cold. The first snow is here, and the garden is filled with deer tracks. A doe with three fawns visit every night, searching for food. We often see them before we go to bed at nights. Wrapped in a red wooden blanket our two grandsons are sitting in the armchair in front of the telly. This is the weekend of our annual bestebarnfestival, grandchildren festival. A weekend of creativity, making Christmas gifts, baking, playing games and having a lot of fun.

We had our first bestebarnfestival last year, and hope to make it an annual Advent tradition.

Terje baked with the kids in the kitchen,

I took them with me down to my flower workshop in the basement, one by one,
and we did a lot more.

Vida three years old, had do go home last night, Milian soon to be 5 and Leander who will turn 8 in a few days, have spent the night, and we will continue the fun today.

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We have not had breakfast yet, but when we do, we will lit the first candle in the Advent wreath, and sing the first candle hymn.

Today's question:
When does your candle wreath look like?

 

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December 2nd. Christmas Carols

@brittarnhild

We went to our church the other day, for a concert with Trondheim Senior Choir singing Christmas Carols. What a blessing to sit in the church, listening to many of the old  and new hymns and carols.

I have always loved singing, but as the years have passed, there is less and less singing in my life. Unfortunately. This year, during Advent, I am planning to open my hymn book and sing (and may be even play the piano) one hymn every day. All of them are in Norwegian, most of them are made by Norwegian or Scandinavians, but there are also quite a few translations, from English, from German, from Latin and probably other languages as well.

How I wish I had an English hymn book. Then I could share with you one hymn every day during Advent. But since I do not have one, today's question from me to you is:

Can you share with me and the readers of Britt-Arnhild´s House in the Woods a favourite Christmas Carol? May be you even have a tale to go with it?

 

Today´s Advent video:

 

 

December 1st. Advent is here

@brittarnhild

Today the calendar says December 1st, which means that Advent is finally here. Advent, the weeks leading up to Christmas. Starting December 1st, or the first Sunday of Advent, which often is the last Sunday of November, but this year is not until the coming Sunday, December 3rd. Advent, a time for expectations, for eating but most of all for hope.

Not at all, originally, when we have made it to today, a period of feasting.......which often means that when Christmas finally comes, we are so fed up with all the food, all the parties, all the lights, all the.......you name it.

I have realised over the years that to fight agains the business of earning money (which I truly belive) has lead us to where we are today, is a fight I can never win. I live in the world, I am part of the world and I don't want to hide myself away like a hermit. But there are things I want to do, there are things I can do, there are things I do! And my hope is to take you along on this road less travelled during the coming 24 days.

I plan to ask you questions while we walk, 24 questions, like an advent calendar with 24 doors, and my first question is this:

What will you do to make Advent this year different?

 

 

Advent starts tomorrow, finally

@brittarnhild

Tomorrow is December 1st, which means that Advent is here.
I have started to make my Advent posts for Britt-Arnhild´s House in the Woods, the first one will be out at 7AM (Norwegian time) Will I see you there?

 

To add good things

@brittarnhild

"Here was the authentic voice of the Slav. These people hold that the way to make life better is to add good things to it, whereas in the West we hold that to make life better is to take bad things away from it".     Rebecca West in her book Black Lamb and Grey Falcon

I am reading Rebecca West's book for the moment. An great book, 1150 pages, published in 1942. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. A Journey Through Yugoslavia. I am not going into the book here, I just wanted the share with you this amazing quote. "To add good things to it!" How important it is. Well, we shall also do what we can to take bad things away, but how often don't we forget to add good things. Or to reflect upon what good things are.

Like today's full moon. I did not actually add it, of course I did not. But I looked at it, I saw the beauty of the full moon shining down on our House in the Woods, and I added it as a good thing in my life. Here and now.