Looking up at year’s end

 

END IT WELL – for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

Today, the year draws to a close, along with the Holiday Photography Challenge. It seems fitting to include this lovely little stone chapel.

 Nope, it’s not my church, which is much more modern-looking and a whole lot bigger.

 But I might have sighed out loud when I stepped up to this spot.

 

 There’s something distinctly inviting and sweet about coming upon a lovely traditional country church on an outdoor jaunt. I had to stop and admire the stonework, the stained glass windows, and the way the sunlight reflects of this sweet architectural gem.

 The new year offers us new hope, new chances, and new treasures to explore.

 Ready, set, go.

 

Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

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Don’t meddle with this clever old metal.

 

METAL – for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

Call it a carousel, a whirligig, or a whatchamacallit. Doesn’t matter. This old thing is pretty cool.

 It’s more than 50 years old. But it still works.

 Originally, we’d hang it directly over a Christmas tree light bulb, and the metal spinner would immediately begin to whirl. That was way back when those lights were a whole lot larger (and hotter) than the tiny ones found today. Now it takes a little longer for enough heat to rise and make the blade go around.

 But it’s still fun.

 

 It's kind of the same heat-activated physics principle as employed by those crafted wooden German pyramid carousels that work with candles. The heat generates the movement.

 I think this single ornament was once a set of four, perhaps purchased by my parents when there were only four of us. (That wasn’t the end of the story!) But the collection has dwindled over the years, so this is probably the last one left.

 

Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

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Holiday decorating can be extra deLIGHTful

 

 PINK – for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

The Chicago Botanic Gardens’ Lightscape display takes seasonal decorating to a new level – artistically, architecturally, and aesthetically. 

 

 I enjoyed walking through this remarkable exhibit a few weeks before Christmas. Lightscape runs through New Years.

 

Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

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Artisan needlecrafting takes us home again

 

ART/S – for the 2021 Holiday Photography Challenge (See sidebar for full list.).

 

Plenty of years ago (I dare not even ponder how many.), we picked up this little hand-sewn needlepoint ornament in a church holiday bazaar. The stitchery was done on plastic canvas for construction of this tiny home.

 

 A little hang-tag reads as follows:

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

(Joshua 24:15b, KJV)

 

This little crafted cottage reminds us of the tiny house we moved into before the children came along. So it brings up plenty of old stories, every time I unpack it to hang it on the Christmas tree.

 

Image/s: Personal photo/s. All rights reserved.

Feel free to follow on Google Plus and Twitter. Like this blog?  Check out Practically at Home on Facebook. You are invited to visit my author page on Amazon.com.