Tradition!

In keeping with tradition, Christmas Eve held a visit to the tree farm. We searched the fields from end to end and selected the best among them: straight, not too tall, neither sparse nor dense.... 

Some might say that the 24th is a bit late to be getting a tree, but if it's going to have candles on it (and it always does), we want it to be fresh and green so as to be less likely to burn down (The candles-on-the-tree tradition is always a delightful combination of 'wow' factor and silent freaking out that the whole thing will be up in flames any minute now).

My godmother said "now, look triumphant", as she took this picture, so we did.

The tree in all its glory. Only 2 candles had to be hurriedly extinguished and one decoration quietly removed  from  a hot-spot above a candle flame. I'd call that a success.

We sang the requisite "quiet, quiet" christmas song and Merwin read us a story about a man named Oggie who had an impromptu christmas with a pickpocket's blind granny and stole a camera from her bathroom.

Happy christmas, all y'all. Hopefully you are in the company of near and dear ones and eating something festive and delicious. I know I am :)

Octobutton

A very special young man just turned one. His parents threw him a party, which meant that all of us baby midwife ladies sat around the living room knitting, while the birthday boy opened his gifts and then went down for a nap. Buttons have been popular with him, lately, so I made an octopus covered in them....

Xandy loves Octobutton- photo cred: ms Romero.

Octobutton's eyes are a little creepy- xandy doesn't seem to mind.