Christmas is in two weeks. It seems to have arrived quite gently this year. Out of necessity and design we have been merrily getting our craft on. In a flurry of gifting and some magazine assignments amidst redecorating, our house has seen more hammer and nails, yarn and thread than it has in the past ten months.

The oven is working hard, churning out thanksgiving dinner, pies, cookies and ninjabread men. I listen to old crooners and think of Grama doing the same across the ocean, whilst she sends me snaps of her cat by the tree.

We bought our tree yesterday (and a replacement stand as I mysteriously misplaced ours in autumn’s enthusiastic clear-out). The extra branches are now lying in a box, waiting for one of us to muster them in to a wreath. But the fire needs tending and I’m deep in the middle of reading The Once and Future King, so that probably needs some attention before any more of this crafting business continues.

So, for now, here’s some Christmas decorations we made earlier.