The Twelve Days of Christmas

Back in the beginning of December 2010 The Wandering Clayman challenged The Loris to text him with three things that she is thankful for each morning, and the things had to be different every day. Just before Christmas the number of things to be thankful for each day increased to four. And now that we are well into the New Year, it's 6 things a day... (I know it's well beyond the Twelfth Day of Christmas, but The Loris has been busy.)

Well, we all know the song about what amazing gifts the Lady's True Love gave to her (all amounting to a total of 12 partridges in 12 pear trees; 22 turtle doves, 30 french hens; 36 calling birds; 40 golden rings; 42 geese-a-laying; 42 swans-a-swimming; 40 maids-a-milking; 36 ladies dancing; 30 lords-a-leaping; 22 pipers piping and 12 drummers drumming) and it struck The Loris that it might be an interesting challenge to set herself the task of counting her blessings for the 12 days of Christmas, starting with one thing on St Steven's Day (26th December) and ending with 12 things on Epiphany (6th January). And each of these things is different again from anything that she has already sent through to The Clayman, so you'll not see Jesus, Grace (God's) or Tea on this list (just in case you were wondering where they, or your name, got to...).

After the event, The Loris thought it might have been a good idea to take pictures and add them in. However, there are some pictures dotted throughout this post (some gleaned from the Magical World of T'Interweb, some from The Loris's phone or new camera) since no Barney James, Dave and The Loris blog post would be complete without pictures (as Dave can't actually read properly yet).


The First Day: Woodland Burial Grounds;

Berries covered in snow
© The Loris 2010-2011

The Second Day: Berries on trees; the knowing look of a hungry, but cheeky, robin;










The Third Day: Frost; creative kids; otters in the wild

Beautiful ice crystals on Dad's tree following hoar frost
© The Loris 2010-2011

DrGoth sneaksin' aaaall the cakes
© The Loris, 2009-2011

The Fourth Day: Sneaksy Friends; the wizardry inside a digital camera; Jesus' laughter; Bovines;

A beautiful, but itchy, Heilun Coo on Iona, July 2010
© The Loris 2010-2011

The Fifth Day: Grandpa getting out of hospital; David Crowder's genius; ragamuffins; The star in the East; soft toys;

David Crowder (w/accordion) & a bunch o' ragamuffins
Picture lifted from the David Crowder*Band's Facebook Page
© DC*B

image taken from emedicine on WebMD;
 © attributed to Louisiana Sate Uni

The Sixth Day: Magnetic Resonance imaging; The Brompton; sparkly lights; cross stitch (new creative outlet for the Loris); fluffy socks; the crazy but big hearted Bossy and Dazza;

Bossy & Dazza...
© The Loris 2011

Cross stitchery...
© The Loris 2011

A 200-300 strong Murder...
picture © Ginger McClemons, 2008
lifted from OPEdNews

The Seventh Day: craft supplies; the warmth of the sun on the back in the freezing cold; crisp air; pizza; chillies; thermals; crows;

Craftiness, © The Loris, 2011

Real Tennis,
 New Year's Day, 2011
Photo © The Loris 2011

The Eighth Day: real tennis; the kindness of a stranger; fish & chips; hotels; flying machines; limes; sense of taste; St Trog;

StTrog
© RM/St Trog 2009/10
colour enhancing by The Loris 2011

A marvellous hot water bottle!
© countryantiquefurniture.co.uk 

The Ninth Day: Peter Postlethwaite's life & career; Spotify; Church; getting home for less than £10 on a bank holiday; hot water bottles; fleece blankets; The Inked Eskimo; naps; squash (the vegetable);

Glorious, wonderful squash
pic pilfered from Google images

Gerry Rafferty's 'Night Owl'
album art © John Byrne, 1979

The Tenth Day: Gerry Rafferty's life, music & lyrics; "Charlie"'s life; time spent with great friends; Temple of the Dog; Head's transformation from glory to glory; sensible banking staff; Fester; Jesus' blood; worshipfulness; dark nights of the soul;

Jesus' blood
Picture lifted from worldquest.org
via Google images

David Littleplaying didgeridoo
©BBC day in pictures

The Eleventh Day: poetry; planning surprise visitations; didgeridoos; one's own space; revelation; Lokshen soup; deliverance; deep peace; glimpses of heaven; lights at the end of tunnels; English Humour;

Glimpses of heaven (11th Day) and Stars & Lack of Light Pollution... (12th Day)
picture of Orion/The Great Bear taken @ Harwich, Jan 2011
photo © The Loris, 2011

The Twelfth Day: Epiphany; the prophetic gifts for Christ from the Magi; blogs; stars; the Tyrers; canines; lack of light pollution at sea; birthdays; photography; duck down; dreams; Perfect Love

Photography
All images ©The Loris 2010-2011

It is often said that we should start as we mean to go on. Well, I intend to go on saying "Thank YOU" for all the things in my life, whether a trial or a triumph. I might be broken, beat and scarred, but I die hard...*

Shalom,
TL


* slight borrination of Hetfield lyrics there, so, that last sentence is appropriated to Jaymz Hetfield.






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