Sunday, 30 November 2025

1st Advent Sunday

 

Besides my electric candles in the windows (cf yesterday's post), I also still have my adventsljusstake (Advent candle holder) with four real candles in a row - one for each Advent Sunday - sitting on the table in my living room. These days, I'm rather careful when it comes to trusting myself with real candles, and only light those when I'm going to be sitting still for a while - but on the other hand not feeling so relaxed that I might nod off...! 

I've even contemplated switching to battery candles in this one. But I think that would just look weird - at least the first three weeks, until you can have all four of them lit! 

I know that Germany also have the four candles for the Advent Sundays (but usually in a wreath formation), but I'm not sure how widely spread this tradition ever was - or is - in other countries.

 

Saturday, 29 November 2025

1st Advent Preparations

 

 

The rest of the week since Monday has been rainy, and I have not been out for any more "long" walks. But I have still been "on my feet" quite a lot just pottering about at home...

Tuesday was Laundry Day, and between my turns to the laundry room I also visited my storage space in the basement to collect my Advent decorations. Some readers who have been following this blog for years may recall that I tend to put up my Christmas decorations gradually during December. For 1st Advent, I usually start with switching my kitchen curtains and some other textiles; plus replacing various window lamps around the flat with electric candle holders and stars. This year, because of my injured knee, I decided to abstain from the curtain project, and just keep the ones that I bought back in spring - but exchange the green ribbons for red ones. I did manage to get the window stars up in the kitchen + study without climbing - just using a long grabber.

Ever since I moved to my present flat (17 years ago) I've also been used to having one electric candle holder (each with 7 lights) in each window; which means four of them. I recalled that the one in my living room stopped working some time after NewYear last winter, though. I was hoping that a whole set of new lightbulbs might fix it - but it did not. And even worse: The kitchen one now turned out to have given up as well! 

As I'm no electrician, my skills don't go beyond switching light bulbs - so both those candle holders had to go back down to the storage room, at least for now. Pity, as both those are kind of special and my favourites... 

However... This was also my week for ordering stuff from the supermarket, and they also have quite a lot of Christmas things. So I added two new ones (standard size and design, and not very expensive) to my order. A red one for the kitchen (see the photo above), and a white one of the same model for the living room (below). They arrived with my groceries on Thursday, and thankfully turned out fully functional. A bit smaller than my old ones, but I'll no doubt get used to that. 


The candle holders in my study (above) and bedroom (below) are lower and bow-shaped.

 

 The orchid on the left has decided to spring some new flower buds in time for Advent.

This small nativity scene is simple and made of plastic - but it's been with me nearly all my life! It was given to me in my early childhood by two "old ladies" (as they appeared to me back then), cousins of my maternal grandmother. They worked in a gift shop and used to give me various ornaments for Christmases and birthdays, some of which I still have. And this one has ended up in my "1st Advent box". 

Friday, 28 November 2025

Skywatch Friday - New Moon

 

New moon, Monday 24th November ~ 16:20
(Colours boosted just a little in editing)
 
 
Linking to Skywatch Friday  
 
Did it take long to find me?
I asked the faithful light
Did it take long to find me?
And are you gonna stay the night?
- Cat Stevens -
 

Monday, 24 November 2025

Halfway

 

24 Nov 2025, 14:00

"Believe you can and you're halfway there." 
— Theodore Roosevelt 

We had another sunny November day here, with temperatures hovering around 0'C - but pavements dry and looking "walkable"... I decided to believe myself able to walk at least down to the river and back the same way. But once I reached the bridge, I decided to prolong the walk by crossing that, and walking back along the path on the other side to the next bridge (behind the buildings in the background); and from there up across the old cemetery back home. Which according to my own caluclations should mean that I  managed a walk of at least 1 km. (Only an interim goal; but still worth celebrating!)

Tomorrow is laundry day again, which is likely to keep me busy enough at home. 

The afternoons are very short this time of year...    

Sunrise Today:8:12 am
Sunset  Today:3:36 pm


Sunday, 23 November 2025

November Skies

 

The weather has been "back and forth" a lot this week. From sunny and frosty to the first snow - and then back to rain and thaw. On Friday I had no idea if Saturday would bring more snow, just rain, or a mix. The answer turned out to be just rain, though. And today the snow was gone, the temperature still above freezing point, and the rain had moved on as well - even leaving glimpses of blue sky and sun.

So I decided to try a walk to/in the old cemetery again. I kept to an "inner circle" of paved paths (avoiding the "outer circle" of gravel ones which might be soggy and muddy) - but with that adjustment managed to walk "almost" round the whole place, for the first time since my knee injury. Was out for about 40 minutes. I'm probably still only walking at about half speed compared to back in summer, though - which is something I have to take into account when setting my "goals". 

The next few days likely to keep hovering around 0'C again - so "one day at time".  

 

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