WIP Wed-Found (unearthed & unfinished) item

In keeping with my rather child-like mania for beginning things and, not only not finishing them but burying them a couple of layers deep, this is a piece that I got a couple of years ago. It really only need a couple of stitches and a binding so I have moved it to the top of the heap. It matches the color of my living room wall so after Christmas, it will look nice finally finished.

The Christmas tree came yesterday. Very heavy box. Not sure how this is going to turn out but I'll keep you posted. It must be fairly sturdy since it took 2 of us to lift and carry it in the house. I think the thing I'll miss is the smell of a live tree. I do enjoy that but this will make life easier(hope springs eternal)

I noticed that a few people mentioned that it is Advent and shown lovely decorations. Several strong memories from childhood have stayed with me through the years. One of them is when Oma used to make the Advent wreath and the house was filled with decorated evergreen boughs. We had several very large evergreens in the yard and so the cutting could be taken when she wanted them and they remained very fresh and fragrant. The Advent wreath had 4 red candles and one white Christ candle in the center. I noticed later on that many, if not all, of the wreaths I saw had purple candles and a white Christ candle in the center. I guess Oma just had her way of doing things because I never saw a purple candle in any decoration she ever made. Not sure but maybe it's a German thing.

She also made great Stollen (a type of fruit cake more like bread)and once you've had fresh-made Stollen, the memory remains with you as well. I saw Martha Stewart make one that was from her Mom's recipe a few years ago. It really seemed like the same thing. One day I may have to look up the recipe and try it. The experience of going to a German Restaurant is lost on me because Oma made all the food in our house. She would marinate the Sauerbraten herself and make my favorite dumpling with it. They were made with farina and called greiskloppfen(sp) They were so good and I have never had any since that time and can still call up the memory of those flavors. She made a warm cabbage salad with bacon dressing that I would give anything to taste again. Memories of food and flavors are so strong. I'm not sure if that's a gift or a curse. It makes me wish so much that I had paid attention but I was only a young girl then. Other things were more important. It remains a nice memory and aren't memories the best part of this time of year. They really are for me since it was one of the few times a year that people in my family behaved themselves like human beings. It was short-lived but nice.

I must go wrestle with the tree and try to get to Curves earlier than yesterday. It seems like the days are flying faster than usual.

Hope your day is peaceful. I'll be back with a meme later or tomorrow