Epiphany - the day the three wise men came to visit the Holy family and little Lord Jesus , bringing gifts of gold , frankincense and myrrh .
The service was just beautiful this morning ....
The scene of the Nativity is changed to include the three Wise Men and the straw is taken away , as Father explained that the Holy family are by this time living in a house , so the Bible tells us .
There certainly was a beautiful atmosphere in our little church heightened by the sweet perfume of Frankincense .
Father Paul introduced us to an old custom , that of " The Marking of Houses with Chalk Blessed on the Feast of the Epiphany ".
The bowl of chalks were Blessed on the Altar and everyone was invited to take a piece , at the end of the service , with which to mark above the doors of our homes .
This in turn would bless everyone on their way in and out .
20 + K + M + B + 20
The numbers representing the year 2020 . The letters are the first letters of each of the three wise men . Kaspar Melchior and Balthasar . In between are four crosses and a short prayer asking for protection and grace for all who dwell here is said .
I think this is such a beautiful custom .
..........and my first visitor is my Blackbird Birdie-girl !
The weather is still quite mild and we cracked on with some gardening jobs .
Painting sheds and gates .
Lopping and pruning and pulling out brambles and big clumps of tough grasses .
I like to see the new red shoots and leaves on the Photinia "Red Robin "bushes and prune them back quite hard .
It didn't look like I'd done very much , but that wheelbarrow was full !
Groan !
Little Robin singing heartily up in a nearby tree .
No rain today ,but the grass is still too wet to pull the lawnmower over . Maybe I,ll do that tomorrow if it stays dry .
Took a look in the greenhouse on the way back . All looking well .
Marlothistella is beginning to open it's buds , very slowly .
......and the Epiphyllum bud hasn't dropped off yet ! In fact it is getting bigger !
Came in to have some of my husband's delicious home made Squash soup .
Always good when you,ve worked hard for it !
This was really good !
After this we took down the Christmas decorations .... sigh ...... tomorrow I must get some flowers to cheer the place up again !
Oh ! Then our lovely Sunday drifted into evening and as the sun set we suddenly remembered that we hadn't Wassailed our Apple Trees !
So on with our wellies and back out into the garden , with torch , a hastily scribbled song sheet and a can of cider .
We sang our wassail and made a din to scare away all evil spirits and gave a goodly drink to our precious Apple Trees in order to be sure of a bountiful harvest this year .
Oh ! Here we come a wassailing
Among the leaves so green .
Here we come a wandering so fair to be seen.
Love and joy come to you
and to you your wassail too
And God Bless you , and
send you a Happy New Year
And God send you a Happy New Year !
Cutting back brambles is not for the faint hearted.
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