{snow on snow}

As the snow falls gently outside my window, covering up the tracks that I made last night walking across the lawn, one of my favourite Christmas carols plays:

In the Bleak Midwinter

In the bleak midwinter, frosty wind made moan,

Earth stood hard as iron, water like a stone;

Snow had fallen, snow on snow, snow on snow,

In the bleak midwinter, long ago.

Our God, heaven cannot hold Him, nor earth sustain;

Heaven and earth shall flee away when He comes to reign.

In the bleak midwinter a stable place sufficed

The Lord God Almighty, Jesus Christ.

Enough for Him, Whom cherubim, worship night and day,

Breastful of milk, and a mangerful of hay;

Enough for Him, Whom angels fall before,

The ox and ass and camel which adore.

Angels and archangels may have gathered there,

Cherubim and seraphim thronged the air;

But His mother only, in her maiden bliss,

Worshipped the beloved with a kiss.

What can I give Him, poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd, I would bring a lamb;

If I were a Wise Man, I would do my part;

Yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.



The carol was written by Christina Rossetti, so it is not Medieval or Renaissance in origin, like many carols, but it contains some of the most beautiful and touching lyrics and is set to a wonderful and melodic tune by Gustav Holst. You can listen to the song sung by the choir of King's College, Cambridge here.



{the snowy view from my window}



Yesterday I went with my friends, Stephanie, Jason, and Lissy for brunch in a funky diner in Hornell, Billy Schu's Food Bar. We then went to a local farmer's market, where Stephanie & Jason picked out a Christmas tree.



{Christmas trees for sale!}



There were tons of  beautiful wreaths for sale as well...and the snow came falling down, making it seem so Christmassy!

{Isn't this wreath beautiful?}