About this Blog: Bread making recipes, knit and crochet projects, wood working, gardening, digital imaging, travel, cruise ships, Labrador Retrievers, and more....

About the Header Image: Idlebrook Wendy Darling Evensen "Wendy" one of our three Labrador Retrievers.

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Sunday, December 26, 2010

More Freedom of the Seas Christmas Decorations

 Good morning,

Here are a few more images of Christmas decorations on board Freedom of the Seas.  The tree above is outside of one of the dining rooms.
 Leading up to Christmas, every time I went for a stroll around the ship I found something new had been added.
 These are pictures of a Christmas village I found on Deck 3, outside one of the dining rooms.
 I attempted to take a little video of this, but after three times of people walking in front of my camera, I resorted to a collection of still shots.  ;)
 It's a beautiful display that certainly took a very long time to construct.  I loved seeing the manger scene and all the detail of the village.  The train was very nice, too, although not running while I was there.
Back in our suite, I added more to our tree.  I used that table runner (pattern here) I made when we came on board to cover the base of our small (Charlie Brown?) tree.
I believe I have already posted a picture of the tree with the little blue baskets (pattern for larger version here) filled with candies wrapped in gold paper.  Another tree addition are the little Santa hats (pattern here).  I went ashore a few days ago and bought two packages of candy canes.  :)
And, after taking the picture of the tree, I have added a blond Barbie doll dressed in a long gold dress (lower left corner of this image - I crocheted the dress, of course!) as our Christmas angel.  ;)

I made the springy doll (pattern here) dressed in blue in the above picture to give as a gift. 

So our little tree of hand made decorations is complete.

I hope your Christmas was Merry and that you are still enjoying the season!

Very best,
Lois
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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas, Everyone,

I hope your day is as joyous and peaceful as is ours here aboard Freedom of the Seas.
Christmas hugs,

Lois

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Friday, December 24, 2010

We Are Ready

Good morning,

We are ready for Christmas here on board Freedom of the Seas.

Our "home" is beautifully decorated.  The halls are decked...
...our tree is beautifully trimmed...
...and we have finished our last minute shopping.

We have a wonderful dinner planned and have clergy on board to lead us in celebrating the arrival of the Christ Child.

We are ready to share the peace and joy of Christmas here aboard Freedom of the Seas.

Tomorrow will be a sea say and we will concentrate on our family, friends, and the joy of being together at this beautiful time of the year.

All the best to you, wherever you are celebrating this joyous time of the year,

Lois

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Thursday, December 23, 2010

Decorating!

Good morning,

I'm still busy decorating here on board Freedom of the Seas.  I crocheted that happy Santa with adaptations to my Springy Doll (pattern here.)  

I'm also making some other decorations that I hope to finish and photograph to share here, too.  ;)
Early this morning I walked out into the hallway near our stateroom and the sky lights allowed stunning rays to light these poinsettias.  Just gorgeous!

Are you ready for Santa at your house?  ;)

Very best,
Lois

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Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Pictures From Just Before the Snow and Cold

Good morning,

I've been so busy with travel images that I haven't yet shared the few I have here today. 

That vase above sits on Hyde Park Square in Cincinnati.  The vase was part of one of the items decorated, then auctioned for charity sometime after our famous Cincinnati Flying Pigs that I featured some time ago.

While visiting the Great Smoky Mountains and Cherokee, North Carolina last month we saw that their decorated art object is a bear.  I will have to collect pictures of these pieces of art as we travel.  I've seen others in other places, but have not gotten pictures of them.  I can't believe I could have missed such important pictures!



That lovely vase at the top is across Hyde Park Square from these buildings.  We were here to pick up some American Automobile Association maps before our trip South a week or so ago.  The sky was still a beautiful blue and the weather warm until just after we left.


And, here is another image of beautiful blue skies that I took while we were still in Cincinnati.  At the time I took this one, two of our grandchildren were in the car with us.  It was pretty exciting to see the Good Year Blimp that day. "Did you get a picture of it, Grandma?"  I hope the kids enjoy seeing that blimp picture! 

So, those are a few images that help us remember that the skies were very blue recently and will be again someday after the snow and cold there right now. 

Very best,
Lois

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Monday, December 20, 2010

Motion in the Ocean - Freedom of the Seas

Good morning,

Here is a video taken on Deck 4, Promenade Deck, of Freedom of the Seas on another sea day this week.  We were moving at about 22 knots and the wind was against us. 

While watching the movie you'll hear the sound of the wind (quite loud) and there are little splatters of sea water on the lens.



I thought this would be a really cool idea to take the video, but had no idea it would take all morning and through lunch to get it to upload with my Verizon Air Card while in a US port.


Enjoy!

Lois

Check out Watery Wednesday!

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Saturday, December 18, 2010

Christmas Shopping in St. Thomas, U.S.V.I.

Good morning,

Today we are in St.Thomas, U.S.V.I.  The weather is warm, but not HOT as it is at the opposite time of the year.
We went ashore to do a little Christmas shopping.
There are Christmas decorations everywhere...
 ...sometimes strung between the palm trees.  ;)
 We had club sandwiches and Diet Pepsi at Havensight Mall.
 Then on to a little more shopping around the corner at Havensight Pharmacy.  This Santa dances.  Just darling!
 Then it was back "home" to our "mother ship."

It's not quite the same to Christmas shop in the tropics, but the Christmas spirit is surely here.  We bought My Honey a new baby camera.  We had made most of our purchases at home in Ohio before we got here and the gifts will be delivered at the appropriate times by our daughter, Catherine.

I remember my first visit here in St. Thomas many years ago.  I got the biggest kick out of the holiday decorations strung between and among the palm trees.  It's still quite pretty, especially at night.

I hope you enjoyed stopping in St. Thomas with us today.  It's quite lovely to be here at this time of the year.

Very best,

Lois

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