Welcome to Life Images by Jill

Welcome to Life Images by Jill.........Stepping into the light and bringing together the images and stories of our world. I am a photographer, writer and multi-media artist.
Focussing mainly on Western Australia and Australia, I am seeking to preserve images and memories of the beautiful world in which we live and the people in it.

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Sunday 23 December 2012

Christmas wishes from Australia

 Christmas is nearly here and time for Christmas baking. In Australia, those of us who are descendants of English ancestors still cling to the Christmas traditions of roast dinner and plum pudding with all the trimmings, despite Christmas day often being in the high 30 degrees C! Not an ounce of snow in sight! The weather man is predicting the high 30sC all week! I remember as a child my mum cooking Christmas dinner in a wood stove in those sort of conditions. One of these days I hope to experience a white Christmas!

I have struggled a little gathering the Christmas spirit this year, as I think about my mother who will be missing from the table for the first time this year and my mother-in-law who is retreating into her past life.
But we must keep the traditions and joy of Christmas, so finally I have done a bit of Christmas baking. Strained Glass Christmas cake, little puddings and fruit mince pies. Please serve the fruit mince pies with brandy cream - home made of course!


 And making the Coffee Log Roll for my husbands birthday last week - his favourite desert - there is brandy in this cream too!


 As Christmas approaches and I think back over the joys and sorrows of the past year, I come to Christmas with a mixture of emotions. We had joy and happiness for the wedding of our youngest nephew and as we await the birth of our eldest nephew's first child - my sister and brother-in-law's first grandchild. Congratulations too for my brother-in-law's 60th birthday, and his father's 90th birthday.
Happiness for time spent with grandchildren, children, family and friends, and renewing friendships with some of my husband's cousins who he hadn't seen for years. Good health, for the most part, and travels to places new to us in our magnificent country.  We have much to be grateful for.

But great sorrow and grief for the passing of my mother in July. Admiration, respect and love for my father. Grateful too for the love, support and importance of family and close friends. Thankful for time spent with my sister.  And love for my daughter-in-law who lost her mother in 2008 - far too young. I know she misses her, especially at Christmas. Regret that one of our grandchildren just remembers her, and the other youngest never met her - how much they all have missed.
Sadness that my mother-in-law is now entering another world where her memories of us will fade as she retreats into her earlier life. 
Sorrow too for those around the world that have been affected by death, hardship and wars.

A couple of weeks ago I went with my Dad and husband to a memorial service for those who have lost loved ones over the past year. It was a beautiful service. They had a huge Christmas tree at the back of the church decorated with beautiful glass Christmas baubles made Melting Pot Glass Studio in Margaret River, Western Australia. All those attending were able to take one home in memory of their loved one.


A reminder to treasure every day, for everyday is a gift - that is why it is called the "present".


Every new morning is a new open page along the pathway of life.


I wish you joy and happiness and love at Christmas - hug the ones you love, treasure every minute, and make the most of every day.

What are your family Christmas traditions? Are you missing someone from your table this year?

Thank you dear blogger friends for dropping by, sharing, encouraging and commenting. I value your presence and look forward to hearing from you. 

Below I share with you a few words from Norman Vincent Peale -

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, 
everything is softer and more beautiful.

I am linking up today with Mosaic Monday - please click on the link to see the work of Mary and other wonderful photographers across the world - Mosaic Monday

Click on the link to go to Melting Pot Studio at Margaret River - Melting Pot Glass

You might also like - please click on the links to go to -

Wishing you all a happy Christmas

The trees are blooming for Christmas

I wish you enough

13 comments:

  1. Beautiful words and a lovely post, Jill! Merry Christmas to you and your family!

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  2. Hi Jill, if you want a white Christmas you can come to Canada. Here in Edmonton, Canada it is -21C. We just had a foot of snow overnight, nice and fluffy snow. You may not like the cold that we have here if you are not used to it. Have a wonderful Christmas Jill, and in your case stay cool from all that cooking. ;-)

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  3. What a beautiful post and it has been a year of happiness with some sadness mixed in for us, too. What a special service for those that were lost and to take a memento home with you is a wonderful idea. Have a blessed holiday. We keep the day in a simple way. Sweet hugs!

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  4. Lovely, lovely post, Jill. Yes, we are missing some this Christmas. We see more and more changes the older we grow. This getting older is definitely not for wimps, but I do feel as you do with that quote above...every step toward heaven is heaven. I'm so glad that we have Christmas and know that He came to be Emmanuel...God with us. With us. It doesn't get any better than that. What a beautiful ornament to remember your beloved mother by. I know that you have a heart full of happy memories of her. Merry Christmas, Jill!

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  5. Ah, Jill, you've touched a chord here. All the wonderful jumble of feelings that make up our memories of Christmas. We miss our son and his family this year - it's just too far for them to come with my DIL expecting twins - a 6 hour flight, and they live another two hours from the airport. We will celebrate, though, and think of them as we eat a Danish meal of Christmas Eve and a traditional roast turkey on the 25th. Merry Christmas!

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  6. Such a lovely post and counting your blessings. Have a wonderful Christmas . Valerie

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  7. Di on the Wallaby24 December 2012 at 14:22

    Oh that is indeed festive. Mince pies. Yum
    Happy Christmas Jill. Sometimes it can be a hard day as we look around and see who's missing.

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  8. Beautiful post and words, Jill.
    Wishing you success , happiness and lots of love and laughter in 2013.

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  9. What wonderful memories we hold in our hearts of loved ones who have passed and now sit at our Christmas gatherings in spirit!You are making the best of of your Christmas traditions with all that you bake and I must say it looks yummy!
    I wish you peace, comfort, and Joy in your heart for the blessings of having family and friends surround you this festive season!

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  10. Merry Christmas morning to you Jill. I think your memories reflect those of many of us as well. Bless you and your family as you work through the life changes that come...oh to hold tight and cherish every single day! Your baked goodies look scrumptious...I did no baking this year, other than pumpkin pies;'(... What a beautiful tribute and gift to those at the memorial service for those whom lost loved ones this past year. That blown glass adornment is gorgeous. Happy New Year Jill~

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  11. Christmas truly is a time of year that brings a plethora of emotions. It seems this year there has been a lot more sadness in general. I hope you and your family had a beautiful Christmas despite the empty chair. Blessings.

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  12. Hi Jill,
    Belated wishes for Christmas, but early ones for the coming year. I wish you and yours happiness, health and hundreds of wonderful photos shoots (time permitting!). Lovely words, so wise and ones to take to heart and mull over. Your dad is 90! Wow. Mine is 83, my mum has just turned 82 today! It's a treasure to have them still given her ill health since before even I was born. Christmas a time to remember those lost and grasp the days given us. Thanks for your support for my blog and here's to hoping you have more time for yours. Just love those mini Xmas puds. I can't imagine baking in heat in Australia; that said, we don't have cold Xmases here in Malta either!

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