St. Francis always seems to have a basketfull of something to share. Texas Corners, Michigan. 20 December 2009.

The early morning sun on the snow revealed someone's home. Who do you suppose lives in there? Texas Corners, Michigan. 20 December 2009.

One of the butterfly bushes after the eve of Advent IV snowfall. Texas Corners, Michigan. 20 December 2009.

We were blessed with a dusting (3 - 4") of snow on the eve of Advent IV, and the garden at church was beautiful in the early morning light. Texas Corners, Michigan. 20 December 2009.

Another photo from the ones I took 10 days ago of the Advent nosegay. These flowers would surely have died in the blizzard we had this past week! Kalamazoo, Michigan. 3 December 2009.

An Advent nosegay. For some reason this petite vaseful of small flowers has survived freezing temper-
atures, the little bit of snow that we've had and a host of other assaults (including the four-legged kind, pictured in yesterday's post). What tenacity! And what lovely shades of purple! They seemed destined to die in this last snowfall, so I (rather selfishly, perhaps) picked them. They are sitting on the dining room table, in the midst of the Advent wreath. A reminder of the tenacity that is to come! Kalamazoo, Michigan. 4 December 2009.

It's not unusual to have dear visiting at breakfast and dinner, but lunch, too? I guess they could be in the backyard at other times and I just don't stop long enough to notice...? Kalamazoo, Michigan. 4 December 2009.