Christmas Clivia

 

Christmas has come! 

On this holiday, Clivia bloomed in the house. This is so unexpected, so I decided that it is quite worthy to be the Christmas flower in my house.

The bright orange-yellow color of its eight buds seems to illuminate my desk where I am writing this post at the computer.

A Merry Christmas!

 

Wonderful singing 'O Holy night'

“Winter Time” by Robert Louis Stevenson

Late lies the wintry sun a-bed,
A frosty, fiery sleepy-head;
Blinks but an hour or two; and then,
A blood-red orange, sets again.

Before the stars have left the skies,
At morning in the dark I rise;
And shivering in my nakedness,
By the cold candle, bathe and dress.

 

Close by the jolly fire I sit
To warm my frozen bones a bit;
Or with a reindeer-sled, explore
The colder countries round the door.
   

   

Black are my steps on silver sod;

Thick blows my frosty breath abroad;
And tree and house, and hill and lake,
Are frosted like a wedding-cake.

There is one week left until Christmas. I love this warm holiday in the cold winter.

 

Poem by Robert Louis Stevenson, a Scottish novelist, poet, essayist, and travel writer.  He was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, died in 1894 aged 44, on Vailima, Samoa Islands. This rhyming poetry sounds like a classic winter tale.

 

Paintings by Nadezda

 

source 

St. John's Church, Helsinki, Finland

In October I was in Helsinki, Finland. As I was walking down the street, this monumental building caught my attention. Its high spires were painted green and harmonized beautifully with the yellowing foliage of the park around the church. I liked this beautiful church and was interested in its history, so took pictures to show you.

I found out that St. John's church is the largest stone church in Finland by seating capacity. The church was built between 1888 and 1891, the third Lutheran church in Helsinki, and still the biggest.

The church stands on a hill that for many centuries had been a place for Midsummer bonfires. The church was designed by the Swedish architect Melander in the Gothic Revival style. St John’s Church was built with a central nave and two aisles.

 

 

 

The church was last renovated before its centennial in 1991. At that time the basement of the church was redesigned as a crypt.

 

The twin towers are 74 meters in height, and the church seats 2,600 people, it has excellent acoustics, and it is therefore used for big concerts and events as well as services.

 

Next to the main entrance of the church is a statue of John the Baptist, installed in 2003. 

I hope you also liked this architectural structure.

 

Here is my video: sea foam 

 

All the best!