Monday, December 20, 2010

Solstice

I'd like to wish all of my family, friends and followers a happy solstice!

This lovely time of year is a time of renewal, joy, promise of blessings to come, family gatherings, forgiveness and fun! Whatever your beliefs, I wish you well, and hope that the coming year is everything you desire!

As a small gift to you I'm going to tell the story of this beautiful church window, as best as I can remember it.

In about the year 1915 a church in Australia ordered a set of stained glass windows from a maker in Germany. The windows were duly made and put on board ship for the trip to their new church. In the meantime War was happening in Europe. There was a high feeling of anti-German sentiment throughout the British Commonwealth, and the dock workers in Sydney refused to handle the order from Germany.

The windows therefore had to remain on the ship, and it continued on its journey. The next port of call was Dunedin in New Zealand. The windows were eventually installed in a tiny but beautiful church in a village north of Dunedin.

This little church is not on any tourist routes, and is tucked away quietly in its green and lovely churchyard. It is a joy to visit, and it must be a source of great solace for those who worship there.

The windows, the rich dark wood of the interior and above all the sense of peace are beyond beautiful. I didn't want to leave.

The windows themselves are of the highest quality with regard to design, colour and skill of making. They are very much of the Arts and Crafts Era.
The colours are superb!

Here are some more photos - my pics aren't the best quality...
And now I am waiting to see if the full moon eclipse here in New Zealand tonight is going to be visible. It's cloudy, so I'm hoping it clears . . .

Love to you all from Glenda

13 comments:

  1. Thank you for the wishes and of course the same to you!:)
    Beautiful windows! They probably were meant to be in New Zealand. ;)
    Hope you will have a good view on the eclipse.:)

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  2. Lovely photos Glenda, how fortunate for New Zealand that the windows ended up near Dunedin, they are really beautiful.
    I will watch out for the eclipse too!

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  3. Thanks for the wishes - wishing you the same in return! I think Ewa's right, these beautiful windows found their real destination in New Zealand.

    Greetings
    Birgit

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  4. Thank you for the wishes Glenda and I wish the same to you.
    I'm so happy with the presents from your giveaway...

    gr.Heleni

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  5. oh those windows- sooo beautiful! I imagine they take your breath away in person. Happy Solstice to you also Glenda ♥

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  6. Beautiful Pictures Glenda. Thank you for sharing them. Hope you managed to see the Eclipse. x

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  7. They're gorgeous Glenda - I didn't know this story at all - where are they exactly??? Email me if you don't want to publish it here - who knows what random freaks stumble across our blogs from time to time including those who love to trash treasures like this just for the 'fun' of it.

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  8. Norma - have e-mailed you. If anyone else would like more information on this church, e-mail me :)
    Glenda

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  9. Love to you, Glenda and such a sweet story for a wintry morning. Yes, it's cold here in tropical Singapore as well.

    And if I don't see you before the weekend, Merry Christmas , my dear !

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  10. Que preciosas imagenes, son fantasticas esas crsitaleras.
    Feliz Navidad!!!
    besitos ascension

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  11. Beautiful pictures Glenda!

    Merry Christmas
    Victoria ♥

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  12. Merry Christmas dear Glenda for you and your family.
    I wish you a new year full of health and good times.
    In Spain we do not celebrate too much Santa Claus (although globalization is so strong in kids) but tomorrow we have Christmas lunch with all the family and on Sunday because we celebrate too the 26th. I will wait for the 6th January when the 3 wise men will leave us some presents (The Spanish Tradition):)

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  13. Merry Christmas Glenda, I hope you got to see the moon eclipse! Wonderful and amazing story of how the beautiful windows ended up in Dunedin :-)

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