Flickr photo by marsheff
How I love Silver Bells--or any color bell, for that matter--especially at Christmas.
Aren't the ones in that photo pretty? That picture was taken at the very place those bells were made, at the Paccard foundry near Annecy, France. We made sure to visit the foundry during our French life for a very special reason: it's the foundry which made the bells for our church back in South Carolina!
These bells...
In this tower.
Let me tell you, they make beautiful music.
The Paccard foundry makes bells of all sizes. Here they're demonstrating the process.
Flickr photo by marsheff
And here's Sarah, standing next to the equipment for the largest of bells.
Of course we had to buy a bell to take home. Just a little one...purse sized.
I bet it'd be great for calling people to dinner, though I'll never know for sure. My boys are always lurking around the kitchen, ready to eat.
Here are some other favorite bells of mine...
This chippy blue bell,
the aluminum foil/Styrofoam cup bell Sarah made in preschool,
And these glass bells I've had for ages!
There used to be four or five bells that nested within each other, but after nine different moves across the USA and over to France and back, we're down to two!
Let's not forget about sleigh bells!
Flickr photo by pollywogfoto
It may not snow much in South Carolina, but we can always hop on board The Polar Express. It's one of my favorite books for children. You have seen the movie, haven't you? You must!
We watched it Sunday night and fell in love with it all over again.
Sam wishes they would turn the movie into a theme park. He wants to slide across the ice in a train and watch the hot chocolate waiters dance on his table.
(You know, I hope a love of table dancers does not follow him into adulthood.)
Before this post takes a bizarre turn, let's sing along with Doris Day! (Thanks, Doris!)
Here's wishing that you still can hear the bells!
(Read the Polar Express and you'll understand!)
Have a wonder-full Wednesday, y'all!
Love, Becky
Then there's the most famous bell in the area where I grew up - The Liberty Bell. But, in typical Philly Phashion, they went n' broke it. Thugs.
ReplyDeleteTis the season, however, to listen to my favorite bell song over n' over - "Hell's Bells" by AC/DC. Gets me in the mood for all the good cheer & do gooding for the holidays.
How appropriate...a post on BELLS from the BELLE of Greer! Fun...or is it Greenville? or both? What ever! ;)
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas!
Ringing your door bell to say:
ReplyDeleteWhat a great tribute to something I appreciate but have never thought about as much before today.
Shake your Christmas bells &
Ring them with joy through out the season!
Happy Wednesday Becky!
Constance
ps ding, dang, dong!
A number of years ago, all my oldest son asked for for Christmas from Santa was a sleigh bell. My father, who grew up on a farm, had recently passed away and my mother gave me an old sleigh-bell harness of his. I spent several days debating, and then I pulled a bell off the harness, figuring my father would understand the sentiment. My son, now almost 12, still keeps that bell in a box on his dresser. Some day I'll tell him about it, but for now, that bell means as much to him as it does to me.
ReplyDeleteOur church's handbell choir is practicing up to perform for us. I hope it's not this Sunday. I have been invited to the Nutcracker and we have to leave early.
ReplyDeleteTeresa
Hi Becky,
ReplyDeleteDo you hear what I hear?
I hear bells. Love the Polar Express.
Thanks for all of the great bells today.
Every time a bell rings an angel gets it's wings.
Rosemary
Girl, HOW ARE YOU!! I am so glad you found me again! I am going to follow you too!
ReplyDeleteI love bells, in fact, I collect them. I had a small collection of crystal and china bells.
I do love that particular song. And Doris.
ReplyDeleteAnd Tom Hanks. Really a lot a lot.
But Becky . . . ::hanging head in shame:: I do not like that Polar Express movie. In fact, I pretty significantly dislike it.
I know. And I was the one who didn't like cinnamon, either. Am I warped? Very probably.
P.S.--I think you should've used the word "tintinnabulation" in this post. It was, like, your one chance.
ReplyDeleteAh...bells. Carol of the Bells is one of my favorite Christmas songs.
ReplyDeleteI still hear the bells...: )I believe...I believe...
When you come to visit me in Chicago, I will take you to the Chicago Botanic Gardens where they have an outdoor carillon concert every monday in the summer!
ReplyDeleteMy dog used to ring a low-hanging bell on command with his paws. True story! But then we lost the bell.
ReplyDeleteSo now when we say, Go ring the bell! he wanders around the house looking for it. So sad!
It is a tradition in my husband’s family at holiday meals, for the youngest to ring my MIL’s crystal dinner bell. I love hearing the clear high pitched tinkle of that bell.
ReplyDeleteHugs!
Nancy
LOVE your blog! And, I do love bells too! Our family is a BIG ... HUGE fan of "The Polar Express" ... in fact, the kids received the very same bell (well ... close!) seen in the movie in their stockings last year!
ReplyDeleteWonderful! And HOw COOL is Doris Day!! Love her!
ReplyDeleteSandra Evertson
I love the song "silver bells" and silver bells, too.
ReplyDeleteDidn't you love Annecy! That is one of my favorite cities in France. So Pretty! I never went the the bell foundry. I got some great pictures of the lake though.
Hey y'all!
ReplyDeleteSusan, I love you anyway--even if you are a Polar Express and cinnamon hater! And how could I have missed tintinnabulation? Maybe because I have no idea what that is!
Kelly H-Y, welcome!
Once a friend's child got all excited when I said "I'll be there with bells on", and was disappointed when he found out I wouldn't really be covered in bells at the party. Silly boy.
ReplyDelete