Deck the halls.....

I've been out in the garden and woods to collect evergreens and berries to decorate the house. The birds have beaten me to the holly berries. Prior to the frost and snow the trees were laden,  but not any more - all eaten! There are still these small red berries left in the garden, but the blackbirds are doing their best to eat all of those as well.

The weather is cold, dank and dull but at least I can get a fork into the ground and dig up some winter vegetables. We are promised a return to arctic conditions by the end of the week, so I'm not complaining (much).

In the sitting room I have put pine cone branches along the top of the mantelpiece around four advent candles. It's quick and easy to do, the cones are frosted with resin, which is sticky, but they look and smell good.

There are small vases of berries, holly and ivy about the house, but I've still to make a kissing ball of mistletoe to hang over the kitchen door.

Maisie has taken up almost permanent residence in front of the Aga. She's a bit in the way when I'm trying to cook and she will do her best to stay by the warmth until winter is over.

Happy Christmas from Maisie and friend.

Janet, of The Gardeners Cottage,  did a posting of the very beautiful library in her town of Redlands, California. I thought that she might like to see mine! It stops right outside my gate and I can imagine staggering happily down my path in extreme old age with a pile of books . Or, I could imagine, but now it seems that the mobile library scheme is under threat and may not be in existence when I will really need it. It's a fantastic service, I shall miss it if it goes.