Crackers

I've pulled any number of Christmas crackers over the holiday period, worn paper hats and laughed at terrible jokes. Last week I looked round the lunch table at family and friends and reflected that everyone there had a background that was from somewhere else; first generation British Polish and British Nigerian, with Irish, Scottish, Welsh, Lithuanian and other Eastern European ancestry all happily sitting down to eat together.

Today is the start of a New Year. It is also International Peace Day. Britain is a small island, it has been refreshed and reinvigorated for generations by people of differing race and religion. I think it is absolutely crackers that race and religion continue to be used as a reason for inflicting harm on others.

Wishing you all, dear blogging friends,

 a peaceful, happy and healthy 2014.

The weather outside is frightful, as the song goes, so I've been snuggled up inside looking at the books that came as Christmas presents. I requested the Reader Digest garden book as I had borrowed it several times from the library and was always loathe to hand it back in. It is so full of useful information and recipes and is destined to become very well thumbed.

I'm a great admirer of the English writer, Elizabeth Taylor. Last year I had the paperback of her complete short stories and this year three of her novels. Today I read 'Mrs Palfrey at the Claremont' from start to finish - an absolute joy!

Himself was given a book of John Bulmer's photographic studies of Northern England. Mostly black and white, the photos are powerful and evocative images of the area where we spent our childhood and youth. They are mostly very bleak and remind me how poverty stricken the country was in those post war years. 

We have had only one day without electricity so far but candles and lanterns are at the ready as the wind continues to rattle round the house. Wherever you are, keep warm and well.

Happy Christmas

The decorations are up, 

today the sun has shone,

Baby Jesus is tucked up in his manger.

We've opened our presents,

and eaten  (too much!) tasty food.

Now we are going to slump in front of the telly.

What's not to like about Christmas!

Wishing you all a very happy time.

Out and about

We are just back home after a bit of galavanting, first to find some warmth and sunshine, in the hopes of improving my neck and back after the car crash. We chose a hotel from the internet, wanting one fronting a good beach for swimming.

The start of the week was perfect and we soaked up as much sun as we could. The beach was beautiful

but nobody had told us that it was for nudists where the only clothing of choice was a sun hat!

On the last last couple of days clouds came in and the wind blew (we were on the 'windy island') so we set off in the hire car to explore.

Narrow roads and an inhospitable terrain. And the wind really made itself felt!

Our destination was  Betancuria, the former capital of the island.

We found it to be a very pretty, sleepy, small village, nestled in a hollow of the hills. After the arid landscape of our journey it seemed an oasis.

The restaurant had a beautiful courtyard garden

and some tasty-looking hams hanging to cure over the bar!

There were pretty corners to discover,

and display boards that featured statements from residents of the community.

It wasn't especially warm and I was back to being fully clothed!

But it was a good holiday.

 (Hello to Peter and Linda if you're reading this!)

We came home for an overnight stop to change our bags before heading to Yorkshire and my schoolfriend's birthday party. We've been friends for well over half a century!

Now the galavanting is over and we are at home getting ready for the festivities to come.

I wish you all 

A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS.

Poem

End of August and the bonfire smoke

climbs up the apple tree,

obscures the leaves and fruit

and double-masks the cloud-veiled, rounded moon.

Into the silence a dull apple thud,

and screech owl, calling, far away.

Twigs crackle

while the witch leans on her stick and smiles into the dusk.

The moon, amazed,

stares at the sudden bonfire blaze

as cloud and smoke are gone.

Pyromaniac

We've had a huge mountain of debris awaiting a bonfire for months but such unsuitable weather for even thinking of putting a match to the pile. But, after a spell of cold, dry days, we got to work and a day and a night later we were down to this small amount of smoky rubbish.

A successful bonfire, oh, joy! (A day later and it's still burning.)