Happy Christmas.

I listened to the news this morning, while chopping veg for lunch and for the feasting to come Christmas is a lovely holiday period when the family can be all together, relaxing, laughing and joking and eating tasty food. The news was about Britain's need to be ready for war. I thought what foolish creatures we humans are. We have such incredible capabilities and yet can sink to such idiotic behaviour. Who wins in a war? Nobody. If that energy were put to good use, what a joyous place our small planet could be. I don't use my blog for political or private concerns, I use it to celebrate the pleasant things in my life but the talk of preparing to be on a war footing I found deeply disturbing. How has our world come to this? We put the Christmas tree from the garden into the conservatory so that we didn't have to drag wet branches into the house. Now we've brought it into the house and the lights are in place but the ornaments will be hung when the family arrive.

I wish for us all, dear blogging friends, a very Happy Christmas and a kinder and more peaceful year to come. Last week I went with the family for a wander round the Christmas market in town. The seasonal ice rink looked cold but tempting seen through the trees. I'm now at an age where there are things I'd love to do but know would be foolish to attempt, and, since my skating ability is laughable and my bones none too clever, skating is out! Instead we ate hot, sugared turros, with a side dip of Nutella, as we wandered about. Delicious!

We've had very heavy rain and wind. It brought down a lot of brash from the trees and I went into the garden to collect things to make Christmas wreaths for the outer doors.It is easy just to wrap the falllen silver birch tree pieces around each other to make a pliable, and rather wobbly wreath.

It is very light and just hangs from the little fox head door knocker.

The wreaths have a bit of overhead cover and are holding up well to the weather so far.

What happened in November?

For me November involves a great deal of leaf clearing. I sweep all year but in November it is serious stuff, and, because of high rainfall this autumn, it is soggy, clingy stuff. It is a task that I enjoy, however and with two large compost bays full I look forward with pleasure to the the leaf mould that will be produced.

We can almost see the neighbours' house once the leaves have fallen.

Not too much more to clear now.

If we get a day of good weather we take a walk by the beach, with the pleasure of having it almost to ourselves.

A rainbow appeared at Hengistbury Head, but the grey sky told us that we'd better head for home!

A sociable weekend.

Last weekend we visited various friends who live further along the south coast. On Saturday we had a good catch-up and a tasty tea with friends who live in Lyme Regis in a wonderful former sea captain's house. We had a short walk on the cob, the harbour wall featured in Jane Austen's novel, "Persuasion" and in the film, 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' which is based on John Fowles' book of the same name.

We drove on to spend the night in Sidmouth, staying at the rather tired but very friendly and quirky Royal Glen Hotel. A plaque on our bedroom wall informed us that we were in the room where Victoria had slept as a vwey small child before becoming queen. (Sidmouth is swamped with plaques as this post will demonstrate!

We ate a very hearty breakfast on Sunday morning, so, in spite of doubtful weather we set off to walk beneath the cliffs towards C0nnaught Gardens. We dodged the waves but did catch a bit of sea spray. One or two people were soaked!

The blue plaques around the town have information that brings the past alive.

A bit of bad behaviour put on record!

We met up with the book group back along the coast in Seaton at a member's home for lunch. Jane Austen's 'Mansefield Park' was up for discussion which seemed very apt after visits to Lyme and Sidmouth!

Autumn colour

Every day the colours intensify and more leaves fall. Even in dull, damp weather I enjoy this time of year. If we are not taking a 'proper' walk we take a short half hour walk around the block. We kick through the fallen leaves of varying colours, sometimes red, sometimes yellow.

It is great weather for mushrooms and toadstools. This one was growing in the damp leaves in the kerb. I looked in my nature book without success to see if I could find out what it was. (a friend has just got in touch to tell me that it is a shaggy ink cap, sometimes known as a 'lawyer's wig.' She says they are supposed to be edble and tasty when young but I'm not going to try!)

These ones are in the garden and feasting on an old tree stump.

An occasional glimpse of sunshine is much appreciated!

And I'm still enjoying my beautiful bouquet!