In the garden

When the sun comes out, even briefly, it's hard not to want to be in the garden. It looks so inviting seen through the landing window.

We wake most mornings to a hard frost that has whitened the ground, but once the sun is up it soon clears away. I enjoy this crisp, cold weather so much more than dank and dark. Once well wrapped up I've been outside to do a bit of tidying up in the veg beds. The soil isn't really fit to be worked on and my boots are quickly clogged, but the exercise and the sight of freshly turned soil pleases me. (Although I do get into trouble for spreading mud on the paths!)

The netting arrangement to keep the pigeons away from the brassica is not a very pretty sight - but it works!

It's cheering to see the daffodils pushing through the earth around the fruit trees.

The greenhouse is absolutely crammed with plants. They will have to wait in there for a good few weeks yet.

Photos yesterday from my neighbour in Yorkshire. She was waiting for the gritting lorry to arrive!

I would like to be there - I think it looks beautiful.

Friday Skywatch

A poor apology for sunshine appeared for a brief while this afternoon and tempted me out of doors. It's a still, damp day with remnants of the morning mist.

My bones ache in weather like this.

Even so, it's good to be out.

Half past three and already the sun is sinking.

It's a rather monochrome world in Blighty at this time of year.

The leafless trees leave plenty of sky visible for Friday Skywatch.

They have felled a number of the mature trees around the lake and it opens the space up quite a bit. But when I  look at the cut trunks and see the rotten core I understand why it was necessary.

Getting back to normal

Feasting is wonderful, but only for a short while, a time that's special, and then it's good to get back to normal behaviour. (I can boldly state that now that I've devoured every bit of chocolate that was in the house!) The Christmas turkey served us well, it lasted through several meals and a good amount of the remaining breast meat is stored in the freezer. The bones made plenty of stock for vegetable soup.

We are harvesting a good range of vegetables from the garden, sprouts, parsnip, swede and turnip, spinach, leeks and cavolo nero.

I would like to be outside sorting things out, the garden is unkempt, it's rain- soaked and windblown and not an inviting place to be. Cold weather is promised so I'm contenting myself with hunting out the fleece to throw over the citrus in the greenhouse. They are already coated in dispiriting black mould which I've had no success in removing.

I've taken down the Christmas decorations and the house looks strangely bare. The nativity set is packed away and the usual windowsill objects put back in place.

I've bought some shop roses to cheer the place up.

£2 worth of pleasure!

I'll just have to hunker down for a while. These winter months are not a good time for me.

But, on a more cheerful note, the tips of daffodil shoots are already appearing under the apple trees.

Happy New Year

We brought in the New Year with friends, having supper at home then out for dancing and a piper at midnight. Guess who charged her camera ready for the evening ahead, took the camera to the event but left the battery at home still in the charger?!!! The weather wasn't great, with gusts of wind and rain so we left our fireworks in the box when we came back to the house and instead sat by the fire and talked. Our friends stayed overnight and in the morning we intended to have a good walk but shelved that idea when the rain hammered down. Instead we had the most leisurely day with a trip to the Ring 'o Bells pub for a tasty lunch.

This evening we belatedly lit one or two  of the fireworks but the wind was so fierce that sparks flew all over the place.

The company of good friends is surely the best possible way to start the year.

 Our New Year companions have since sent these photos.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

and every good wish

 for 2018.

Christmased

Christmas Day was delightfully chaotic. It's nearly forty years since we celebrated with a baby in the house. What an excuse for present giving.

There was wrapping paper everywhere. (The malteser boys did a quality check.)

Wrapping paper is exciting!

But he's not too sure about the paper hat.

This Christmas business is tiring.

For some!

On Boxing Day lots of friends came to lunch.

It was lovely to be all together with friends and family.

But today we are pooped!