The words of the The Holly and The Ivy have been in my head all day, so perhaps a last glimpse of Christmas past with these spine tingling voices from King's can be my last Christmas flourish!
Sunshine and frost. A perfect day for a short walk. Today's picks - holly and the first hazel catkin. All the Christmassy things are put awy, but I still want winter table decorations and holly fits the bill.. a few red berries would have been nice but I never see any holly with berries here. We planted a female holly in Coronation Wood some years ago, but to no avail. Yet. The words of the The Holly and The Ivy have been in my head all day, so perhaps a last glimpse of Christmas past with these spine tingling voices from King's can be my last Christmas flourish!
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I was very glad I did the shopping yesterday. Assuming you don't have to go to work that day, what is your favourite way to spend a snowy day? I stoked up the fire and had breakfast by candlelight, fed the birds, took a little bare foot walk around the garden, listened to The Snow Child on Audible. I had some soup and some Christmas chhocolates and looked at my Christmas book and thought about my word for 2024... I had a thoroughly lazy and self indulgent day. It was lovely. :-) When I got off the bus, which drops me right by my house, I had my phone in my hand to use the torch (no street lights here which I rather like). There are no bus stops either, the drivers drop you where you request. I loved how the house was welcoming me so I put down my bags of shopping and took few quick shots.... It's very cold and starry and they say it may snow! food and drink appreciation love inspiration gratitude happiness
joy beauty creativity gifts Most of us can have most of these at Chrismas, but only if we have the most important thing of all - peace ..coming along? My little sustainable save-the -planet growing Christmas tree is rather bald on top and a bit sad looking! So I cut some pine branches and wired them on. I will give the tree some extra TLC during the year and see if it will grow more needles on top for next Christmas. Meanwhile it looks quite pretty. When it is dark. Have you got your decorations up? Your cards posted? Your presents wrapped? The menu planned? Mid-winter would be so dull without Christmas! For me the start of the real Christmas.. When the main lights go out (about 14minutes in) and the procession starts, the magic begins. ..I just get a bit fed up with eating sensibly. So I had a mince pie for breakfast. Now to get down to the lovely task of sending greetings and messages of love...Its a happy thing to do on a wintry day. Donald MadLeod on his brilliant programme Composer of the Week (Radio 3 mid day) points out that in Medieval times the festive season lasted from now until Candlemas on the 2nd of February. Maybe they had the right idea. Would it not be a wonderful thing to celebrate every day of winter until them? In some quiet simple way? Any ideas on how you would do that? Mince pies for breakfast might be one.. well, occasionally. ..that I once said I would put a link to the beautiful holiday apartment in York which my kind friend let me say in during the pandemic on my way back from Venice. What a strange time that was. Here is the link. The house is lovely, the location perfect and York is gorgeous at Christmas! Getting in the mood to add a little decoration with the first Christmas card.
..to yourself.
Do you buy yourself a Christmas gift? I have just bought myself a subscription to Headspace, as headspace is something I feel I need this year. Giving myself a gift each Christmas started one year when, although I had droppped many hints about what I would like, no-one had picked up on them and I did not get what I had been hoping for! A few days later it dawned on me that I could quite simply buy it for myself, without any fuss or even mentioning it to anyone. I now buy myself something I really like every Christmas. Whyever not? You've been lovely. Twelfth Night dinner -wild venison and chestnuts in red wine, followed by home made ice cream with cherries in kirsch. I am so glad I did all that cooking early in December. Once all the leftovers are eaten up it's back to plain fare.. ..a magical time this Christmas There is still magic. Yov have to be alert for it, or create it yourself! (How will you do that I wonder?)
Till next week.. ..to persuade my phone to speak to my laptop at the moment, so no photographs of the beautiful bowl with Love & Laughter and Family & Friends written on it in gold (Thank you M!), of marzipaan stuffed dates in a little french cheese box which nake a nice gift, of my small growing tree with the red berry lights...
My had is so full of so many things I want to say, but for now I will simply say sorry! ..alternatives. I found these charming headdresses at Edinburgh Christmas Market many years ago. A circlet of starry tinsel also makes a lovely party hat, and a wreath of ivy for the men and boys goes down well!
There is usually some scented wax left in a tin candle after it will no longer light, and placed on top of the woodburner or a radiator it will still give off a gentle aroma for many hours. This one is very Christmassy. (Thank you L.)
I know some people have their reasons for not sending Christmas cards, but it is a small joy I am not willing to give up. I love them - choosing them, writitng them, receiving them - little packets of love and kind wishes, updates and staying in touch even if only at this one time in the year. Tiny gifts are sometimes enclosed - seeds perhaps (thank you L!) or a sachet of a bedtime tea to a friend who is having trouble sleeping, or a few glittery stars, just for fun. Sometime just saying you are remembered, I think of you. I clear off the table, scour he house for pens which still have ink in them, find the address book and stamps and put on some Christmas music and another log on the fire. I pour a glass of wine or make a mug of hot chocolate and avoid thinking of the postal strike - they will all reach their destinations eventually I am sure! ..and music everywhere!I In the streets, shopping malls and department stores pople were singing and making music. Not to mention jumping through hoops of fire. Oh and it snowed for at least four minutes in Byers Road! ..of Christmas. Every year these people, working as they are under great pressure, find time to sing in the Glasgow Hospitals Christmas Concert to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer. They rehearse from October.
I always consider it to be the real start of Christmas. It is absolutely beautiful. Repurpose, re-use... a bit of glinty tinsel and a few lights and we have changed season. It is frosty and beautifully starry tonight and I could hear the owls when I went out to take the photograph. It's beginning to feel a little like Christmas! Love it. ..of lists! I love lists. I found myself making a list of the lists I need the other day! One for cards, one for presents, one for food shopping, one for shopping when I am in town, one for when I am in the city, one for online shopping, one for meals stocked in the freezer (sardine and lemoon terrine next)... The optician's window display made me smile. We judge each other all the time. It's what we do, and necessary for survival, but we are often expected to express an opinion when, it seems to me, we are in no position to judge and social media encourages us to be simplistic (thumbs up/thumbs down) on even complex issues. Try, just for a day suspending judgement. Just let things be. Give yourself a break from it, from turning everything into an ethical dilemma for example. Or from judging yourself, perhaps harshly, as well as others. When I tried this I was quite shocked at how many of my thoughts were very judgemental indeed! After a few hours of not judging I felt very free and relaxed, and since my private judgemental thoughts rarely if ever make any diffference in the real world it seemed like a very good idea to try it out more often. What do you think? I got the Christmas box out from under the eaves to retrieve the Advent calendar.. Fruit loaf for the freezer. Instead of sultanas I used mixed dried fruit with peel for a slightly more festive version.
I am enjoying this. Next, venison in red wine. ..for holiday season visitors. I lined three containers with double layers of cling film as I won't be serving 8 - 10 people at once. I used bought meringues, popped them intto a bag and enjoyed bashing them with a rolling pin! I nixed the neringue with the whipped cream adding strong coffee and raspberry liqueur. I plan to serve it with raspberries, pomegrante seeds and a spoonful of the liqueur. Drizzled some of the strong coffee on top, folded over the clingfilm and put on the lids. Three desserts now in the freezer. (There is a link to Sarah Raven's original recipe on Saturday's post.) With perhaps just a hint of Christmas? Too soon for baubles and twinkly lights but preparing the candles for the season.. .
Starting to think about table decorations and making lists. Might get a little early baking done and in the freezer. A long slow run up to Christmas might be the thing this year. Leisurely. Have you begun preparations yet? |
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April 2024
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