Wishing good health to your mum, Jo. My own mom's good health after a rough end to November and start to December was our best Christmas gift this year. She is doing great now, and I wish the same for yours.
We haven’t had the Christmas ick here - I used to get it so badly as a child and insist it all came down before new years but now I stretch it out to twelfth night! My three things have to start with my favourite winter hobby which I have called Window Walking - wandering or jogging around in the inky darkness of dawn or dusk, trying not to be nosy but loving the glimpsed frames of peoples lives through their windows - twinkling lights still up, a row of lit candles, someone with the the tv on, someone clearing the dining table. Second, pink and white Arrowwood suddenly populating people’s front gardens - it’s almost overpowering spring scent being released by the pelting rain. Thirdly, an icy new years day swim at Clevedon marine lake, followed by chattering teeth and hot chocolate in the car.
I also love those peeks into other people's domesticity. Especially here in Edinburgh, there are so many big stone tenement buildings with bay windows = multiple storeys of multiple stories!
I'm with you, Ella! We are each year very much in love with Christmas here but we do take a very slow approach and don't really start decorating until just before Christmas and celebrate clear through Epiphany... and even after that, while we do remove most of the decorations, we do keep the greenery up until Candlemas Eve, following Robert Herrick's old advice. By then, we find ourselves ready to begin to welcome spring.
Sitting inside at the breakfast table and watching the snow fall. Also, the annual review of last year's goals and intentions while I ponder this year's.
Bringing back our adopted christmas tree in the pouring rain, but leaving some star-shaped fairly lights in the living room for some bright winter twinkle.
walking on squelchy, muddy, waterlogged ground; getting thoroughly covered in mud; not thinking about whether I need my gaiters or not.
Noticing that my collage; this year made around winter solstice contains nearly everything about me and nature - big skies, trees, hills and mountains, water and me walking in it, sitting, watching, immersing
My garlic’s poking through I notice and the seagulls were back on the roof this week. I hate taking the Christmas lights down as it’s so dark still, but I did notice the teeniest stretching of the day.
Rain, mud and flooding! These are my 3 things for this week. I'm so wishing for it to dry up so I can get started in the veg garden to get it ready for the new growing season.
My three “this week” things. (I seem to remember rightly or wrongly that when you first started this it was three things we had noticed);
Snowdrops❄️. I spotted 2 with their delicate bowed heads on New Year’s Eve, there are now more pushing through each day. I am always amazed when my bulbs flower where I planted them, as I have mentioned before I have quite a few squirrels in my garden, one who in particular has been spotted rearranging my carefully planted bulbs.
Watching the wildlife in my garden enjoying the extra Christmas treats I put out. Extra suet coconut halves for the starlings (although they have become rather particular about which ones I put up). Nuts 🥜 for the squirrels, the hazelnuts and walnuts didn’t last long.
Working between Christmas and New Year I took time to remember in the memory garden. Arriving in the dark and taking a few minutes before going inside, it is so peaceful and grounding for what is a very emotive job. ❄️
I had a good long New Year walk between rain storms this week - lots of jackdaws, squirrels and starlings in amongst the bare trees. No snowdrop shoots spotted yet but won’t be long I think. And my notebook is out, making plans for what is being planted this year, which always makes me happy post Christmas come down.
It really is the time for garden planning. I have a big book that goes back years, so there’s at least a chance I won’t make the same mistakes again...
New Years Eve I decided to go searching for my sentinel garden snowdrop which always catches me out by flowering before I've remembered her. And there she was, not only showing green leaves but spears of white too! Already!
Soggy, soggy soggy everywhere, there is a spot in the garden where the wet pools on a paving stone which tells me that the ground is completely sodden. It's been like it all week.
and the path by the brook is also showing signs of excess rain. In one place it has washed away under the railing, a potential mini landslide into the brook a metre below?
Enjoying new woolly socks during walks snatched between rain and gales. A whirlwind of family visitors and visits. Enjoying the last of the twelve days before the decorations come down at the weekend.
Taking in the rolling countryside again on my commute. Listening to the different downpours. Enjoying the last few days of switching on the little fairy lights dotted around the house. Trying to count the different bird songs I hear when I rise and pop my head out the back door. Rounded off with a pink sunrise this morning.
Being relieved that my dear 90 year old mum is recovering from pneumonia and is out of hospital. We hope and praying her recovery continues swiftly.
Wishing good health to your mum, Jo. My own mom's good health after a rough end to November and start to December was our best Christmas gift this year. She is doing great now, and I wish the same for yours.
John
Oh very good news x
The purple red hue of the birch, hazel catkins and the drumming of the woodpecker.
We haven’t had the Christmas ick here - I used to get it so badly as a child and insist it all came down before new years but now I stretch it out to twelfth night! My three things have to start with my favourite winter hobby which I have called Window Walking - wandering or jogging around in the inky darkness of dawn or dusk, trying not to be nosy but loving the glimpsed frames of peoples lives through their windows - twinkling lights still up, a row of lit candles, someone with the the tv on, someone clearing the dining table. Second, pink and white Arrowwood suddenly populating people’s front gardens - it’s almost overpowering spring scent being released by the pelting rain. Thirdly, an icy new years day swim at Clevedon marine lake, followed by chattering teeth and hot chocolate in the car.
I also love those peeks into other people's domesticity. Especially here in Edinburgh, there are so many big stone tenement buildings with bay windows = multiple storeys of multiple stories!
I'm with you, Ella! We are each year very much in love with Christmas here but we do take a very slow approach and don't really start decorating until just before Christmas and celebrate clear through Epiphany... and even after that, while we do remove most of the decorations, we do keep the greenery up until Candlemas Eve, following Robert Herrick's old advice. By then, we find ourselves ready to begin to welcome spring.
That’s wonderful! I dream of the world embracing cosy Christmas vibes until Candlemas the way it was in the olden days
My husband has really taken to the idea of Candlemas this year. I think we need to embrace it for next year
I love this idea ✨🤍
Oh my goodness and how could I forget!! Marmalade making
Sitting inside at the breakfast table and watching the snow fall. Also, the annual review of last year's goals and intentions while I ponder this year's.
Ooooh, lovely. It’s all rain here!
Bringing back our adopted christmas tree in the pouring rain, but leaving some star-shaped fairly lights in the living room for some bright winter twinkle.
walking on squelchy, muddy, waterlogged ground; getting thoroughly covered in mud; not thinking about whether I need my gaiters or not.
Noticing that my collage; this year made around winter solstice contains nearly everything about me and nature - big skies, trees, hills and mountains, water and me walking in it, sitting, watching, immersing
My garlic’s poking through I notice and the seagulls were back on the roof this week. I hate taking the Christmas lights down as it’s so dark still, but I did notice the teeniest stretching of the day.
I have garlic coming up too. I’ve never grown it before and didn’t know it would make an appearance this early.
I’ve grown it previously but had forgotten!
Rain, mud and flooding! These are my 3 things for this week. I'm so wishing for it to dry up so I can get started in the veg garden to get it ready for the new growing season.
My three “this week” things. (I seem to remember rightly or wrongly that when you first started this it was three things we had noticed);
Snowdrops❄️. I spotted 2 with their delicate bowed heads on New Year’s Eve, there are now more pushing through each day. I am always amazed when my bulbs flower where I planted them, as I have mentioned before I have quite a few squirrels in my garden, one who in particular has been spotted rearranging my carefully planted bulbs.
Watching the wildlife in my garden enjoying the extra Christmas treats I put out. Extra suet coconut halves for the starlings (although they have become rather particular about which ones I put up). Nuts 🥜 for the squirrels, the hazelnuts and walnuts didn’t last long.
Working between Christmas and New Year I took time to remember in the memory garden. Arriving in the dark and taking a few minutes before going inside, it is so peaceful and grounding for what is a very emotive job. ❄️
I had a good long New Year walk between rain storms this week - lots of jackdaws, squirrels and starlings in amongst the bare trees. No snowdrop shoots spotted yet but won’t be long I think. And my notebook is out, making plans for what is being planted this year, which always makes me happy post Christmas come down.
It really is the time for garden planning. I have a big book that goes back years, so there’s at least a chance I won’t make the same mistakes again...
I kept notes for the first time last year, although I didn’t need reminding about the tomato blight!
New Years Eve I decided to go searching for my sentinel garden snowdrop which always catches me out by flowering before I've remembered her. And there she was, not only showing green leaves but spears of white too! Already!
Soggy, soggy soggy everywhere, there is a spot in the garden where the wet pools on a paving stone which tells me that the ground is completely sodden. It's been like it all week.
and the path by the brook is also showing signs of excess rain. In one place it has washed away under the railing, a potential mini landslide into the brook a metre below?
Our rock doves have begun the first steps toward canoodling on the roof top of our shed. They sit side by side for long periods.
The winter honeysuckle, the witch hazel brighten our otherwise quiet garden.
Canoodling: great word.
Enjoying new woolly socks during walks snatched between rain and gales. A whirlwind of family visitors and visits. Enjoying the last of the twelve days before the decorations come down at the weekend.
Being glad to be home after a long stay with family over Christmas and NY.
Sweep, hoover, unblock hoover, repeat. Still finding tree needles everywhere.
Spotting lichen and moss everywhere and using our Christmas gifted loupe magnifiers to see them up close
Oh! Great idea to look more closely at the lichen.
Taking in the rolling countryside again on my commute. Listening to the different downpours. Enjoying the last few days of switching on the little fairy lights dotted around the house. Trying to count the different bird songs I hear when I rise and pop my head out the back door. Rounded off with a pink sunrise this morning.
Enjoying nature’s decoration of lichens and moss on the trees along my local dog walk in the rural Glenkens of SW Scotland.