I held my final evening yoga circle of the year, an early celebrating of the winter solstice and Christmas. We had Yogi Christmas Tea, almond macaroons, and sang carols as well as weaving the themes of Advent (hope, peace, love and joy) through our practice💜✨🎄🌙🕊️
This week is all about the sadness /relief that the Christmas madness of weekly events away from home and mad dashes to the post is drawing to an end. I'm a Maker and as a lovely friend put it 'you enable the rest of us to have a lovely Christmas'. I scrabbled my tree up a few days ago, but the rest of the decs are in their boxes, along with the Christmas cards. I'm trying really hard to be Christmassey - another lovely friend has made my door wreath, cards still plop through the letter box and I took my elderly Dad to a delightful Christmas tree festival, but...but...even my first Bombardino of the season and z festive 12 days of Christmas yoga session hasn't broken through yet, so I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's festive offerings!
Take heart, not long to a brand new year. I always find I have to see beyond Christmas. This year I have planted indoor bulbs (the squirrels get them if I plant my window box). Three different types of narcissi, so they bloom in stages. The first two have bloomed, fresh, string and taller than expected, I think I like this idea.
A large tree that came down in storm Darragh awaits clearing but it’s been decorated for Christmas with giant golden baubles and tinsel. It’s like it’s giving what it can, right to the last. Then, the misty drizzle days are making pavements very slippery where autumn leaves haven’t been cleared and they’ve collected compacted and melted into a mat of sludge. Finally, the fuchsia that sits in a pot by the front door is still putting out a few bright pink blooms to welcome me home from a winter walk.
Last night I went to see friends sing with their choir, a lovely relaxed joyful concert, everyone in their Christmas jumpers and sparkly clothes moving along to the music. So good for the soul 🙂
It has been a dim, still sort of week, grey skies and low energy after Storm Darragh - which was a lot of energy, even here on the outer fringes. Cheering to see snouty little shoots emerging in unexpected places where the excess from enthusiastic bulb buying were tucked in a few weeks ago.
We went to the arboretum for a light show with music and a snow machine, and it was fantastic. I felt like a child in fairy land and the darkness gave us the freedom to try dancing on the giant piano keys, what a treat!
A week of leaden skies lowering the festive spirit somewhat, but last night saw them raised by watching the Nutcracker! This time, a magical Cuban reinterpretation by Acosta’s dance school, with the Tchaikovsky score given a Latin twist! I adored it!
I’m in that frame of mind now where everything non essential has to wait until January - in previous years I’ve tied myself up in knots trying to ‘get things done’ in time for Christmas. A Christmas concert to look forward to this weekend but I’ve throughly enjoyed declining some invitations to spend time with the people that matter most to me.
I have lit so many candles! my daughter found me 2 candle storm lanterns in a charity shop so the cats can curl up next to them on the windowsill, and I've been baking , sharing and eating mince pies 🥧
Our garden has been battered by the recent storms branches have fallen and I still need the weather to perk up a bit before attending the clear up. But the Christmas lights stayed put outside, houses around us are lighting up and we had our Christmas work get together in a local garden centre surrounded by more twinkly lights and a visit from the Big Man himself Father Christmas 🎅🏻 on his sleigh. Seasons greetings to you all 🎄✨🎄
Also not feeling Christmassy yet. Maybe it’s all the rain. Just wanted to say that I bought our dog’s collar light from the RNLI online shop. Cheap and well made, easy to put on and off. There’s light in the darkness (and it’s not all from the collar lights…)
Moon gazing from the bath for a few lucky evenings this week. Just learned from Lia on the month’s Found Sound that the moon is lower in the sky, perhaps explaining why it appeared in my window.
Sparkling dews as the morning light rises -then sparkling lights as the dark afternoons offer glimpses of Xmas cheer indoors & in gardens. Mistletoe calls as does bay Rosemary & holly to deck our halls -making cards & posting around the world reconnects with family & friends - such is the joy of rituals at this time of year -nature just gives us tree silhouettes logs for fires & greenery for our homes simple joys 🌿to celebrate The Winter Solstice candlelight & circling 🌀
I held my final evening yoga circle of the year, an early celebrating of the winter solstice and Christmas. We had Yogi Christmas Tea, almond macaroons, and sang carols as well as weaving the themes of Advent (hope, peace, love and joy) through our practice💜✨🎄🌙🕊️
Mmm macaroons 🩶
This week is all about the sadness /relief that the Christmas madness of weekly events away from home and mad dashes to the post is drawing to an end. I'm a Maker and as a lovely friend put it 'you enable the rest of us to have a lovely Christmas'. I scrabbled my tree up a few days ago, but the rest of the decs are in their boxes, along with the Christmas cards. I'm trying really hard to be Christmassey - another lovely friend has made my door wreath, cards still plop through the letter box and I took my elderly Dad to a delightful Christmas tree festival, but...but...even my first Bombardino of the season and z festive 12 days of Christmas yoga session hasn't broken through yet, so I'm looking forward to reading everyone else's festive offerings!
Take heart, not long to a brand new year. I always find I have to see beyond Christmas. This year I have planted indoor bulbs (the squirrels get them if I plant my window box). Three different types of narcissi, so they bloom in stages. The first two have bloomed, fresh, string and taller than expected, I think I like this idea.
*strong
A large tree that came down in storm Darragh awaits clearing but it’s been decorated for Christmas with giant golden baubles and tinsel. It’s like it’s giving what it can, right to the last. Then, the misty drizzle days are making pavements very slippery where autumn leaves haven’t been cleared and they’ve collected compacted and melted into a mat of sludge. Finally, the fuchsia that sits in a pot by the front door is still putting out a few bright pink blooms to welcome me home from a winter walk.
Last night I went to see friends sing with their choir, a lovely relaxed joyful concert, everyone in their Christmas jumpers and sparkly clothes moving along to the music. So good for the soul 🙂
It has been a dim, still sort of week, grey skies and low energy after Storm Darragh - which was a lot of energy, even here on the outer fringes. Cheering to see snouty little shoots emerging in unexpected places where the excess from enthusiastic bulb buying were tucked in a few weeks ago.
We went to the arboretum for a light show with music and a snow machine, and it was fantastic. I felt like a child in fairy land and the darkness gave us the freedom to try dancing on the giant piano keys, what a treat!
Love the photo and the title, feels very poetic – makes me think of wolves and what might be in the fairytale forest!
A week of leaden skies lowering the festive spirit somewhat, but last night saw them raised by watching the Nutcracker! This time, a magical Cuban reinterpretation by Acosta’s dance school, with the Tchaikovsky score given a Latin twist! I adored it!
I’m in that frame of mind now where everything non essential has to wait until January - in previous years I’ve tied myself up in knots trying to ‘get things done’ in time for Christmas. A Christmas concert to look forward to this weekend but I’ve throughly enjoyed declining some invitations to spend time with the people that matter most to me.
The pressure to consume and conform at this time of year can be totally overwhelming! It sounds like you are striking the right balance :0)
I’m trying! Spent too much time over the years feeling so stressed in the run up to Christmas, I’m taking a stand!
I have lit so many candles! my daughter found me 2 candle storm lanterns in a charity shop so the cats can curl up next to them on the windowsill, and I've been baking , sharing and eating mince pies 🥧
Our garden has been battered by the recent storms branches have fallen and I still need the weather to perk up a bit before attending the clear up. But the Christmas lights stayed put outside, houses around us are lighting up and we had our Christmas work get together in a local garden centre surrounded by more twinkly lights and a visit from the Big Man himself Father Christmas 🎅🏻 on his sleigh. Seasons greetings to you all 🎄✨🎄
Also not feeling Christmassy yet. Maybe it’s all the rain. Just wanted to say that I bought our dog’s collar light from the RNLI online shop. Cheap and well made, easy to put on and off. There’s light in the darkness (and it’s not all from the collar lights…)
Savouring a piece of buttery, home-made shortbread, and planning to make another batch as gifts for our neighbours.
Gathering up the fir branches strewn along the woodland paths - nature's gifts from the storm which are perfect for Christmas wreaths.
Moon gazing from the bath for a few lucky evenings this week. Just learned from Lia on the month’s Found Sound that the moon is lower in the sky, perhaps explaining why it appeared in my window.
Sparkling dews as the morning light rises -then sparkling lights as the dark afternoons offer glimpses of Xmas cheer indoors & in gardens. Mistletoe calls as does bay Rosemary & holly to deck our halls -making cards & posting around the world reconnects with family & friends - such is the joy of rituals at this time of year -nature just gives us tree silhouettes logs for fires & greenery for our homes simple joys 🌿to celebrate The Winter Solstice candlelight & circling 🌀