Happy New Year!

New Year's Day 2012 dawned beautifully sunny. These are the narcissus and amaryllis bulbs I started on December 16th. The first blossom is almost ready to open.

Always worth the effort, I love watching them grow as much as I do the flowers that eventually bloom bright and beautiful.

Christmas has passed but we will enjoy the tree and other decorations for another week or two. I don't want things to get back to normal quite yet.

May you all have a peaceful and happy new year!

making ready

Last night I was up late baking cookies and adding just a few more finishing touches to the tree. Things have been so busy around here in recent days, Christmas is almost here and I've yet to feel the quiet beauty of the season.

Before bed I began a walk around the house to turn down the lights but found myself just wandering from room to room, enjoying the sights of Christmas and taking in the peaceful quiet.

Many of the things we've gathered throughout the years are gifts from dear friends or handmade projects made when our children were younger.

So many happy memories and many more to come.

...and then...

...we woke this morning to find that snow had fallen during the night, big, fluffy snowflakes, the kind that stick to everything and make the world all white.

... so quiet and peaceful...

Best wishes to all, may winter work its mysterious, calming magic and may you all be snug and warm tonight!

10 Days

Well, here it is, 10 days before Christmas and I've decided to see if I can coax a few indoor bulbs for the occasion. Whether they bloom or not in time for the great day is unimportant to me, it's the sight of green growth that matters most now, when nights are lengthening and winter is surely taking hold. 

I must add that the weather in our area has been unseasonably warm this year.  The ground is bare and we still have edible kale in the garden. We harvested the last of our carrots only days ago, they are so sweet and beautifully orange.

 

So, today I hope to step out into our woods to gather some balsam and cedar greens for the house, maybe even some red berries if I'm lucky enough to find some. The tree is up, not the fullest tree we've had over the years but not bad for a wild tree from the back woodlot. It's going to be just fine.

 

Santa's workshop will be a busy place over the next few days, I love this time of year!