Beginning December

 Mrs Snowman from a few days ago. Only a tennis-ball sized blob of Mrs Snowman was left this morning.

 This year, not only did I finally remember to buy an advent candle but we have so far managed to keep up with the days and, more importantly, not to leave it burning too long. Have I spoken too soon...

 I dried some orange slices and attached twine for hanging. They were for selling at the nursery fair on Saturday. They didn't sell well.

These did better though - my felt Christmas decorations this year included little houses and a new tree design. We filled them with cloves and allspice berries instead of stuffing. Several Mums got together over a few evenings for decoration making, fuelled by mulled wine, winter pimms, chocolate cake and mince pies. Overall we probably made about 25 decorations which all sold.

 I completed my Christmas spiced pillows.

 These were made to order. I'd like to make one for myself, sometime...

 I didn't make these...

 ...but aren't they lovely? Sadly they didn't do too well at the fair either, I did buy one though.

 Some baking happened too...

 ...chocolate cake, chocolate caramel shortbread and tablet.

 And concert #2 has been and gone. It's an annual charity concert mainly of Christmas carols and it was on Friday night. It over-ran and by the time I got out the car park (quite a few cars without tickets were blocking the barriers) it was midnight before I got to the supermarket on the way home to buy condensed milk to make the caramel for the chocolate caramel shortbread which I was half way through making earlier in the day before realising I didn't have all the ingredients. So there you go.

Yesterday we went for a little walk in the woods.

 The sun had already set by the time we reached them so there was only enough light for a couple of branchy shots...

 

Finishing up with another sunrise. From this morning.

 

 

Lovely to see the sun. I wouldn't like to live so far north that there is no sun for some months of the year.

A rush again, but that is the way things are at the moment. Just managing to keep up!

Edited to say... I've added some music! It's the Laudamus Te followed by the Domine Deus from Vivaldi's Gloria which is one of the pieces we'll be playing at our next concert on Saturday...