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...

Winter Approaches

Ooops, that was rather a long and unplanned blogging break. Things are just busy and I've less spare time than I used to have. I have still been taking the photos, just not posting them. So here's a whirl back through the last month and a bit...

We start with this morning and we've just had our first snow of the winter. N and I have just returned from sledging...

This last photo puts me in mind of a little poem, "Snow Song", from this lovely book (which is currently available form the Book People for a mere £4.99)...

 

 

I like Mark Hearld's artwork which is why I bought the book but the texts accompanying the illustrations are very enjoyable too.

Looks like I made some lemon drizzle cake a few weeks ago. Other makes for the last month...

 

...I took some orders at the beginning of October for a few needle felted Christmas spice pillows. I've still not had time to finish them. They're for Christmas which gives me plenty time yet (haha!).

One of the reasons for lack of spare time is that it's now concert season. We just had our main concert at the weekend. It was a popular program - Bruch violin concerto, Beethoven 6th Symphony (Pastoral) and Prokofiev Classical Symphony.

Here's the slow movement of the Bruch for you to enjoy while browsing a few (ahem!) photos of various walks taken from the beginning of Dec back through to the end of Oct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can tell we're back at the end of October now. What a difference a month makes to the landscape at this time of year.

While we're here, here were this year's Halloween decorations - bats and pumpkins featured heavily...

...and we went to the fireworks, which some found a little loud...

 

The cows in the field across the road have been and gone.

 

Our solitary sunflower has bloomed and faded.

I attempted to get some decent photos of the cat.

And I've had a few lucky finds in the charity shops. I've always wanted a proper sewing box. I found it in a charity shop while out for a Saturday morning walk (it was too icy for cycling). It was a long and awkward carry home as I also bought a few books and some messages while I was out.

Now Christmas is starting to creep into the house. I got this little salt and pepper set from the pound shop, I think they're nice just as Christmas ornaments.
And lastly, we've had a few lovely sunrises recently. They are best viewed from my daughter's window...

 

 

 

...Starlight, Aeroplane approaching, Sunrise, Red sky.

Up to date at last, phew!