Happy Christmas

Wishing you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year.

Wrapping paper

The red and white tablecloth in the picture was embroidered by my great aunt and I use it every Christmas. So much work went into embroidering it, it seems a shame that it has only ever been used for a few days each year.

This year I photocopied a corner of the cloth using my printer and made some very individual wrapping paper. Of course this only works for small presents unless you have access to a larger photocopier but it is fun to do.

My great aunt died about ten years ago when she was over ninety. I don't suppose she could have imagined that I would be photocopying her tablecloth to make my own wrapping paper but her generation were used to make things for themselves and I think she would have approved.

Woodland - December

Yesterday was a bright sunny day, amidst all the recent dismal wet and windy weather, so I decided to take photographs of the woodland in December.

Almost all the leaves have fallen now and many of the plants have died back leaving a low covering of brambles.

There is a much more open, airy feel and the sun can reach down to the ground again. The small stream is flowing, sparkling in the sunlight.

Even the moss on fallen tree trunks can catch some sunlight.

Looking up into the canopy, there are few leaves left to fall and the sky is visible once more.

There is one small change since last year, looking closely near the centre of the photograph above there seems to be a nest which was not there when the picture below was taken last January. There must have been a lot of activity in the tree tops over the summer all hidden from view by the foliage.

A quiet December

My December is very quiet at the moment. When my family were growing up this was one of the most hectic times of the year, full of baking, end of term activities and Christmas plays and parties.

This year with my husband in America for a couple of weeks and the boys away at University I can hardly believe its December - its so quiet and peaceful. After all the years of hectic "busyness" it makes a nice change. It is lovely that when I come home at the end of the day, I can lock the doors knowing that I am tucked up warm inside and don't have to venture out at all.

In just over a week the whole family will be home and then I will decorate the house and everything will be busier and noisier. Until that time I am able to quietly wait for Christmas. Outside in the garden last years Christmas tree is also patiently waiting for the festivities to begin.

Woodland - November

Walking through this little wood in November I was struck by how light and open it felt. Many of the trees have lost their leaves.

This hazel which still has many green leaves is covered with a sprinkling of yellow leaves from the field maple,

while elsewhere in the wood the hazels themselves are a mixture of yellow and green

Autumn is the time for funghi and there were many growing on the woodland floor.

Lastly, looking at the canopy, there are several trees that have lost all their leaves. The last few days since I took these pictures have been very windy so I expect that there are even fewer leaves remaining on the trees now.