elving ~ part one

It's even more of handmade Christmas and Solstice this year than ever before. My list is quite lengthy so an early start is need. Apologies for everyone who is cursing me for even mentioning the 'C' word.

Currently I'm wrestling with quilts for my nieces. I don't see enough of them so I'd like something handmade to keep them warm and hug them while we are apart.

Then there is knitting, more sewing, School costumes to make (a gold ring and a calling bird), cooking and clay....

What are you making to give this year?

first snow!

 

We woke up to the children shouting about snow.... 

"You're dreaming!" we said. 

"No, we wished for snow and here it is!" they shouted, pulling on wellies, hats, gloves and coats.

Jago worried his tractor would be cold and wanted to bring it in by the fire. We convinced him that tractors are big and brave and don't mind the cold....

The snow has gone, may be it was just a dream after all.....

{this moment} snowy day scrabble

  Joining Amanda at Soulemama

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Scrabble is big round these parts on cold days. The challenge is to get your words down before Jago raids the board for letter tiles to put in his tractor and trailer. Makes for a fast game....

candlemas

Our plans to go to the Light Spiral at the local Steiner School were cut short by the brief snowfall that we weren't forcast... We stayed at home and cooked our supper on the fire by candle light. Outside our ice lantern sparkled and glowed in the cold...

these days...

• rising early to light the fire before the rest of the house awakes

• darning holes in favourite gloves - make do and mend, right?

• Jago shouting "Nom, Nom, Nom" as he catches snow flakes on his tongue

• admiring Jess as she dances (even in her wellies)

• making big hearty stews to warm the cockles 

• loving this cold snap - it's the novelty I think...

 Hello February!

this is the time....

.... for enjoying the daylight lengthening minute by minute

.... for being outside being blown along by another stormy day

.... for watching Jess and her new love (ballet)

.... for puddle splooshing with Jago - I love moving at toddler speed and splooshing is a real word...
     honest

.... for toasting (english) muffins on the fire, smothering them with soft butter and opening them with
     a jar of last summers strawberry jam - instant sunshine

.... for rediscovering books I loved as a child and now sharing them with Jess, Ballet Shoes the
     current favourite. See a theme developing here?

wassail!

 

On old twelfth night we wassail. Gathering in the orchard we watch the Wassail Queen with her garland of ivy bless the apple trees for the coming season. We sang wassails, we chanted, we wished the trees well. 

(Apples are very important in this neck of the woods.)

Sitting around the fire, talking and drinking late into the night we didn't feel the January chill in the air...

frost

At last the weather has turned cold. Clear and frosty, the day was perfect to get out and about and breathe....

after the storm

Another stormy day. Trees are flailing around in the powerful gusts. Jago shouts 'hold on to your hats' and wears his favourite one all day (even though we're inside.)

 Jess, eyes fixed on the horizon, watches for Mary Poppins. All around the house I can hear them sing 'Lets Go Fly a Kite', and by lunchtime I'm humming it too.

Outside my twisted willow - the tree through which I watch the sunrise - lies fallen. It will grow anew in the spring but for now I bring in a branch to remind myself.

new beginnings

In this moment everything seems fresh - outside the world is still dark, stormy and grey - but inside there are some new intentions taking place. We've written our annual list of the best of the outgoing year and we've started a list of what we want to do, learn, read, make... somethings may be done, some may not but there is the best of intentions in the air.

solstice

We barely glimpsed the sun this winter solstice day. When we did, it made a glowing path across the waves. The sea crashed, the wind blew, the guitar played. We sang 'Here Comes the Sun' and felt connected.

light

Right now I'm very aware of light - the sun has a small arc as it sinks lower in our northern skies. It seems just as it rises it begins to set again... Inside the fire brings respite from the dark, warm light bathes our home. Soon the sun will return in strength and we will be ready.

today.....

....finds me

• finishing off a sheep costume for the school nativity - when the girl in question desperately wanted to be an angel... (a donkey last year - a sheep is obviously a promotion?)
• listening to carol singing all over the house
• bringing in more firewood
• marvelling at that big cold moon in a cloudless sky
• being mindful of that these days seem to be speeding up - when I really want them to slow down so I can savour every moment...
• listening to the blackbirds as they feast on the last of the holly berries
• basking in every precious minute of sunlight - the solstice is not far away

how are you spending your days?

sounds of winter

Half an hour before dusk the starlings gather.

The noise becomes deafening as more and more arrive until suddenly, eerily they fall silent and fly.  Watching them, we stand in awe, witnessing them swoop and dive as one. Winter is here.

and the year moves on

Now the longest day has passed by it feels like lots of things that need to be done with winter in mind (and it's still summer.)  My preserving frenzy has started already. Opening a pot of strawberry jam in the depths of winter is opening a jar of instant sunshine. The smell alone is enough to transport me back to the warm long days of summer.  Already we've picked our redcurrants (redcurrant jelly), blackcurrants (blackcurrant jam), strawberries and gooseberries (strawberry and gooseberry jam). A well filled preserves cupboard reassures me that no matter what winter may bring it'll be ok.

Strawberry and Gooseberry Jam

1kg Strawberries, hulled and big ones quartered

500g gooseberries, topped and tailed

1175g sugar (half granulated and half with added pectin)

200ml water

100ml lemon juice

Cook the gooseberries in a preserving pan with 300g of the sugar and 200ml water until they soften. Blend the gooseberries until smooth.

Add 200g of the strawberries to the mix, soften over a gentle heat and then mash with a potato masher.

Add the rest of the strawberries then simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Add the lemon juice and the rest of the sugar - allow to dissolve gently and slowly over a low heat.

When the sugar has dissolved bring to a hard boil until the setting point is reached then pot into sterilized jars.

Enjoy on english muffins toasted on an open fire with lots and lots of melty butter. 

a spot of winter reading

Well, it is cold and miserable outside and inside I've got a snuggly beanbag.... Now, how to find some more hours in the day for reading and snoozing.....

winter sun

Yesterday was cold, bright and sunny so we rushed out and turned our faces to the sun. This January has been so grey and heavy that every bit of sun feels precious. I've turned feline - I have to follow rays of sunshine around the house. And now I'm dreaming about what we'll grow this spring and summer and waiting for the sun to shine again.

welcoming 2011

Quietly greeting the New Year in front of the fire with mulled wine. Later on noisily welcoming 2011 with good friends and egg and bacon butties on the beach. Hello 2011!

almost Christmas

There is frantic elving (thanks to soulemama for the term!) going on around here, excited children and if truth be told excited grown-ups too!

Happy Solstice!