As always it's lovely to read everyone's convos and lovely pictures.
It's been days of hard frost here, and a couple of moments of pretty snow flurries turning to sleet quite fast. Very clear cold nights and we've been getting enthusiastic about being able to clearly see Venus, Jupiter, and Mars, shining brightly, over central London.
Also I've discovered that if you grate cheddar cheese, rather than a slice, onto toast, before adding sweet chili sauce, it makes a lovely difference. This may of course be common knowledge, but not around here until today.
@BobBobBobbing loving your double star anise wreath, as well as loving that you're still making Christmas things before packing them up.
Also loving the Christmas themed book covering, as well as exclusively rhododendron fed bees (!) @RainbowZebraWarrior - but not sure if having such a gorgeous dog and Mr Darcy is really quite fair... and yes please to a continuing thread, with huge thanks. I may not be able to post as much as work ramps up, but also will be having some hospital stays, which is where I first came across this magical thread and lovely posters, so for me very serendipitous and welcome.
@Bimblesalong congratulations on the 12 week marker, and break a leg with your brutal phase, and I daresay you know, but cold cap to the max with your red devil, and many thoughts for your friend and you for supporting her @LillianGish. Sometimes it's easier being the person going through things, than the person being there for them.
Treatment for many things is hard going and 'hospital at home' so automatic these days, but when I look back to what was happening when I was a child, actually despite it all, we are actually the lucky ones in how far it's all come.
@piscofrisco I'm interested in your mentioning effects of liquid collagen? There's been little beyond 'you made it, damage is irrelevant' here.
I've been left with hair and nail issues amongst other things, and would be interested to know if it really could do anything about it...
I love the description of 'black trousers' though can't help thinking one of them is wearing rather expensive designer ones.
@GettingFestiveNow your Dh's cake sounds fabulous, as does nature taking over and Oooh! to a properly candle lit theater, as well as the show.
As an aside, if anyone's ever in London on Christmas eve, there's a square in W8 called Campden Hill Square, where it's a traditional land lease requirement from the mid 1920's, for everyone living there to turn out the lights and place candles in the windows as it gets dark. If householders can't be there a neighbor will do it for them. It's a very beautiful free Christmas Eve sight.
@Confusedmeanderings electric blankets are truly wonderful things...
@ExquisiteDecorations Our 'log store' is a 5 star bug hotel - well if you don't count the robin periodically nesting there!
@MadMadMad good luck to DD, and ginger cake combined with today's marmalade musings are making me look at the lemon excess, and ginger does sound good.
@AgathaMystery wonderful news about DH! Very glad for you, it's tough out there and continuously living on your wits is just exhausting.
Yourself and @RainbowZebraWarrior I'm continuously grateful to those who leave their lights up!
Lots do here, and I'm pleased to say aside from people from our background, we now have three neighbors happily still displaying their trees! I know it irritates some, but it makes us so happy! We enjoy playing spot the last tree, then the last lights every year
@SheherazadesSeasonalNonsense no high craft would exist without it's initial phase, and wow to the NS collection. Inspired by that and all the commentary am going to see what NS books might turn up in the charity shops etc. I have to be really financially sensible for a bit, Belgium was worth every euro, and we're still living high of it, but definitely cleared out the reserves.
(Hope it's ok to say that I've never read Toast, and am a bit wary tbh. When I first came across Nigel's writing, it was clear things hadn't been good for him in childhood and sometime beyond, and on one level I related, on the other my own past is difficult and I tend to avoid quite a lot of things as still rather trying to coax my inner child out from darker places...)
Anyhoo, @BobBobBobbing's lovely star anise wreath gives me an excuse to post this pic, looking a bit past it now though better in real life,, and it's really an excuse to show off another beautiful if somewhat impractical bauble brought back from Belgium.
(it's just a trimmed up van wheel trim wire if that's helpful to anyone)