Joys of Winter

jeni. I'm sure your 7 will cover all occasions, but don't forget to pack those knickers; might they come under the 'elegant casual' heading?

And butternut. It depends onthe cruise line. No captains table on this one but formal, semiformal and"elegant casual?" still haven't got my head round that one.

Thanks butternut I think7 at last count, but I keep them for up to 12 years. I hate throwing clothes away. That's probably the only advantage to my dh's death - I inherited his wardrobe space . And my dd's and my ds's. When they visit now they have to hang their clothes on a nail in the floor!
Come to think ofit they always did anyway!

Butternut Can't stop some women from waxing lyrical. It's contagious
jeni GN is almost as addictive as a bite of bitter sweet Belgian chocolate

I think I read somewhere on GN that you're off on a cruise - have a wonderful time.
How many evening dresses do you own? I don't even have one - strictly a jean and t-shirt girl - do you think I'd be accepted at the Captain's table in those? .

Happy sailing.x

I should packing but gn is much more fun! I have only got as far as sorting out my evening dresses. Forget about bras, knickers and other such uninteresting articles. I HATE PACKING

It's been a tough week, and I was beginning to wonder where the Joys of Winter had gone - and then up you popped supernana, tanith*, bagitha and jeni - ...and there it was, back again. .

My stupid cammelia is blooming, several roses and a poppy! What is happening? I'm hoping we might get waxwings this year, they were all over Bristol last year. Winter. Brings the long tailed tits to my garden- sweet balls of fluff

butty, super, tanith, thank you!

tanith

Robin come on
Here I am
With seed in hand
I click my tongue
My its frosty then
There he swoops
Among the leaves
Peeking to see
If its just me
Then out he pops
Onto my hand
And quickly pecks
His fill
Then wings spread
and off he goes
With a quick click
He's gone.

Beautiful! Butternut

The sea reminds me of shot taffeta -
Streaked with turquoise and indigo.
A gaggle of gulls
Bob this way and that
Permitting the slight swell
To carry them from rock to rock
On which perch the posse of
Black-clad cormorant their
Cape-like wings outstretched
As if in homage to the winter sun.
The sky has shed
It's towering dark, angry cloud -
Cloaking a snowy mantle
Sparked with glints of ice
On the peaks of the stately islands
As they hug the horizon
Casting fractured reflections into the mysterious deep.

The storm, the roof leak, the felled branches, all gone
With our first deep silver frost of the season this morning
And a brilliant clear blue sky.
The Poplars are ankle deep in flood water,
That double their numbers with reflections
And Mistle is back, fluffed against the frost.
He's guarding his berries with a very keen eye.

A night for the walking group - and my husband kindly offered to be the driver.
One member had problems with her car, and the rain was sleeting down and the wind terribly bossy, so we tucked her car into our barn and my man drove her home. A nasty night.
Tomorrow the knitting group, so a lift and sort out of my friend's car and hopefully all will be well.
Winter is here and so are my friends...
so all is well.

Annobel they were carried from our forest on the wings of today's Kintyre gale.

Really? I hope that weather isn't making its way across Cheshire, glamma! It's been a reasonable day here so far, though chilly. I wonder where all the oak leaves that have accumulated at my front door have come from. Can't see any oak trees out the front at all!

This morning it was sunny and bright but by lunch time we had hailstone and terrible winds,the view of the River Mersey was spectactular with the waves crashing over the embankments not very inviting for the people out for a brisk walk but a really envigorating sight.

slightly belated but:
Saturday and frost sneaked into garden overnight,
trailing a yellowed finger across summer leaves and buds
I'ts now or never so I start to jog
Cautiously, avoiding glaze, using the verges and picking my way
Some golden leaves cling on, oblivious to the date
I am rewarded by the sight of Girls PLaying Soccer!

What a contrary Winter's day!

yup you don't know what wild and wooly crossbred genes those fluffy wee chaps have up there in the frozen north...

Supernana - don't even THINK about it

Oh, lovely. Perhaps feral has designs on bloshy's apartment !

Our cat was feral when she decided to stay with us but she often goes walkabout - maintaining some of her wildness. She's also very smelly!

brrr, stay warm yourself as well.

My husband has just called me to look out of the bedroom window. There, in the garden, right outside Rory's apartment, sits a weeny feral kitten...a mix of black and grey. It is a beautiful wee creature.