Better late than never

In the busyness of preparing for
Christmas with six weekends away
between mid September & Christmas
day, I first forgot to buy the paper white
bulbs and then having bought them forgot
to plant them. Three weeks before
Christmas they were hurriedly stuck in
water and while we were out on Christmas
day the first flower unfurled. Less than
two weeks later they are looking all
flowering beautifully.

Going going gone part two

As the cookie and cake tins empty so it is
time forthe decorations to disappear too.
These little birds and hearts have decorated
our stairs this Christmas along with some white
fairy lights. We leave the lights there all
year but tonight the birds and hearts have
been taken down ready for packing away
till next year.
I've been reading lots of comments on blogs
today from people who don't like Christmas.
They are, of course completely entitled to
their point of view but in the interests of a
balanced view can I just say I love Christmas
and everything about it from the Nativity
which reminds us what Christmas is really
all about to the decorations, family reunions,
yummy seasonal food.......

Going going gone!

The favourite Christmas cookies this year
were definitely Nigella's Christmas Chocolate
Biscuits.
Basically chocolate shortbread with icing &
sprinkles on the top.
Two tins full - now nearly all gone - though
maybe I should make one more batch for
this weekend's visit to my mother-in-law -
a self confessed chocoholic.
A good excuse if ever I heard one!

A moment of calm

New Year's Day and after all the celebrations
and busyness of Christmas with family reunions,
cooking and eating of many meals, giving and receiving
of many presents, a walk along the (busy) beach
offered this oasis of calm. The remains of the old
pier cut off from the chaotic activity of the city, the
sea calm and this patch of beach temporarily quiet
offered a quiet moment at the start of a New Year.

National Parks

In order:
Rocky Mountain
Black Canyon of Gunnison
Arches
Zion
Death Valley
Yosemite

All beautiful
Which one do you like best?

Holiday by numbers

Now almost 1 month since I returned from
travelling across the USA East to West!

We took over 1000 pictures so can only post a few!

We travelled 5000 miles - not counting the flights
to and from the USA
Our longest train trip from Chicago to Denver took
19.5 hours. (And was fun!)
We visited 6 National Parks. More Pictures to follow!
I finished 1 knitting project during our 3 weeks of travel
We left Death Valley temp 116degrees and arrived
in Mammoth Lakes temp 46degrees and sleet!
This journey also took us from 300 feet below sea level
to 9,500 feet above.
Counting the months till we can go again!

Comfort Food

No time for blogging recently as children move out and others move back in!

Instead endless shifting of boxes, rebuilding flat pack furniture, rearranging the kitchen, the bathroom, the bedrooms in fact most of the house. Back to cooking and shopping for five - all adults now!

Sharing your house with your grown up children and their friends is both delightful and demanding!

Blissfully have three weeks away booked soon!

In the meantime comfort food - Marble cake for a birthday celebration and lavender biscuits from the Edible Garden

Yum.