Christmas Catch-up

Just dropping in before New Year to say I hope you all had a great Christmas. See you in 2012!

December Flowers

I love flowers,...... well most of them. I went to college to learn how to be a florist but it's on the back-burner whilst I'm busy doing mum stuff. I like to have a tinker with the Oasis floral foam every now and then making a table centre or a door wreath. Each year there is a Christmas Floral Extravaganza at a local posh mansion which is inspirational - I didn't go this year but found the previous years photos. The last two are my small efforts - gorgeous white Avalanche and red Grand Prix roses. Supermarket roses are a bit depressing, they're just not the same and my local florists aren't quite my taste - all lillies and palm fronds. Although I find them few and far between I love florists that use your English country garden flowers. You must look at Mrs B's blog Lovely Day as she sells the most beautiful posies.

Flutter

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The SNOW came fluttering down and I did a little skip - or maybe three. 10 years old again. Teachers saying don't look out of the window because it will make it stop. Don't believe them, I watched and watched, mesmerized. I enjoyed it with Little Bird who smiled and tapped the glass, pointing at flakes resting on the window pane. Beautiful flurries.

Today it is just icy, SLUSH and being dissolved by the rain. I am a little sad.

Edwardian Cobbles

Quiet local shopping in a peaceful stepping back in time courtyard. This is more my style. We popped into Blakemere , our local craft centre to have a look around and for a Christmas cheer injection. I still have a few presents to buy and this year it has been either local or online. In no way am I even attempting to go to the large shopping centres wheeling a carrier bag laden buggy around for my sanity. Quiet and escaping the mad rush is for me and more time watching Christmas films feeling smug. The CD player has A Disney Christmas blasting and I am getting quite giddy now as the day approaches. Will it snow soon? That is all I need to complete the feeling now.

Trees at the Forest Train Station

Our tradition is to fetch the Christmas tree from Delamere Forest. First stop was the tree sales at the forest train station - such a beautiful nostalgic place. An impatient Little Bird meant I had to be much better this year at picking our tree. There was none of the usual, he looks a bit spindly, he's a bit lopsided, his top's bent or can you spin 'him' around for the gazillionth time. This year I had to be quick with minimal fuss. Hence, we ended up at the main sales site a bit further up the road where all the trees are in rows according to height and type so we literally ran in - 6 ft Nordman Fir thank you very much and then ran out again £40 lighter in the pocket.

Thankfully the decoration stage at home was a bit more relaxed with Little Bird enjoying nosing through all the bits and bobs in the Christmas box. Colourful lights are a very big hit as we have a colour fascination phase at the moment. I thought I might struggle with toddler proofing the tree but after picking the non breakables to go at the bottom and an initial Little Bird moving around of sparkly drums and stars, he is now mostly ignoring the tree! *Sigh*