On the shortest gardening day of the year I’d like to share some light with you, some Christmas lights.
When all I will do on this cold, wet windy and thoroughly filthy day here on the south coast is to make a multi-layered-waterproofed dash to the allotment, desperately trying to avoid the mud and sludge to dig some leeks, chop a Brussels Sprouts plant, check on the salads in the greenhouse and pick a few leaves of Kale and Chard.
Next on my allotment shopping list is some greenery for decorations – ivy, holly, seed heads, twigs and bits – it seems my allotment provides for me through out the year. Then I’ll scurry for home to batten the hatches down. Where I can turn the lights on, relax a little and cook some winter fuel food. And while I do that I will be thinking back over the year – my gardening-cooking-blogging-friendship year and say another WOW, this is my life and this is what I share.
I’d like to share with you my wishes for a very happy Christmas and a joyful New Year.
That’s all I could wish for you and I.
All my love
Claire
Merry Christmas to you tool! Beautiful decorations. Thoughts and photographs – all worth sharing! Thanks. x
And thank you too!!
Happy Christmas to you too Claire, and hope the New Year brings you lots of happiness and enjoyment gardening, and some better weather for you (and me)!
Good morning Cathy, lovely to hear from you! I could do with a dry spell here – the ground is soaked and I can’t get my winter digging done! Oh well, more time indoors around the fire to enjoy š x
it’s been quite a wondrous year, all in all. Time now to let the allotment dry out a bit while you relax with lights and warmth indoors. May the holiday season bless you with joy and peace.
Hi Joss, I realise I have LOTS of catching up to do – I’m wondering whether you are still in France, living the dream?! And thank you for your wishes my friend, x
How lovely! I wish you the happiest of Christmases and the healthiest, happiest new year!
Thank you Eva, and to you too my friend x
Wishing you a lovely Christmas and wonderful New Year, Claire. Enjoy the warmth of your home.
Thank you Karen and best wishes to you and your family too – now the days will get longer for us gardeners and we can start making some plans )
I’m always glad to have you pop up in my email box. It’s like hearing from a friend who I so enjoy. The best to you, too, Claire.
and you know its the same for me when I see your name and photo appear on my blog ! Wishing you a fabulous Christmas and a super New Year my friend! I wonder where you will take us on your blog in 2014?!
Thank you for sharing the visuals of using your allotment’s treasures throughout the year especially on a gray and wet day. Coincidentally, it’s exactly the same here, but I don’t have any goodies to grab from my garden and bring into the house. In fact, I’m trying to convince myself to go to the bakery and then the city market to pick up the last of the odds and ends I want for Christmas.
I hope that you and your family have a wonderful Christmas and New Year.
Claire, I have so enjoyed your stories and wisdom this past year via your wonderful blog. Have the happiest of holiday times. I look forward to more “tales of Claire” next year. From Nashville, Tennessee with love, Teresa B
Thank you Teresa for your kind thoughts and words. The connections we have all made through blogging just makes the world a more beautiful place. C x
Claire … is’t always so wonderful to land here in your world and be able to take part in your growing, creative and beautiful most days. Thank you for a wonderful year .. and I wish you and your Dear ones a plentiful Christmas of all the nice and cozy things.
Also I want to wish you all a fantastic ending with a very gentle beginning. See you next year.
I love that Vivi – ” a very gentle beginning”, just love that. Thank you my friend and best wishes for 2014 for you too x
Claire, thank you so much – let promise ourselve that 2014 is going to be a GREAT year for us. *smile
Merry Christmas Claire! The season is all about light in the darkness isn’t it?
Deb, wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas too! and here’s to a super 2014 for us x
Oh we are like that here too but my rain is frozen as it falls and is deeply terrifying to step out into. But I have to as well. Your greens in the allottment sound like a feast… and your decorations are gorgeous, i am glad to see you again my friend, have a wonderful christmas season.. c
You know I have a little saying ” fairy lights aren’t just for Christmas” – wishing you and the farmy wonderful bright things for 2014 C x
Merry times to you too, my friend! š
Love your gold star….probably because i have the same exact one! š
Enjoy your time in the greenhouse!
We have the same decorations – how fab is that?! Wishing you a wonderful Christmas there in Miami and a super green New Year !
such beautiful christmas wishes, thank you dear Claire, and I love your lights, even though we are in the long days of summer … happy christmas, Christine xx
I was thinking of my southern hemisphere friends as I wrote this post Christine! C x
Merry Christmas!
Thank you Yummy an dyou too my friend x
Merry Christmas and all the best wishes for a wonderful New Year as well, Claire!
Thank you Cindy, and best wishes to you too for a super New Year x
Blessings for a wonderful Yule and healthy and happy New Year. So wanted to send you some music for the holidays methinks you would have liked but could not find your email . . . thanks and hugs Eha
Awww and hugs to you my friend. Totally curios about the music š so I’ll drop you a line š Wishing you a fabulous New Year x
Wishing you and your family a very merry Christmas š
Thank you for your wishes Tandy, here’s to a fabulous New Year x
What a lovely post and beautiful thoughts. I wish you all the same! 21st December was my great grandmother’s favourite day (yes, I knew her until I was about 13!) as it was the start of longer days to look forward to š
What a great way to view life Tanya. I could do with a dollop of that when staring out of the window and all I can see is smeary salty storm lashed windows! Love to you and Big Man x
Beautiful photos my friend, Merry early Christmas š
Cheers
CCU
Thanks matey and you too!!!
I love getting glimpses into your kitchen reflected in your baubles – it makes me feel like we’re there with you, sharing a glass of mulled wine. All the very best to you and your family, lovely Claire, for a glorious Chrissie, and a joyous and home-grown veg filled 2014!
What a lovely thought that you could be here with us! We had a lovely gentle day with friends, and I hope that whatever you did you had a super time too. Claire x
Here’s wishing you a very happy Christmas Claire… and a perfect gardening year in 2014!
Thank you and you too! Let’s hope our kitchens and gardens are filled with fine greenery in 2014 š
Wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy & Healthy New Year! Peace.
Thank you for popping in Kevin, always a pleasure to see you on the Promenade! Wishing you a splendid 2014, Claire
Wishing your a memorable Christmas, Claire, may your New Year be filled with nothing but good health and happiness.
Good health and happiness would be marvelous John, wishing you all the very best for 2014. Claire
Lovely photo, Claire…did the power stay on at your place? I heard others were eating by candle light (and not because it’s festive!)
Merry Christmas, Sweetie!
So far so good…. wind and rain and sea with a +2 meter swell!!
Best wishes for a Merry Christmas.
Thank you for your kind wishes Shimon
And the same to you, Claire. Merry Christmas and a joyful New Year.
Thank you ! Here’s to a green tinged growing New Year !!
Your decorations are outstanding!!! I wish for you the best of Christmas!!!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
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Thank you Linda, wishing you a bright New Year x
Merry Christmas Claire. All the best for a wonderful new year. Cheers Sarah : o )
Hi there and I hope you had a super Christmas Day, here’s to a fabulous gardening new year my friend!
The pictures are so pretty! š Best wishes for future!
Thank you for your kind words. and best wishes to you for a super 2014!
Have a very Merry Christmas Claire! Wishing you a bit of dry sunshine.
Thank you Tammy, today is bright and dry, but we are expecting more storms…… Claire x
Happy Foraging and Happy Nesting!
A belated Happy Christmas. Nothing edible growing anymore by us, though I did forage pine branches for decorating. As I work on my garden plan (which you inspired!) I am including plants for cutting, even over the winter!
Thank you Inger, isn’t that just fantastic that we inspire, wishing you happy planning and picking! I’m wondering about growing flowers for picking this year, I really should start my research if I want to pick flowers in summer š
It’s never too late to love twinkly, sparkly things! š