Happy January!

Song Sung Blue movie - loved it.

I was going to write about aims and resolutions for the year ahead but I haven’t finished thinking about it yet, so this is a joyful Happy New Year post to all of you, in praise of editing the Christmas decorations and the first of the snowdrops.

I have of course picked the first one, because why would you not?

The paperwhites are being wonderfully generous

Magical, miracle paper whites and pelargoniums

…ditto the pelargoniums

I brought this inside in October and it hasn’t stopped flowering

I was blessed to be given an entire house-worth of Christmas decorations by my amazing neighbour who decorated her house for a party and then flew away to sunnier climes for Christmas.

Here is the post-Christmas, edited version… how deliciously opulent and moody and GOOD

She gave me three giant garlands, stuck with pussy willow and silver birch and cornus twigs, and pinecones and those huge magnolia leaves, sprayed silver, and two huge vases filled with more of the same, together with deep aubergine dried hydrangea blooms, and everything was also adored with white and burgundy feathery things…all done by a florist and absolutely magnificent!

Twinkly installation of dreams

Most wonderful of all was a huge hanging installation made of magnolia branches and pussy willow, and more of these feathery bits, with suspended baubles and candle holders. I’ve added some painted christmas musicians decorations from The Fabled Thread and I just LOVE it so much! I would never have thought of using these colours together, and the feathers? And the silver leaves? Just nope…and yet it all looks so utterly beautiful and twinkly and magical, and it has taught me that I need to be more open-minded…about basically everything. So that is one of my resolutions for this year.

The amaryllis are doing their very slow thing too…

slowly slowly…

The tulip bulbs have finally been tucked in (this only happened a few days ago….it’s not too late).

I have taken delivery of my new tree, but I’m still waiting for my giant pot to turn up…so no pics yet.

Everything is very still and quiet and frozen solid…just as it should be…frost on everything, and I am now denuding the tree…

Bye bye

I went to see Song Sung Blue last night. I went alone because my Rotter had been called away, and I realise how blissful a lone trip to the cinema is. This film is (for me anyway) as near to perfect as it is possible for a film to get. I cried pretty much all the way through…great huge ugly sobs into a disintegrating square of kitchen roll; just the best and it makes you feel new and raw and good.

I love this time of year. I love the reflection bit AND I love resolutions. I think resolutions are a very natural thing to be doing after a period of refection…why wouldn’t you take stock, see what’s working (or not) and then resolve to do more (or less) of that thing?

I hope you’ve all had a restful and happy time - do you do resolutions?

x Laetitia