Today’s Thoughtful Ponderings...

This poignant hand-drawn reminder by the talented Sarah Abbott - you can see the rest of the collection here.

Crafty Make and Do

Before Christmas I mentioned that I attended a sewing workshop at Millie Moon.

On the day we made Pyjama People, which the filled with lavender to place in the bedroom.

This one was for my niece.

I also made a couple of lavender filled birds too.

Late Winter delights found in the garden...

Hamamelis 'Ruby Glow' (Chinese Witch Hazel)

Hellebores

Primula vulgaris (Primroses)

Galanthus (Common Snowdrops)

The Big Garden Birdwatch

The world's largest wildlife survey (now in its 31st year), dubbed the "Big Garden Birdwatch" is being launched by the UK's Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.The charity hopes that around half a million people will record the abundance of different bird species visiting their gardens and open spaces. By asking members of the public to spend one hour this weekend spotting birds, the charity can identify those species in most need of help.

L O V E is in the air...

A visit to Catherine Hill in Frome and I found that L O V E was in the air!

Cheerful bunting outside Millie Moon

Catherine Hill

The Art Works Shop...

...briming with love in the windows!

Stunningly striking window display at Deadly Is The Female...

...that floral dress with those red shoes are exceptionally gorgeous! 

Looking down the hill

Lots of interesting finds outside Sgt. Beetroot.

Shelterboxes for Haiti

With the recent devastation in Haiti it can leave us overwhelmed in what we can do practically.

ShelterBox "is an international disaster relief charity that delivers emergency shelter, warmth and dignity to people affected by disaster worldwide."

Aid is sent in uniquely numbered ‘ShelterBoxes’. Boxes cost an average of £490 and each typically holds a 10-person tent and other essential equipment designed to help an extended family survive for at least six months. Donors are informed of box numbers, which can be tracked through the website.

Recent Book Finds...

One of my favourite things to do is to look for second hand books.

I found this bounty at OXFAM bookshop in Wells… I am always finding something really interesting.

Just as well its raining...lots of planning and poundering to do in the garden!

Apple Orchard Wassailing

Apple Orchard Wassailing is held on the Old Twelfth Night (17 January).

The Wassail is held to scare off worms and maggots that are regarded as 'evil' spirits and to attract the 'good' spirit embodied by the robin and drinking to the health of the apple trees.

What happens then..?

The ceremony takes place around the oldest orchard tree where it is toasted with cider and traditional Wassail songs are sung.

Old Apple tree, old apple tree;

We've come to wassail thee;

To bear and to bow apples enow;

Hats full, caps full, three bushel bags full;

Barn floors full and a little heap under the stairs

The noisiest part of the ceremony is after the singing when gunshots are fired into the orchards (although this particular practice isn't always followed everywhere) to create as much noise as possible to scare off the evil spirits.

Once this is completed, a piece of toast soaked in cider is hung on the branches to attract the good spirits and cider is sprinkled around the roots of the tree. There are several Wassail songs which are sung during the evening and this is usually followed by enjoying one of the products of the orchard - cider.

A Wassail to you too!

The Anglo-Saxons used the phrase Wæs hal! as an everyday greeting. Wæs is a form of the verb "to be" related to modern English was. Hal is the ancestor of the modern English words whole and hale. Thus, wæs hal literally meant "Be healthy!". The Vikings who later settled in Northern England used a dialectal variant of the same phrase: Ves heill!. Since the Anglo-Saxons and Norse shared a custom of welcoming guests by presenting them with a horn of ale (or cup of mead, or goblet of wine), the greeting evolved into a toast.

The phrase was eventually contracted into one word, wassail, and came to refer to the act of toasting to someone’s health, wassailing, and to a type of alcoholic beverage (spiced ale or punch) used to toast people's health on special occasions. The use of wassailing to mean "carolling" (as in "Here we go a-wassailing...") stems from the habit of singing songs whilst drinking from the "wassail-bowl" during Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Wintery Walk to Coombe Bottom - with a sprinkle of Snow!

The sun throwing a glowing radiance down the lane...

The hedge rows thickly topped with snow...

A snowy scene down to Cole...

The winds have formed this curvaceous drift of snow...

Snow, snow all around us...!

A Wintery Walk down to Castle Cary

Down Wyke Road we go... a tad icey!

Walking down North Street towards Upper High Street

Looking up Ansford Road

An unusually quiet High Street - a few shops were open like Lush the Butchers on the left.

Looking onwards to St Andrews Church

Back home we go,

the lane on the right will take you to Bruton..a bit of a dicey do today though!

Then Came The SNOW!

A deep layer of snow covering the ground and trees.

The Hen House with its temporary insulation on the roof.

The Orchard..the snow was thickly coming down again.

Sage hiding amongst the pots as a blizzard was forming.

A Wintery Walk to Coombe Bottom, Castle Cary

Wyke Road

The road has been icey for a few days - this way will lead you to the town of Castle Cary.

 Coombe Bottom withThe Mendips in the distance.

A brisk walk down the lane takes you down to the fine views of the Somerest countryside.

Overlooking towards Lower Hadspen and Cole.

A Blue Moon Welcomes a New Decade

Wishing You....

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas...!

Christmas at Home...

A little taste of our Christmas at home....

Winters morning

The mist was clearing revealing a crisp winters morning, we even  had a little sprinkling of snow in the night.

A variety of frozen seed heads can be found.

Christmas cheer to be found outside too.

A brisk walk around the fields.

Even the holly looks quite festive!

Moulting hens

Our two Buff Orpington’s have been moulting for the last few weeks, with this chilly weather I have thought about knitting them some scarf’s for their necks!

They seem happy enough as I have been supplementing their diet with some wholegrain bread soaked with a little cod-liver oil.

When the sun has been out they have been all enjoying a mud bath!
P.S I must point out they did not dig these holes..! Just me digging up the field for them to scratch up the worms.

Crafty Make & Do Workshop

A few weeks ago I attended a lovely workshop at the beautiful haberdashery boutique and sewing school - Millie Moon at St Catherine on the Hill, Frome.

Working away under the guidance of the lovely Lois Brooks.

Buttons galore!

Millie Moon has a stunning collection of fat quarters for your every whim (here is just a few of them)!

Just some of Lois’s handmade collection, I am sorry I can not reveal what we made as they will be Christmas gifts!

The Winter Garden

I like to keep the seed heads for the birds and they look so interesting with frosted tops!

Flowering Fatsia japonica

And still this rose keeps on flowering....beautiful!

Winter's morning sky

This spectacular weather front was moving over head this morning, the bright morning was just a glimpse as more rain has been forecast.

ECOlogical Calender

For the last few years I have purchased a Chris Hardman's ECOlogical Calendar, the calendar celebrates the change of the seasons with beautiful illustrations and fascinating notes. The calendar features the seasonally visible stars and information about their behaviour, the weather, terrestrial ecologies, and the ways earthly creatures cope with their seasonally fluctuating environments.

Product Notes: Unlike the typical Gregorian calendar’s gridlike format, which merely measures the days it takes for Earth to revolve around the Sun, the ECOlogical Calendar’s colorful three-foot-long panels depict Earth’s four seasons — from solstice to equinox or vice versa — and examine the relationship of the planet’s organisms with their environment. Each panel’s design reflects the interaction among Earth, sea, and sky while emphasizing the age-old procession of life from season to season.

The first of the frosts..

A clear night with an almost full moon, I took this photos at five o’clock in the afternoon, it was already dark!

The view is to east over towards King Alfred’s Tower at Stourhead.

Next morning the sun was raising revealing the frost, as I walked to the top of our field the King Oak was looking hauntingly beautiful.

It took some time open the pop hole in the hen house as it was frozen shut, the ladies rushed out but Jerry did not like the idea of getting is feet cold and stood on the ramp instead.

The Buff Orpington’s have stopped laying until the spring, however there is no stopping Margery (the White Sussex)who also likes to have her apple and linseed porridge first thing.

Eventually he strutted his stuff with Maud.

For Arts Sake Its....Christmas time!

My Christmas selections for this year...

a selection from Hen & Hammock

a selection from Berry Red

Tree O'Clock

Do you know about the Guinness World Record attempt for the most trees planted in one hour on Saturday 5 December 2009?

The Tree O’clock is a learning campaign to celebrate trees and promote understanding and greater awareness of how trees play a role in helping biodiversity.

I picked up some free saplings from the Focus store this morning, I have pledged we will plant five Silver Birch trees. However if you do not have the space to plant your own trees there are many events around the country hosting tree planting.

For more information click here.

It is important to note this tree planting campaign will count towards the UNEP - Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign

.....Notes for International Tree Planters (from the BBC website).....

It is still easy to get involved in the World Record attempt if you live outside the UK. There are just a couple of other pieces of info that you need before you start digging.

• Plant native trees - Its very important to make sure the tree is native to your country and will suit the local climate and soil conditions.

• Correct day and time - Remember the World Record attempt is based on GMT time so make sure you plant your tree between 11am-12noon GMT on the 5 December. To find out what time 11am-12noon GMT is in your country then have a look at the following world time converter.

• Sufficient Light - Please just make sure that there is sufficient light for planting the trees correctly. Trees cannot be planted at night unless sufficient artificial light is made available. This is important both for safe planting and for evidencing your planting by taking your photos!

• Set the correct time and date on your camera.

• The photo must be taken between 11am and 12 noon GMT - we will be checking this information from the photo.
• Email your photo to us at breathingplacestrees@bbc.co.uk, by 12 noon on Friday 11th December 2009.
• Tell us what type of tree you have planted and the full postal address of your site, including postcode, so make sure you include this in your email.