Advent, at home.

'preparing for Advent in unparallelled times.'

I'm taking part in Angela's annual Advent 'pause'. Only this year it isn't a pause , as we are all probably moving very slowly and carefully , and lives are paused already.

So, thinking about the preparations one makes for this season, and food comes to mind. Not the tins of chocolates/packets of fancy biscuits type of food. More the preparing of things that will go into the freezer, ready for when needed. 

This is what I bought from our lovely local farm shop this week. The owners have turned their business around, and opened a shop in a large marquee, in their field. They sell vegetables, flowers, plants, local honey and bakery items. When you enter there is a feeling of airiness and of space, and of course we all keep to the social distancing rules.

Most of the produce is grown by the family and I have rarely found such freshness. Cauliflower, leeks for soup, carrots (my husband calls them 'proper' carrots with the tops on, a loaf of bread, eggs and a sprout 'tree'. Soup is already made, ready for cold evenings when we just want something warm and comforting while listening to a Christmas choir.

This week there is a Christmassy feel to the shop, as the avenue has been lined with Christmas trees and fairy lights. There's an awning covering a display of Christmas wreaths, all handmade with local holly and fir by one of the family. I've chosen mine for the door but it won't go up till 9th December.

For me, this feeling of home made, home grown preparation comes close to what I want to feel abour Christmas. Less glitter, more Nature.

What do you think?

Stir up Sunday

In England the last Sunday before Advent has the traditional name of Stir up Sunday.

The Victorians took a phrase from the collect of the day ...' Stir up we beseech thee Lord, the wills of thy faithful people'.......and a tradition was born. It became the day on which families gathered together to prepare their Christmas puddings.

When my three children were little we had a fun day when all ingredients were gathered, little aprons found, tall stools squeezed round the kitchen table and off we went.It took a long time to do all the little bits, chopping up nuts, squeezing lemons and oranges, weighing and measuring...and a bit of tasting now and then!

Of course, the most important thing was to make a wish as you stirred the pudding, and didnt tell anyone what you wished for.

How delicious it all smelt as it was stirred together. Then packed into bowls and steamed for several hours, scenting the whole house with Christmas.

I don't know if many people do this now. Marks and Spencers does make a very good pudding. But our way created so many memories.

Tulip planting. 

This week it was time for Tulip planting.

I had bought some bulbs from Sarah Raven, as I have done in the past. I've always found them to be good value. This is the Venetian collection.

In went the first layer.

Then a layer of compost, followed by another layer of bulbs. Sarah calls this  'the Lasagne method'

They are covered up and will stay there till Spring.

The colours should be quite lovely.

I'm having a bit of fun, a little competition, with a friend in Herefordshire, an avid gardener. They have half of the pack of bulbs and planted them on the same day as mine. We're going to see whose come up first. As they have already had frosts hard enough to attack their Dahlias, I wonder if mine might be the first to appear?

Thank you for the many enquiries about my medical tests. The Covid was negative, and I'm waiting for the results of the other pulmonary related ones. No news is good news!

 Autumn leaves

It's the last bit of colour in  the garden now, just a few brave leaves clinging on to the Cherry Tree branches. The wind blows them hither and thither, some fall, some cling.

Leaves lie on the lawn drifting with the wind. Each one a colour of Autumn.

The gardener rakes them up each week, and they will provide compost next year.

 Little clutches of Cyclamen liven up a small area. Their colourful faces give me joy as they relentlessly battle through rain and wind and come up smiling.

Leaves and flowers together.

It's the end of another season in the garden.

Now there is planning to do.