A New Year Ramble

New Year

We watched the Thames embankment New Year firework display on the television as we let in the New Year.  It was magnificent as always and this year I endeavoured to capture a few shots of it. 

Come rain, come shine

All our flowers have been brilliant this Christmas.  Although the Hyacinths are short-lived their perfume is heavenly.  You will notice that the background is a rainy window but in fairness I should point out the last two days have been mild and sunny. Much more like Spring than Winter.  

Nevertheless, the woodland floor of our little copse around the corner is still totally impassable without a stout pair of wellies.

And even with the sunshine that sky looks somewhat threatening.

The thorn trees in the playground are covered with berries as they always are at this time of year.

Ivy Puss

“If I hide in these boxes by the back door perhaps I can sneak out when the door is next opened…”

Blogger

I went back to my old Wordpress postcrossing blog to check something the other day. And what did I find?  A video at the bottom of the blog posting I looked up.  A video?  I never  put any videos on that blog.  It turns out it’s an advertising one.  When you click on the ‘Why is this advert here’ it says – either the blogger has put adverts on this site as part of a money making programme or they have failed to pay to upgrade their Wordpress account.  Upgrading, of course, costs one money.  I’m awfully glad my experiment with Wordpress was comparatively short-lived and I came back to Blogger voluntarily because it was providing the better service. Had I not done so I would have been driven back here now by the cost.  

Twelfth Night

Postcards, erecting (or rather re-erecting) shelves, tree-felling and spring cleaning have occupied me this last week.  The tree that I 'felled' was the Christmas tree which came down with the rest of the decorations on Twelfth night.  Twelfth Night is often thought of as January 6th - Epiphany - but strictly it is the evening of January 5, the eve of the Epiphany and formerly the twelfth and last day of Christmas festivities. 

In our house, spring cleaning is an automatic consequence of taking the decorations down.  It’s an excuse not only for some dusting and polishing but to move some furniture and ornaments around,.  This year part of the objective has been minimalism.  The removal of anything even vaguely capable of being pushed off the window ledges as the dreaded Ivy jumps up on them.

And talking of Twelfth Night -

A great while ago the world begun,      

               With hey, ho, the wind and the rain,  

            But that's all one, our play is done,       

               And we'll strive to please you every day.