Hasty but heartfelt

(Free range Exmoor ponies in Sussex, so sweet.)

Happy New Year post, 

before we step through the door into 2015.

Thank you for your kind visits and messages during 2014.

Every one of them greatly appreciated.

Gathering in

The food is ready,

the presents wrapped,

the candles lit

the children and

grandchild are here.

Just one very important great-uncle to arrive

and then our Christmas can begin properly.

Getting there slowly

Sweet orange pastry for the mince pies -

Josceline Dimblebey's recipe every year.

Red cabbage and apple with sausages and mash.

Winter walks of course

even if we nearly forget to get out in time.

A winter surprise.

But it has been very warm.

Advent windows,

(one of them mine).

The tree at last despite a hissy fit with the lights.

A shining light on these darkling days.

Christmas in the Spring

 A three hour transformation took place in my kitchen today.

The team - Art Director, Stylist, Photographer and Publisher

brought nearly everything they needed

(that tea pot got lucky)

to create an impression of a bright spring day in the country

on an exceptionally dull December one in town.

As far as I could tell,

all that was going to remain of the original location,

was a hazy impression of a 'country' garden in the background.

Even the table top was theirs,

carefully selected from a backgrounds rack

in a props warehouse.

Who knew?

The cake, though scrumptious looking,

was deemed to be a little too messy,

so I stepped forward with an offer of knives

to tidy it up.

Later someone found a plate of macarons in my fridge

and decided that they would be just perfect

for the Waitrose version of the advertisement.

Bunting was called for but later abandoned as 

too much in the way of the copy that had to be added later.

I believe this is one of the selected shots,

possibly destined for Sainsbury's or Tesco magazines

as I can't see any macarons in it.

Disappointingly no flowers or cakes were left behind.

I am not familiar with this author

so I have looked her up for you.

Now I can bring in the Christmas tree.

Christmas trees past

We never tire of this walk on the Sussex coast.

Every visit is different, dependant on tide, time of day, 

time of year and weather conditions.

Recently there have been storms and big tides which pushed all the shingle away 

to expose flat sand and

ancient preserved trees. 

Large chunks of a sunken forest have been torn up  

and thrown onto the beach.

Thought to be at least 6000 years old,

oak, birch and hazel have been identified in the peaty masses.

Sea levels here were about 100 feet lower than they are today

and the forest was preserved when sea levels rose and flooded the woodland.

What you see is not fossilised but the original spongy tree roots and branches.

Recent man made structures are also weathering

and present wonderfully sculptural eroded forms at low tide.

A trick of the light

The landing light super moon.

Taking a step back

Yesterday I surprised myself

by making three jars of blackberry jam.

 And where you might ask, 

are the seasonally appropriate pictures of

mincemeat making,

of pine tree felling,

of pudding stirring

of Christmas belling?

Are you trying to mess with my mind?

Will it be meringues and cream tomorrow?

Are you trying to cater more for your Antipodean reader?

Well yes, all of the above because there are six egg whites in there too

 but the day before yesterday

I applied Marie Kondo's theories to the freezer food category.

If it didn't spark joy, or leave room for my chicken stock to feel appreciated

out it went.

But then I couldn't bring myself to chuck the defrosted blackberry puree

down the plughole, 

so I made jam.

And the jam can be gifts

so we will be back in sync.

All is calm. . .

. . .for now.

Although it has been an anxious time with granddaughter 

admitted to hospital for three nights 

to treat an infection with iv antibiotics.

She is home now and as cheerful as ever considering

the nasty tasting medicine she must still try to take.