Winter creeping in.

During the spring and summer I have been very motivated (for me) and have been going out for a walk each morning, usually between 7 and 7.30am ... but now the mornings are too dark, today it hasn't really got light at all, rain wall-to-wall so I am going to have to change my routine. The thing I like about walking first thing is that it sets me up for the day, I feel more creative and I don't have to interact with anyone purely because there is nobody around. It is 'my' time and I will miss it. I am generally a big fan of Autumn and Winter, I prefer it cooler, love cooking stews and things in the slow cooker, and I like cozy nights, but there is always a drawback and I think I have found it! Never mind, roll on spring.

Happy New Year!

Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year, I had the never-ending cold from hell so am just pleased to have clearer nasal cavities! Not much to ask for really. Aside from that things were good, lots of films were watched, friends and family seen, far too much to eat as usual.

It is back to relative normality today, the Husband was back to work at 7am, I got back into my daily habits and its like the festive season never happened...apart from the tinsel still adorning the pictures in the living room.

Anyway, here's to 2019, be a good year please!

Winter is coming!

...and not just in a Game of Thrones type way (can't wait for that to be back on). We awoke this morning to a frost, white roof and a chill in the air...then the wind picked up and it instantly felt arctic! Luckily I put my fuchsias in the greenhouse yesterday in readiness due to the forecast, fingers crossed they survive the winter. As the clocks change in the early hours of tomorrow morning, the days will become shorter and temperatures will generally drop...although to be honest I don't mind, I like cosying up, there are potatoes baking in the oven as I type.

Anyway, wherever you are, keep toasty!

The Big Thaw.

On Friday it snowed...then on Sunday it snowed some more...a LOT more. For the last 3 days we have been in a white world, schools and businesses closed, lots of photographs being taken. But today it is thawing, the colour of the world is gradually coming back, and everything is dripping, hopefully it won't freeze again tonight and make the ground a sheet of ice...but I have my doubts! We had -13 the night before last, and it was very cold last night too so we'll see.

Hope you are warm wherever you are!

Clocks back, first frost.

Well, it seems winter is well and truly on the way, yesterday the clocks went back an hour (giving us an extra hour in bed) and the weather is definitely getting chilly. We went out last night as we usually do on a Sunday, and when we walked home at around 10.30, it was freezing...literally. Frost- the first of this autumn - was coating everything in sparkles, and it was a beautiful, clear night with stars glinting overhead. luckily the central heating was on when we opened the front door, and we warmed up very quickly...brrr.

On getting out of bed this morning at 6am, the frost was still there, and it was getting light. Last week it was still dark at that time with no birds singing, what a difference an hour makes! Although it will be dark at 5pm, that early morning bit of light helps the day get going!

Busy Summer...restful Autumn.

Hi all, yes, I know, I haven't posted all summer...but I have been REALLY busy and have been physically away for most of it. I have been helping out on a friend's food stall at various events and have travelled around a lot of the country meeting great people and seeing lovely places, it is over now, so time to get back to my 'thing' and work from home, make my jewellery for Etsy (pagannature.etsy.com) and enjoy autumn and winter.

I love this time of year - being a jumper and blanket type of person, so when others including my husband are complaining about the cold, rain and dark, I am quietly reveling in it! Even down to cooking, stews, roasts, stodgy puddings...total comfort food.

So, I have sorted my wardrobe, summer things away, winter things rediscovered, set the heating timer so it never really gets too chilly in the house and have stocked up on stock cubes and tins in the food cupboard...bring it on winter.

When is your favourite time of year? Let me know, and if it's now I hope you are well. I'm on twitter @gemmsky if you want to connect there :)

First stormy day...

After turning in at around 5am this morning (usual night owl behavior) I fell straight to sleep and woke up to a very stormy day, the rain and wind lashing at the window, cars making swooshing noises as they drove by and a distinct chill in the air - the first real autumnal storm has arrived.

I like a storm, it makes me feel awake, the way trees dance and that weird light that comes with violent weather is really special, but then I am lucky to live in a warm dry home, it would be a totally different story otherwise, and I always think of homeless souls and those who have their homes damaged by this kind of weather. There are reports on the news today of storm damage at the coast, caravans being torn to bits and big waves smashing town defenses. Thoughts are with them.

So today will mostly be spent indoors, drinking coffee, and making things for etsy...not bad.

Clear stars, snowy trees.

This evening we had our first real snow of this winter, huge flakes falling and covering everything with a quiet, snow-lit blanket. Within the space of a couple of hours, even though it is cold outside, the snow has started to melt, and the sky has cleared to reveal a beautiful display of twinkling stars - Orion shining over the snow dusted trees is a truly remarkable sight which I feel very lucky to have seen.

Festive Lights.

Hello all, and a happy December to you! We had a good weekend, doing the first of our Christmas Fayres at a local school, even though the festive season still seems a long way off, the feelings of winter and everything it brings are well upon us. On Saturday the town Christmas lights were turned on and we went up to see the big event, it was surprisingly warm weather-wise but with a cup of mulled wine in hand out in the dark town square it felt very festive. Now it is December, preparations will be happening all over the place, we have another Christmas Fayre in the lovely town of Much Wenlock this coming Saturday - an early start, set up at 6.30am! I will be looking forward to chatting with customers, drinking hot chocolate and generally felling the glow of Yule approaching.

Foggy Nights.

It has got a lot colder here the last two nights, followed by lovely frosty mornings. Last night and this evening have been particularly foggy, and actually very nice - although a bit of a pain for driving anywhere. I passed through my home town last night, and although damp and cold, the fog made for a very atmospheric time. The church tower was illuminated, and even though the outline was shrouded in fog, the light gave a glow which made the surrounding rooftops into an amazing silhouette which was very eerie. The other thing I noticed was the dampening effect the fog had on sound, much like when it snows, town was quiet and calm with only the occasional passing person or car to lift the silence - I do like winter!

Chainmaille and a bubbling stew!

Evening folks, hope you re all well as ever. I've a had a busy but good day today at the workshop making felt and chainmaille - it's what I do. I got home this evening in the cold and dark to find my friend had started a beautiful smelling beef stew in the slow cooker, it will probably be ready in a few days mind you - the aromas driving my taste buds mad until then! All we need is an open fire and some Mead and I've had a pretty medieval day - brilliant :)

Cold, wet and wintry.

Hi all, well, today I feel the grip of winter descending, it is 4.40pm as I type, it is nearly dark outside, its raining and bloomin' cold! I do like winter, but have been lulled into a false sense of security by the unseasonably warm weather we have had of late. On Friday we had the warmest Halloween on record, it was dry and mild, but today things seem to be catching up with how November normally is.

I hope we have a dry, chilly winter, in all seriousness we need a few frosts to kill of the bugs in the garden and germs that bring on ill health - it is what out climate should be, even if it is inconvenient. I think I will be digging out my scarves and gloves tomorrow, whist packing away thinner clothes until next year!