Smelly Christmas and a New Year and

One ritual I almost forgot.

Pomanders.

Orange and spices.

Cloves into orange.  Use a skewer or darning needle to make holes.  Mix your spices in a bowl.  Cover the orange with the spices.

Add ribbon.  

Now the recipe says to put into tissue, cardboard box in warm dark cupboard for 3 - 4 weeks.  Well I havent got that long so its on kitchen roll on top of a radiator shelf till the spices dry out and drop off.  It will smell heavenly from the word go.  

The other tradition I forgot is the Christmas Wreath.  I have enough time to do one and all the stuff to do it with.  Watch this space. 

 Each year previously I have organised friends and others into a coffee and mince pie somewhere and go for it. Wreaths and Pomanders.   Due to the health problems I havent organised anything.  Its a lot more fun doing this in a group than solitarily shoving cloves into an orange .  I had 2 to do but gave up on the one although I did listen to a lovely Classic FM prog from Winchester which helped.

Today has been most unseasonal.  It has been as warm as a windy day in Summer

Oystercatchers sunbathing.

Gulls following the fishing boat.

Wondering why I am warm.

My thanks to a new follower BethB who has given me a kick up the proverbial and finally get round to being serious about my art.  Setting up a shop on my facebook page in the New Year.  I frequently get asked about selling my work and do not approach it properly.  So thanks again Beth.

The same photographer gave me permission to do other paintings from his photographs.  One was a harvest mouse on a dandelion head.  Do you have them where you live?  I may give that one a go.  In fact I think I did.... will have a look through my vast pile of unfinished.....