all change (accidentally)

The garden is still providing oriental salad greens and kale. Oh kale. I am still finding ways to eat kale. And I know that come spring I will plant just as much up as ever. I am at the stage now of snapping off new heads in their entirety which means there will be no new growth, between me and the chickens I am down to a few plants. Still, it's been good, I bow low to kale.





We had a power cut for a few hours last night, just our little lonely house. This means it takes the power company a whole lot longer to fix us back up than if a whole street were down. But I quite liked it. And I dug out the masses and masses of paper lanterns I made a couple of years back. We played cards, read, knitted and ate eggs, because the Aga always keeps it's precious heat for a least a day after it's switched off. Also we had our wood burner, which gives off so much heat and light. It was good, we were part way through the Witches movie and everyone had the 'scares'. So it was good to have a change of pace, and um, have no pace to meet. Just candles and quiet. And everyone *was* a lot quieter. Esmé cried and moaned for the first twenty minutes, and then when the lights came back on she moaned again a great deal. She is not someone who copes well with the unexpected (or you know, um just the normal or regular stuff either, lest be honest). She really likes people to know her suprise. In all things.





The tree is still up and I am enjoying it, usually by now in the season I am ready for it to be down and tossed into the woods, but this year, it seems it's hardly been up. Hardly any needles dropped (which pays homage to the low temperatures in our house, generally) and it's hardiness, also, it still smells wonderful. Oh Christmas tree oh Christmas tree, you are so fair and lovely. Last year Isaac cried when it came down, this year I might stand and weep (oh, and Esmé of course). I feel emotional. About pretty much everything right now. Maybe I am more like The Beauty (or vice versa) than I'd like to admit...





We have been busier, mostly than we all needed this holiday time. And now I am aiming for a great January chill. I will sit and knit and read and surf the net and cook and bake and potter and re organise, walk my dog (with and without children) and maybe turn over and manure some of the veg garden. I don't know, perhaps I might not get into anything that strenuous. I am taking my New Year resolutions monthly. And the month of January is just to relax. I resolve to do that.





I knit a tiny thing, for a tiny wee someone watching two films this week. The purple yarn is merino and silk with a touch of alpaca, so I sort if didn't want it to end. Now I will use the remaining to make myself a hat I think. Mine is slack and baggy, like a tam-o-shanter or something. I love purple. I really do, not lilac, but rich and deep.

Happy New Year! And sorry about the weird blog changes, I didn't mean to change the whole template, but now my little brain can't figure out how to switch it back, because I think my old template is no longer an option. I'll work something out that I like, eventually. I am certainly liking the way photos can be BIG. It's FUN. And capitals look super awesome big too. Maybe it needed a change anyway (just don't tell Esmé if you value your hearing).