Today is the Winter Solstice, this year it falls on the 22nd December.
I love the Winter Solstice, I think I may even prefer it to the 25th (I know some of you will find that shocking)!!
The shortest day of the year is such a hopeful day, after today we will gradually regain our daylight and my heart skips a beat at the very thought of that!
I think it’s something like 2 minutes a day, so by the end of one week we’ll have gained almost a quarter of an hour and in a month’s time we will have an extra hour of daylight to call our own.
The above photo is of my daffodil bulbs just look how they are growing! We do have much milder temperatures than last year, today it was 12 degrees C which is about 30 degrees higher than last December. The weather forecasters have said we have no chance of a white Christmas but I don’t think I’ll lose any sleep over that!
This is what my greenhouse looks like today, we haven’t had to put the heater on at all this year and some of my summer plants are still blooming.
Now I know that you know that spring and summer are always in my heart but don’t worry we really do celebrate Christmas in this house!
Everywhere has been decorated, the house has now been cleaned from top to bottom, the presents bought and wrapped, the food shopping done except for fruit and veg and I think we’re now all ready for the festivities.
This will be my last post before the ‘big’ day. I want to thank you all so much for visiting me here during 2011, I really appreciate every single comment that has been left for me. I cherish the friendships I have made through blogging and I love visiting you all in your blogs too!
I hope you all have the most wonderful Christmas with the ones you love and I’ll see you all on the other side!
HAPPY CHRISTMAS !!! 🙂 xxxxxxxxxx
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I’m definitely not shocked as you will know from my last post!¬ I was amazed to notice daffodils along the roadside near here in full bloom today! Hope indeed and let’s all hope that 2012 will be a better year than 2011 in so many respects. Wishing you a peaceful and Happy Christmas.
I too am glad the days are about to start lengthening. It is very mild here in NW England – some of the trees are in bud already and I’ve only had to scrape ice off the car twice so far this Winter. A far cry from last year!
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas!
The turn of the season into lightness is always a cause for celebration in my eyes – Spring here we come! Do you think it’s a tad early to think about sowing some seeds? I have done it before on New Year’s Day.
Happy Christmas Vivienne.
P xx
Hope you and your family have a wonderful Christmas full of cheer!! We aren’t getting a white Christmas here either .. but we don’t mind 🙂
Dear Vivienne,
I think White Christmas comes from the happy, joyful feeling – I have felt that under the Spanish sun for a few times too 🙂 So let’s enjoy this, last year we had -30! And I am not missing it one bit.
Merry Christmas, dear friend and then: welcome spring!!!!
Yours,
Mia
Festive greetings Vivienne, I’m going to blame my diary for doing my Solstice post on the wrong day! Too far ahead of myself and in a fluster to check, I totally agree that the Solstice really does mark a more significant point for me than the 25th which is almost a case of just going through the motions because it’s Christmas and it’s expected.
I can almost feel those lighter days and the mild weather is making my life easier because my hands and feet are warm enough to function, not a bit interested in a white Christmas!
It’s been lovely to discover your blog this year and I’ve enjoyed reading your posts so look forward to catching up again next year. Hope you and yours have a great festive season and all the best for 2012!
Sally xx
It’s amazing how big your daffodils are already!! I too love the return of the light and the warmer Spring days to come (Spring being my favourite season!) though I do also enjoy the cosy dark nights of winter too. Merry Christmas to you and family Vivienne, I will look forward to reading more of your lovely blog in 2012 🙂
Like you I feel happy to see the new green bulb shoots coming through, and to look forward to our garden days again! Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas, Vivienne…..looking forward to seeing you on the other side, and all through 2012 too!
Helen x
How wonderful to still have blooms in your greenhouse Vivienne, now the shortest day is over we can look forward to the coming of Spring, that’s the wonderful thing, no matter which season we are in there is always a new one waiting around the corner, each with it’s own delights.
I’ll be posting for the last time this year on Christmas Eve, then a little bloggy break is in order for me, I’ll be back in the New Year……….so I’ll wish you a very Merry Christmas, it’s been lovely visiting your blog and getting to know you………best wishes for 2012 dear friend,
lily xx
Yay Vivienne, we are now past the shortest day and daylight will return. Mind you it’s been so dismal here today and it’s now pouring with rain. Good to see that you are spick and span for Christmas day. We have now finished work and we’re off until after the New Year. How good is that? Wishing you a very Merry Christmas with your family. I’m blogging again tomorrow…I can never have too much of Christmas can I ;0)
Hugs,
Jane x
It’s good to be on the path back to the light! Have a lovely Christmas Vivienne 😀
Happy Christmas Vivienne. I am glad that the shortest day has passed and we are now moving in to the light!!! Have a lovely time with your family and I will ‘see’ you next year! x
Hooray for hope and gradually lengthening days. At this time of year it’s hard to remember what it feels like to sit out in the garden under the summer sun but good to know that we’re edging back towards those long lazy days again! I know I’ve said it already but it doesn’t hurt to say it twice – a very merry Christmas to you Vivienne xxx
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas Vivienne. I will look forward to many more beautiful posts from you in the New Year.
Lou xxx
I hope you´re enjoying Christmas to it´s fullest – I´m so happy to be off work and just relaxing (and eating) with my family! 🙂
Take care! 🙂
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas, and I would just like to wish you all the best for 2012 🙂 xxx
Hello Vivienne,
Sorry to be so slow in writing.
I love Christmas AND the solstice time. My parent’s wedding anniversary was 21 December.
Here’s to sunshine, flowers and spring!!
Anne
PlumCreek22