Only four more weeks…..(rubs hands in glee)

[Diane]

No - not Christmas…..but the Solstice. Hooray. Days getting longer again. Can't wait

[oldherbaceous]

Me neither Diane, i pace up and down the corridor to the East Wing each morning, just anticipating the lighter mornings.

[Motherwoman]

It means I don't have to walk the dogs by torchlight in the mornings! We lose the ball too many times even though it's bright orange!

It's called mid-winter festival in our house, trouble is mwf sounds like a type of chipboard...

[alan refail]

Don't forget: it doesn't start getting light earlier in the morning till about 8 January

[Ricard with an H]

It means I don't have to walk the dogs by torchlight in the mornings!

And i'm feeling hard done to because my pooch wakes me up often as early as 5.30 for her breakfast and a pee/poo routine that is clealy very-often an emergency.

All very inconvenient.

[oldherbaceous]

I just love the early mornings, it's always so peaceful.....

[Ricard with an H]

Oh yes, and I have walked Molly early enough to watch the sun rise over the Presselli hills then peddle round to Pwll Deri with a beer in my back-pack to watch the sun go down the other side.

An amazing place I live in, what did I do to deserve this. I must share some photos one day.

[Monika]

Quite contrary to our local forecasts, we have had beautiful weather for the last few days, some with gorgeous sunrises and especially sunsets. Tonight there was a blue/grey white cloud in the west (we can see for more than 12 miles from our house), lit up from below by the setting sun, probably reflected off the sea in Morecambe Bay. A lovely sight.

I planted the last tulip bulbs today. In the greenhouse, the narcissus Paperwhite Ziva are already showing buds, It would be lovely if they flowered for Christmas, they are so fragrant.

Like Diane, I always feel at Christmas the season "tips" towards spring although I know very well that it will be well into January until the days lengthen, especially in the morning.

[Geoff]

Seed orders completed today, that gets you thinking ahead.

[Ricard with an H]

I love being amongst you people, everyone is an optimist and you got me gardening. You also got me gardening yesterday because I felt, 'I ought-to'.

Know what I mean ?

Sort of like silent-school-teachers.

The garlic I planted has shown, in some cases as high as 3 inches. I left just enough room between rows to sow carrot, when the carrot is big enough to need more space the garlic will be wilting. It's what I did last year and even though I did get some fly-attack it was minimal.

[robo]

It is a depressing time of year I always feel happier after Christmas when the days are getting longer and colder

[alan refail]

Good news!
From today onwards it gets dark a little later every afternoon.
Pity about the mornings

[oldherbaceous]

Morning Alan, thank you for the good news, i think i will have a mince pie to celebrate.

[Arnie]

Hi Alan & OH

Thanks for that Alan, I had noticed a sharp drop in eggs from my hens
And make sure its only one OH

Regards

Arnie

[alan refail]

Oop! It's not today, it's next Sunday