Saturday 15 December 2012

nearly there

The birds have left one or two berries on our holly
the cake's almost ready to ice
Got the tree yesterday - only just fitted into the car.  The usual rescued bendy type from the reject pile - far more character!  He'll be officially named soon following his predecessors Bruce the Spruce and Lurch the Larch (our favorite tipsy tree that never stood up straight!!)
Just need to deck the boughs with our old faithfuls
 and officially switch on the burning bay tree
So all that remains is for me to wish you a Merry Christmas Sheffield style - we were singing here today, at the Royal:
(and you can read more about our local carols by clicking here)

and, last but not least, our very own village on Boxing Day.  Apologies for the sound quality, it was blowing a gale last year and I have to admit we misssed the dancing as we'd all overslept!)
and one of my favourite lines from our carols to finish with (though you really had to be there)!!

"Rolling downward through the midnight . . . . . while the music fills the quiv'ring air
Merry Christmas one and all
and lots of love
x x x




Monday 10 December 2012

Biblical moments

Higger Tor and Carl Wark yesterday in the battering winds as the sun was setting - absolutely incredible light changing every second

And it brought to mind W B Yeat's wonderful verse:
Had I the heavens' embroidered cloths,
Enwrought with golden and silver light
The blue and the dim and the dark cloths
Of night and light and the half-light,
I would spread the cloths under your feet:
But I, being poor, have only my dreams;
I have spread my dreams under your feet;
Tread softly because you tread on my dreams.
One of my favourite poems and one of my favourite places!!

Wednesday 5 December 2012

Daytripper




i had to wait ‘til
king’s cross
to tell you how even
these flat fields of middle england
sparkled with an early
morning excitement
in my rush south
to see you.
the soft blue sunday sky
edged with frost,
not quite awake.
thick smoke from the cooling towers
hanging upside down in the icy air.
we sped south, too fast to capture the
fleeting moments that took
my breath away.
flooded fields
glinting in the new light,
flocks of nameless birds
rising over rows
of skeletal poplars.
a perfect light, big skies,
pylons striding out across
frozen furrows,
swollen rivers and
huddles of bedraggled ponies.
the world slowly
waking up to
this new season
of bare beauty
and finally,
suddenly,
the warm
familiar welcome
of London
and you.

King's Place, for delicious warming Pumpkin soup
downtown shopping til we dropped
My amazing birthday treat
with champers no less
Before
and after
and as I sped North again, my favourite London song was whizzing around in my head - play it agan Glenn . . .

 and Jess, a BIG thank you X X X

Tuesday 4 December 2012

my turn

and what a feast I had the next day for my birthday!  Gourmet venison strogonoff a la John Torode with amazing homemade Spatzle and wonderful company


Then off to the Black Bull in time for 'ark 'ark for latecomers!  (See last year)

and there was more birthday celebration to come, little did I know!!  Here's part II