Sombre November

I have two bad months Karen, November like you and February which I find equally as bleak.
We're into the second week now so time is flying which brings us to Christmas of which now I'm older I'm not really a fan anymore.
It'll be great for you with Nimah though (hope I've spelt it correctly).
Love the crocheting, I used to crochet a lot and my granddaughter Lexie loves it.
You've some smashing plants still in flower. I'm suitably impressed with Salvia African skies still flowering away.
I was so happy to get my lawn mowed this afternoon! How sad is that, haha!

I agree with you & Janey about November & February, they are very dull months. Nov here has been damp & misty for ages, so I’m pining for some sun. Sunny, dry & a bit frosty is nice. However things are still flowering in my garden as they are in yours. I have a Nandina domestica too, also 2 pots of Violas. I will take a few photos & put them on.
I love your crochet. I can’t do it. However I recently knitted my sons a jumper each, one was in that multi coloured wool like you are using. I was surprised when it came all striped, anyway it turned out good! Thanks for posting pics of your garden& craft work. Best wishes.

You still have lots of colour in your garden and despite the gloomy days must cheer you up a bit.
I love the crocheting too. It must be a relaxing hobby.
I just don't like November or December now since I have lost Rick.
I got up today with lots of enthusiam to get in the garden and continue cutting back shrubs which have gone mad this year..but it rained!! Oh well, there is always another day!

Janey, you’re so right. The only good thing about February is it’s short! However, down here you would at least see some daffodils during that month, whereas in Scotland I’d be bracing myself for 3 more months of winter! So maybe February won’t be so difficult any more. Last Feb. We moved in here so it really flew by. Niamh will have a blast this Christmas. It’s going to be a good one with her Uncle Callum to play with for the first time too. I hope you have a peaceful time and that the sun shines on you Janey. X

Thanks Feverfew. The stripes are quite wonderful aren’t they? And what’s not to love about a Nandina? Even the plain green one is lovely!

Rose, I am so sorry that you struggle so much at this time of year without Rick. The garden can be a huge solace when the rain stops. Even the hard work of hacking everything back and tidying up can be very helpful I find. Same with my 4 mile daily walks. I always do my best thinking and problem solving when I’m out walking by myself.

I enjoyed your crochet project, Karen. You are obviously versatile with craft projects and undaunted by such large ones. I have bought the multi-coloured wools myself and have been surprised at how they turn out. I started a cardi last year and am really not that keen on the combination of thick and thin stripes. I think I shall want to see photos of how they knit up before I try again!
As for the winter months, I was born in January so split them up with 'before' and 'after'. Christmas overkill doesn't figure much anymore as we're older and I can't bare the consumerism. The highlight, as you say, is family and friends.
Your garden is full of colour and will give you much to enjoy next year. I think after the brutal summer we are being rewarded with an extension of pleasure in plants.

I wish I could walk by myself Karen, but find it better if I walk with someone, so earlier this year I bought a tread mill so that I can still get some exercise.

Thank you Angela. Regards the yarn, I know what you mean about the irregular stripes. The colours are so cheerful though. Once I have reached a good size I will edge it with a frill. I like something to occupy my hands in the long dark evenings. :)

Rose, you are wise to take good care of yourself. The town of Shaftesbury is small, and I go right around the edge of it which gives me almost exactly 4 miles. And that is enough for me at the moment. Hopefully I can build up some strength in my legs again! Your treadmill will do just as well. We have an excercise bike in the garage and a tv, but the cycling, although it helps with fitness, does absolutely nothing for my soul! :)

Karen, you'll be warmer where you are now and yes spring will start sooner than it does in Scotland..☺️
You'll have Callum at Christmas and all the family in your new home too, that's exciting..
Stourhead in the spring will be a joy too and I'm looking forward to seeing your spring pics of it.
BTW I still can't post a blog on here, oh well...

Thanks Janey. These few sunny days have made such a difference too. But yes, a lot to look forward to! X

I'm late to this blog Karen, felt unwell for ten days or so after Sarah's wedding, cough and cold with backache of all things. Anyway, all ok now so I'm catching up on GoY.

Goodness, you have a lot of colour still in your lovely garden and I do hope these bitterly cold temperatures don't spoil much for you. It is set to be back up to 13 or 14 degrees on Saturday, hooray!.

Yesterday I spotted foliage of Daffodils popping through, also a couple of Crocus, madness really even the vine still has some Grapes hanging on in there.

Wow Shirley! How lovely to see the bulbs popping up already! I have yet to see any, but I’ll need to keep an eye out for them!

Hahaha Karen ... you're in the deep South now!

Hope you are feeling well now Shirley. I was very ill immediately after Rachel’s wedding. Think I had Covid. That was in late Dec. 2019.

Thanks Karen, the backache was the worst symptom but all ok now, thank goodness. One of the wedding guests, a man from Los Angeles, was feeling rotten and returned home to find he had Bronchitis, poor man.

Oh dear..not a happy memory for him then!

I think he enjoyed the day as best as his health would let him! Very blustery here today, let's say a beach walk isn't planned ... :o((

No, it was horrible here…so dark and wet. Squally winds, but my pots are all still upright.

Good that the pots haven't been blown over. The ones I've placed under the shelter of the vine have about six inches of leaves all around them now. Strange how the leaves amass in one place.

When the clocks change, I start counting down to the shortest day. We started at 56 days and we're now down to 28 so half way there. Then the days start getting longer and there are the first stirrings of new growth

Shirley, my two potted junipers on the garage wall blew over and both pots are cracked! I shall have to get heavier, square pots for them. So annoyed, but it’s nothing compared to people dealing with flooding.

Andrew, thanks for that news…we are getting there! My Iris reticulata are pushing up in their pots!

Oh Karen, that's really sad for you. A house brick in the bottom of the next pots may help stabilise them?

I've just been watching the news on the flooding and feel so bad for these people, lost businesses, possessions with no insurance for some ... just dreadful.

If only some billionaires around the word would donate ... fat chance of that though!

Yes, It’s just awful to see.