Not good weather for chickens!

Well, when I awoke this morning there was a light covering of snow, and it was still snowing. It continued to snow all day, leaving us with at least 8 inches by nightfall, when it eventually stopped. I felt so sorry for the chickens, sheltering under the trampoline all day. I threw some food under there, and set up a bowl of water for them. But they did look sorry for themselves. I then had to clear a path back to the eglu as the snow was past their bellies, and even then Betty had to be enticed by raisins the whole way! Stuart got his Christmas present a little early, he was looking everywhere for a hat, and I knew exactly where there was one, the one I knitted for him, to be just like the one I made Ethan last Christmas!

A bit of sledging was had on the sledge I got for Christmas.... oooh.... about 30 years ago!

Followed by a spot of dancing to some Christmas songs from an album Stuart had as a child. In fact, at lunch time, we were sat eating, listening to "Rudolph the red nosed reindeer", when simultaneously Alec and Ethan shouted out "Ho, Ho, Ho" at the appropriate part! It all felt very Christmas-sy and nostalgic.

Does it feel like Christmas yet?

I have been getting worried. We are well into December and the festive season seemed to be passing us by. I was beginning to wonder what makes it feel like Christmas? Is it the coming together of various projects?

The decorating of the tree?

Or the rest of the house?

The putting up of outside lights?

Or something else?

I know whatever it is, it has eventually reached us. We are all looking forward to Christmas, with spending time together with extended family.

Hope you are all beginning to feel festive too

Beautiful winter!

As I have been out and about these last few days, the first comment anybody makes is, "brrr, it's very cold isn't it!" But that is not the first thing that strikes me when I step outside, it is "how stunning!" "how beautiful!" and "how fragile!"

I couldn't help but take some photos of our neighbourhood, and how it is transformed by the frost.

These silver birch leaves remind me of a stained glass window, nearly translucent leaves edged with frost.

I have marvelled at how the frost has developed over the last few days.

The tree on the green has looked majestic in its frosty cloak.

And what better time to get around to doing one of our advent activites. Ice art.

Here's the tree in the front garden decorated with our ice art. I can see this becoming a winter long activity. So easy, and so effective.

The extreme weather has made me think how winter drives us all to our homes, how frightening those times must have been for our ancestors who were more reliant on the land for their food, and how stark these times would have been for them. How thankful this makes me that I have warmth, food, and a loving home to retreat to.

Hoping you are all keeping warm, but also seeing the beauty around us.

Best laid plans...

...always go awry.

Illness has struck, along with just enough snow that makes using Stuart's car a suicidal mission. This has meant that I have been carless all week, which has been an eye-opener to say the least! We only became a 2 car family about 6 years ago, when it seemed mad for Stuart to be commuting in a 7-seater car to work, so he bought a Mazda which is a lovely car in the summer, but in the winter it will spin on the slightest patch of ice, so to play it safe he has used the big car for work. For me it has meant walking everywhere, something I wouldn't have given a second thought about a few years ago. I didn't think I used the car much anyway, but my body is telling me otherwise! So one thing I have learned from this week is to get fitter, and perhaps ditch the car much more!

Alec and Ethan have had time off from school, Alec with a cough and temperature he has kindly shared with the rest of us, and Ethan... well... he had a day off but I think it might have been false pretences!

Some music has happened...
...but sadly not my cello, it has managed to detune itself something chronic! Another thing learned... to get a cello tuner!

Sophie has a bit of a thing for "The Hives" and their song "tick,tick boom!" This is her dancing around to it. I think on this particular occasion we had around 20 renditions of it!

Advent has come upon us. We have a lovely advent calendar with little sacks for each day to hang from the reindeers antlers.

Each day is filled with an activity, but to date we have not managed to do any of them.

My plan was to wait until all the children were home from school, and do the things then, and I had especially put simple activities such as "hot chocolate" on the busy days when we have after school activities. But, the only time we have all been together has been mealtimes, and then it is the whole bed time routine. I think perhaps I will just have to get on and do them with whoever is around at the time. I must say the lure of snow has been hard to compete with!

Hot chocolate has been had though. And thoroughly enjoyed!

Some activities have happened. Some thumb print snowmen...

...and robins made from a chopped up carrot. But I think I was probably the most enthusiastic about all this :(

One thing that has really brightened my week though was an arrival of a Christmas present. Stuart asked if I would like it early as it was too big to take away with us. Well, of course, I said I didn't mind, but Luke insisted I have it now.

I have been trying to get me head around it all. Looking at the price of fleeces, and the children have all been having a practice treadling! Ethan, bless him, suggested we could have some sheep in the back garden, and Alec suggested we could buy that cottage in Wales, have sheep, chickens, a farm shop etc. Stuart reckons I've been brainwashing them, I promise I haven't!!

Here's one for you!

Sat around the dinner table the other night, and for the umpteenth time I had asked Luke to stop playing with the candles! But we then started looking and thinking about the flame, and the candles, and what exactly was happening there.

Multiple theories abounded, from the wax acting as an inhibitor, slowing the burning of the wick down, allowing it to burn completely, to something within the wax acting as a fuel, because when it is melted it will allow a piece of burnt wood (ie a spent match) to catch light really quickly, and once the wax is gone, it no longer burns. However wax will not burn by itself, so cannot be a fuel. Where does the wax go?

I don't think we came to any conclusions, but could see and understand the other points of view. Ethan could not understand why we were so concerned about the candle and flame, and kept coming to tell us to stop (the meal had long ended, and it was Stuart, Mum, Luke and I who were still sat in the candlelight debating).

I'd be interested to hear if anyone has any other theories, or could actually shed some light on this (sorry for the pun, couldn't be helped!) And as for candle-lit dinners, they are wonderful!

Mama Made Monday -Bit of a catch up post!

I eventually completed the dress for Sophie which had been bought in kit form for Christmas last year. Unfortunately she has decided she doesn't like tights or dresses at the moment. I'm hoping this phase will pass before she outgrows the dress! I decided I wanted a little distraction from Christmas present making, so started making snowflakes! I eventually want to string them together with ribbon to make downward hanging garlands.

Some of the baskets awaiting filling.

A sneaky peek at the season swap I am making

The guitar strap for Alec, nearly completed the crocheting, just need to felt it then.

A book mark for a secret santa I am involved with.

And a dishcloth for Mum, not for Christmas or anything, but as she commented on my dishcloths the other day, I thought I could make one for her too.

I like this time of year, snuggling down with a ball of wool, and creating, whilst it freezes and throws all kinds of inclement weather at us.

Hope you are all keeping warm, and finding things to occupy your time too.

Snowy weather activites?

What do you do when you discover it has snowed overnight? Put on warm clothes, race outside and play in the snow? Not if your in this household!

Luke has spent the last couple of evenings making a gun out of paper, via instructions on you tube! So, he finished it off, and then demonstrated it. Paper bullets flying out under the power of his breath. He then discovered instructions to build a basic gun that fires elastic bands, rather effective too!

Sophie did venture outside, and discovered "Balls! Snow.....balls"

To be fair, the boys did eventually go outside, just before lunch, and have only just come in, just before tea. So I can't complain too much!