In a Vase on Christmas Day – what no snow?

‘Unless we make Christmas an occasion to share ourselves blessings, all the snow in Alaska won‘t make it ‘white” Bing Crosby (1903–1977)

I’ve been thinking about blessings alot this Christmas One of my favourite Christmas songs is the duet between the mighty very missed David and Bing – The Little Dummer Boy. Though, I don’t consider Christmas season has started until I hear Fairytale of New York. 

We have music on most of the time when we are in the house.  We’ve got modern Christmas songs at the moment, as we’ve been opening presents, reading cookbooks and drinking coffee.  My Chap is reading Lisbon and I’m reading Nigel Slater’s Christmas Chronicles.  I think I might be writing about food more on the blog next year – My Chap says he’s going to bake more too.

For my Vase today, I have snowberry from a neighbour’s hedge (I love living in #Monton), some curry plant leaves (as food is integral to our Christmas and life), the Son of Tom hardy fuchsia by the kitchen window (#fuchsias a long time love), bamboo which came in a pot from My Chap’s garden when he moved in with me,  and some sticks (red)  from the one of the few shrubs in our garden when I got moved in.  I’d never noticed before how red the bark is, as it’s usually pruned before now.  It’s a bit of a mishmash but that’s a bit like life, isn’t it? We become sum of all the parts.

25 December 2017 – In a Vase on Monday – snowberry, fuchsia, bamboo

Cathy over at Rambling in the Garden has bright red Cornus around a candle, on a bed of pine cones and rose hips. Very festive – do have a look at the ‘vases’ from around the world added by the #IAVOM team, they’re added at the bottom of Cathy’s posts every week. These flowers have lifted my soul in the dark times.  Thank you everyone 🙂

Cathy will probably fall off her chair in shock, when I post my link as I’m on the right day! I’m usually at least a day late!

So Merry Christmas to all my readers, especially all the In A Vase on Monday gardening bloggers from all around the world – may your gardens’ grow well in the direction you want with few pests (especially slugs!) 🙂

… May your days, be merry and bright… White Christmas (composed by Irving Berlin in 1942) 

So let’s have merry and bright days, not just at Christmas but everday. It’s the little things, that make the memories.

So, especially today, I am thinking of all those no longer with us; my darling, unforgettable brother Matt,  my wonderful Dad Jay, the man mountain Steve, and the force of Nature, Uncle Fred.  All loved cooking and often made turkey curry on Boxing Day :-. My Husband does that too 🙂 I’ve written about them before at Christmas, and will write about them again, I’m sure.

Bright memories – Forever in my heart xx xx xx

25 December 2017 – Yoda loves Christmas too

I loved ‘The Last Jedi’, it‘s complex, dark and funny. Leia, Luke and Rey showing the way (and yoda too).

 ‘May the force be with you’ – Star Wars I–VII (1977 –?)

The sun is shining, so my Husband and I are off for a walk, along the Bridgewater Canal, holding hands as usual  🙂 #365daysofselfcare

Today’s photo on Instagram for #blurtmerrycalmness.  Day 25: CONNECT – thinking about all our friends and family from around the world who came to celebrate our wedding in September with us 🙂  It was a wonderful day 🙂

Instagram @becmonton56

Carpe Diem,

Merry Christmas everyone,

Love Bec xx xx xx

In a Vase on Monday – Love and rosemary for remembrance

In a Vase on Monday – rosemary, curry plant, lemon mint and pelargoniums – 30 December 2015

I want to tell you the pleasure, the sheer unbridled joy, of cooking without a recipe… In Truth good eating depends on nothing more than fine ingredients simply cooked. Nigel Slater Appetite (2000)

I’ve loved four men in my life; they all adore cooking, and believe that providing wonderful food is a way of expressing their love for the people they care about. They are my Dad J, my brother M who lives in Australia, my friend (and former partner of 20 years) Steve who died so suddenly in April and, of course, my wonderful Chap.
None of them followed recipes to the letter; unless it’s baking – that’s chemistry.

So I decided to celebrate their love of cooking in my vase today.