Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Now it's November

I must admit November isn't one of my favourite months of the year but I have to say the last few days have been wonderful.  We've woken up to the garden white over with frost and smoky low lying mists in dips between the buildings in the distance. The low rays of the autumnal sun have filled the house with light.   The cats have been reluctant to leave the house but spurred by the bright sunshine have ventured outside stepping gingerly across the cold, hard grass.


At the weekend I finally gave in and  bought some Christmas cards from our nearest RSPB shop at Carsington Water.  Now I've dipped my toes into the still cool water of Christmas preparations I've started to think about buying just a few things in advance like postage stamps and the chestnut puree for our main meal, which is always Rose Elliott's recipe for Chestnut and Red Wine pate en croute.  I'm not going to think of anything else until 1st December;  then I will welcome all the festivities with open arms.


I discovered this lovely poem the other day so thought I would share it with you as autumn slips into winter

Leaves

How silently they tumble down
and come to rest upon the ground
to lay a carpet, rich and rare,
beneath the trees without a care.
Content to sleep, their work well done,
colours gleaming in the sun.

At other times, they wildly fly
Until they nearly reach the sky.
Twisting, turning through the air
till all the trees stand stark and bare.
Exhausted, drop to earth below
to wait, like children, for the snow.

Elsie N. Brady


15 comments:

  1. Hi Rosie..lucky you to get a lot of sunshine! Since November has arrived I've worn my beloved sunglasses only 1 time..and I'm supposed to live in sunny Italy, ha ha!
    Have a lovely week!
    xxx

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  2. Hi Rosie, we've had some lovely winter sunshine too .. it makes all the difference!
    I'm trying to get most of my Christmas preparations done very early this year while I've still got days off work ... I've never started so early before!
    Love Kathy xxx
    P.S. I much prefer the Orsay too ... I love the big polar bear sculpture!

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  3. for not liking November all that much you have certainly managed to convey a most lovely snapshot of it! I loved the little window on your world. Helen

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  4. what a lovely poem.....it can be as cold as it likeas long as the sun shines!!

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  5. I've got that recipe book, I make the Christmas Savoury Strudel for myself and two of my daughters. The rest of the family have turkey.
    Love the poem.

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  6. I love winter sunshine on a cold morning! I'm not ready yet to deal with Christmas; I have our Thanksgiving holiday to manage first. I usually begin Christmas preparations the day after. Lovely poem!

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  7. I love your cats.
    Cats are the more adorning creatures on this earth!!!

    How I would love to live your lifestyle :) In England cooking a vegetarian christmas!!!

    I have the sun almost all year round. I would swap it for the rain, or a cool autumn or snowy christmas anyday!
    :)

    http://simonevanon.blogspot.com

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  8. Your house looks lovely and sunny for November! I have that recipe book too - we're all veggie here; I really like Rose Elliot. Have a lovely day :)

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  9. thanks for your visit. I am going to search for the cook book myself for this xmas. Helen x

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  10. It does make it more bearable when the sun shines. We had lots of rain in November last year (according to my blog!). Ive not been to Carsington Water for a while now - perhaps we could have a meet up there in Spring if its not too far from you. We only used to get as far as the play area when the kids were little, so you could show us the walks. Are you both vegetarians?

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  11. Diane, we are neither vegetarians as we eat fish but not meat. We became vegetarians about 1980 but started eating fish again about 5 years ago. Carsington is a great idea as a place to meet or the Mill at Cromford would be good too:)

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  12. the first picture is soooo cool! so so cool!

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  13. Your house looks gorgeous bathed in sunshine. Sadly today is dull, wet and murky. Yet it still gives me a sense of comfort and cosinesss being at home tucked up in the warm.

    Tracey

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  14. Lovely poem! X

    P.S My word verification is verse

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  15. Leaves are the one consoling factor about November! I love to see all the different shapes and colours. I wish we would have some cool crisp days here. The sky is murky and it is damp and miserable! x

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