Do feed the birds.

We have a regular visitor in our garden – the little red breasted Robin. One of my favorite garden birds that I sometimes hear tweeting ever so melodically. He is partial to our Plum tree so that is where I put my homemade bird feeder. All you need is empty yogurt pots, toothpick, a bit of string, the seed and lard.

– Tie the string to the toothpick and string it through a hole in the bottom of the pot.

– Fill the pot with bird seed and pour melted lard over the seeds.

– Pop into the fridge to set for 10 mins

– Gently slide off the pot and hang from a tree branch.

I will have a happy little Robin in my garden.

Christmas Past.

Christmas is my favorite time of year. In the past we have always done everything at the last-minute, put up the tree a couple of days ahead, a frantic dash to buy all the gifts and realise there isn’t enough time to bake all the Christmas biscuits I had planned on making. Then the big day arrives and a week later its all over. But this year with the little one we decided we were going to have a whole month of Christmas celebrations. I’d like to think our 10 month old enjoyed it as much as we did. (Though i realise he probably would get as much joy from banging on a pot and pan).

So this Christmas we started celebrating on the 1st of December and we marked it by getting our Christmas tree, listening to Christmas carols by Frank Sinatra, and drinking hot chocolate in front of the fire. A month later why does it feel like it’s all over too quick? I guess that is what makes it special.

We had lots of mulled wine…

Made my cards featuring red-nosed reindeer’s. The faces are cut from cloth scraps and the antlers and nose painted on. Find the original posting here 

          

Baked a batch of gingerbread biscuits. Recipe here. (ps. I used dark brown sugar instead of light brown sugar as that’s what I had)

 

Gathered greens from our walks with the dog for wreath making…

  

And made some cloth decorations. Simply cut two pieces of the shapes from the fabric, stitch them together using a blanket stitch and stuff with toy stuffing before sewing the ends. String all three together to make a garland or hang individually from the tree.

          

 

Now its the new year and I am sitting with a cup of tea and sleeping baby in my arms and planning and plotting my vegetable garden for 2014. There is always something to look forward to.