October was an awful month for me, and November as always really sucks. Only +1°C, sun set at 4 pm today and it will only get darker + next week we expect severe frost.
But there is hope…
It is now only 1 month until the #winter-solstice👍🏻, Dec 22 at 4.27 am (UTC+1), and today my garden was prepared for winter sleep.
This morning … there were leaves everywhere as beeches and oaks are now finally bare.
Plus the two large Rhododendrons were severely watered and new soil added in the flowerbeds in need.
My herbs behind the logs along the fence got cover. (I cross my fingers for rosemary and tarragon…)
The pile of branches to be mulched grew as the trees in the far back corner were pruned
Very tidy. Also up front
Remains tulip bulbs for me & return to painting in my kitchen without bad conscience
Of course the person accomplishing all this had a just as severe cold as last time he was here (sent him off with Coldzyme & my last copy of @Skolinkvisition ’s book, now on its way to the staffroom in a sec school in Borås of all places)
I’m still shivering … I think I’ll spend some time in bed, planning for dinner (fish perhaps?) & solving #sudoku
Talk about last minute to get rid of those leaves. Here’s the first snow at 8.30 am next morning, Nov.22:nd
The thermometer says +-0° & it’s 29 days, 20 min until the #winter solstice.
This afternoon we expect heavy downfall, rain or #snow & #stormy winds.
I’ll definitly stay inside.
It is now 25,5 days until the #wintersolstice. Outside it’s -5°C & the first thin ice is forming by the shore after a few days of hard winds. Next 10 days will stay well below +-0. Seems I’ve completly missed my chance to get tulips and narcissi in the ground. If this goes on the ground will be frozen solid.
Keeping busy inside instead …
Early this morning it was only 12 days until the winter solstice (exact time is half past 4 in the morning). Outside it is +1° and thaw after a couple of really cold weeks. Ice on the lake is melting
After curating my website I’m finally ready for breakfast … scones with walnuts and raisins and lit advent candles
I’ve been super busy these last weeks as my kitchen is getting a new coat of white. Painter did the ceiling and the cupboard doors, I’m doing the rest myself.
#sarasmidwintercount23
You can see the transformation in this corner that I still have to apply some primer to …
It’s unbelievable how dirty the 30 yr old paint was. I should have done this ages ago, but it’s also a matter of cost.
I’d better get going. Get a piece of molding from the garage, feed the birds outside. You can finally buy uncracked nuts, so I have loads of hazels and walnuts to keep the squirrels busy.
Today I’ll apply that finishing light grey paint to all drawers…
#sarasmidwintercount23
Here is an example of the above with all parts included (to satisfy foreign watchers?) so very long … roofing, sanitary, new port to the courtyard, etc
This time it’s a female in the lead role for once and it does not try to conceal that there is a whole crew and not a single person at work as in most of those videos. https://youtu.be/L2LE0BX2dwQ?si=UQqU0BJlMWUb0Mnh
We are now appoaching the longest night of the year, at least on this hemisphere.
It is more or less 12 hrs until the winter solstice at 4.24 am 22:nd of december.
Checking ….
Some luck this morning as it seems
https://www.rte.ie/news/leinster/2023/1221/1423137-winter-solstice/
Sara Hjelm
