Merry Christmas everyone. by LawrenceCornellPhoto on DeviantArt (original) (raw)

Merry Christmas everyone. It has been a cold week here. Colder than we have seen for many a year. Even here, in the south of England, we had snow a week ago and it is still here because it has been so cold. I would say I love this weather if I didn't have to drive in it very early in the morning I love the feeling of the cold biting at my fingers and toes and how my nose tingles and my eyes water. I love pulling on my thick socks and my big, heavy jumpers (sweaters). Pulling on my serious walking boots and zipping up my serious coat. I use the word serious because this is the weather these things were designed for. You couldn't wear this coat unless the temperature was below zero or you'd be too hot. My fleecy hat tops it off and I feel well protected but I can still feel how cold it is without actually freezing out there. The main roads have been cleared pretty well but the side roads have been left as have the pavements (sidewalks) which makes it quite exciting walking around. The snow on the pavements has been compressed by people walking on it and is now a slick, icy sheet which you tread on with care. It's amazing the footwear you see people wearing in this. Proper boots are definitely advisable This will be a real test for my garden. I don't usually have to worry too much about seriously protecting any of the plants and I haven't done this year either so, come the Spring, it will be interesting to see what has survived. All the ferns that I added this year are still standing so I have high hopes for them. My Dahlias are under about a foot of mulch after I cut them down at the end of the season so I hope they will make it. They should be ok I think. This cold snap is due to end at the weekend so they will then get warm again and get a lot of rain. It might just be a bit confusing for them going from one extreme to another.

Frost is a quite magical thing. The patterns you find on your car windows or, indeed, any windows are just spectacular. Fine patterns like leaves traced onto the glass as if done with a very fine tool. Never the same, always beautiful.

And the silence. If you walk out of town into the countryside you notice how quiet it is. Snow seems to dampen noise. As your breath steams before you you can hear every one of your footsteps crunching on the ice but all other sound seems to have been switched off. Like fog takes away your visual clues the snow seems to take away all sense of surrounding sound. You can only hear what is close up to you. Maybe that is because there is less outdoor activity but I prefer to think it is the magic of snow

Nothing beats the feeling of coming back indoors to a hot chocolate or a steaming bowl of hearty soup. I hardly ever eat soup in spring or summer but in winter I could happily have it every day. And I do have a favourite. I make my own soup which is usually pretty good but there is a company called Yorkshire Provender who make a roast chicken and vegetable soup that I have not been able to match. So hats off to them. I also really love a pumpkin or butternut squash soup with a touch of chilli in it.

So Christmas is nearly upon us and, as you all know, I love Christmas. I do wish it could be Christmas everyday but only if it kept it's magic for me. I have a client whose daughter has three daughters who I have know since they were tiny. Now they are 18, 16 and 14 and I still buy them presents every year. This week I gave them their presents and I really choose them carefully. This year I think was my most successful year yet as they were all absolutely thrilled especially the 14 year old who just came over to me and quietly whispered in my ear " Thank you. I am so happy. So happy" and that means more to me than anything.

Christmas is about love and I love these girls. I know it is not all about presents and all the commercial things but for these girls, it is. They do not have much and Christmas is the one time of the year when they get treats. And I am happy to be part of that. I grew up in a very similar way. Although we were poor we always had an amazing Christmas though that was not built around lots of presents. It was built around the dinner table and us all being together. Sitting together in front of the gas fire watching the big Christmas TV shows together. Playing board games or cards. We never lacked for love or care and the food was always a very big deal. Christmas dinner was special. It was a feast the like of which we never saw the rest of the year and it was enjoyed to the fullest of our ability. I have two brothers and we would all agree that, given the choice, we would all have had it exactly the way it was. We would rather have the annual feat together than have had another present but less food.

Anyway, I wish you all a very Merry Christmas however you celebrate it. We all have our own family traditions and I have mine . If you know of a neighbour who might be on their own maybe you could spend a few minutes with them with a cup of tea and some cake or something or see if you can help with their shopping. It is not easy for everyone, especially this year which will be tough for many. So if you can it would be lovely but I know how busy a time of year it is. It could really make a difference to someone though.

Now to share your art. I recently heard a song by Jimi Hendrix that I hadn't heard for a while with the line "let me stand next to your fire" in it. It immediately resonated with me as I have long though that artists, and we are all artists, have a fire that burns inside them. When I share your art I feel like I am standing next to your fire. I hope I am also letting other people stand next to your fire. Never let anyone put out your fire. Always keep it burning. Keep us warm with your fire.

Here we go then. Sit back and enjoy. Please take a moment to drop the artist a comment or a fave if something particularly attracts your attention. You could make someone's day which is most welcome in these times.

As always I thank you deeply for your time. I hope you found something to enjoy from my selection. It gives me enormous pleasure to put these features together.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas with my love and warmest wishes to you all. Take care of yourselves, each other and your loved ones. Look out for those in need if you can help them.

Keep your fires burning and keep creating your wonderful art. It is so important.

My love to you all

Reading: Murder On Christmas Eve

Listening To: Prokofiev

Watching: Outlaws

Eating: Roast Chicken and vegetable soup

Drinking: Coffee (again)

Playing: At photography