Winter Has Arrived

Bloomin-eck it's been cold here this week! Winter has arrived in Atticland, just like that. It was so sudden that it came as a bit of a shock and I couldn't quite believe how cold my extremities suddenly felt, or how different my neighbourhood suddenly looked. In my mind, I think of the change in seasons as being a slow, gentle merge, but not so this year. This year, the Summer/Autumn transition was very abrupt and now it's the same with Autumn/Winter. Straight into it, no messing.

At the beginning of the week we experienced a sudden drop in temperature and ice happened. Puddles froze over and parts of the canal became frozen, but most magically of all, the leaking drainpipe at the side of the canal towpath produced icicles. Dangling from the ivy that clambers up the side of this old mill building, making me stop so abruptly in my tracks that I almost dropped my shopping. Real, beautiful, picturesque, wintry icicles.

Beneath the icicled ivy there is a bush which also receives the ice treatment when the temperatures fall beneath zero. Very beautiful indeed in a brrrrrrrrr-freeeezing kind of a way.

Often this week there has been a hard, cold grey light, and a certain wintry bleakness to the landscape. It has been a week for wrapping up warm, for hats, gloves and scarves. I am still happily wearing my crochet makes from previous years (here, here and here) and love the warmth of cosy crochet on head, hands and neck.

On Monday J had the day off work, so after the Little People were safely deposited at school and nursery, we took a walk together. Along the canal, past the waterfall, underneath the castle and up into the damp woodland. Round the pond, up the steep steps, a climb through the wintry trees then out into the open alongside green shadowed fields. It was so cold! We walked and talked our way back down into town and into a large pub for morning coffee beside a roaring log fire. It was a good morning.

Even though the glorious Autumn leaves have now gone, there is still some bright colour out there. Lots of berries this year, on bushes.....

....and in trees. Does anyone know what this tree is called? I spotted it in a front garden in town, it's decorated with the most delicious clusters of pale pink berries. I gathered the image of them safely into my Creative Mind to be stored until I enter Winter-Wreath-Making mode. Pale pink berries, how wonderful! I am quite excited that I get to legitimately include pale pink in my Winter wreath.

My Attic view is about as wintry as you can get without actually having snow land on it. I wonder when the first snow will come, the Little People keep asking me as if I really should know these things. I need to ask my milkman, he is the Fount of All Knowledge when it comes to forecasting the local weather.

It hasn't been all grey this week though, we had the most beautiful skies on Wednesday.

It looked as though someone had thrown a whole load of fluffy cotton balls at the sky. It was so lovely to look at, I spent much of that day gazing skywards.

The fluffy sky was reflected beautifully in the canal water too, it made me happy on that cold day.

Little B and I went on an expedition into the depths of the Attic Eaves a few days ago. He shone the torch and I went in on my hands and knees to search out the cardboard box marked "Advent". Inside the box there are various bits of Christmas decorating paraphernalia and of course, my beloved Advent Garland. Such a joy to see it again, and funny too reading back thorough my post about making it as I was heavily pregnant carrying Little B at the time. Four years ago, cripes. You can read the Ta-dah post here, and the post about the making of the stars is here. If you fancy making some Granny Twinkle Stars, there is a full pattern/tutorial on the Royal Sisters blog here.

I also unpacked my Jolly Festive Bunting, ready to hang on the mantel tomorrow when we celebrate the beginning of Advent. Very sweetly, the Little People were delighted about getting these crochet decorations out and hanging them up. Their delight makes me want to shed a few tears. I absolutely love building these little traditions for them and helping to shape their festive memories. How precious childhood is, how very, very precious.

One other thing that came out of the Advent box was our musical Christmas House tin. It has a little wind-up mechanism that plays a very tinny rendition of "Santa Claus is Coming to Town", and each year I fill it with chocolates at the start of Advent. The Little Peeps love it cos they get to eat chocolate snowballs at odd times of the day, and I love it because I can conveniently use the aforementioned chocolate as bribery. Go and get dressed in the next five minutes and you can have a chocolate from the Christmas Tin! The results are nothing short of miraculous.

To counterbalance the onset of Winter, I treated myself to a new candle. I bought just one :: a delicious stripy little number from a rather posh gift shop in town. I am completely in love with it and am torn between really wanting to light it, yet not wanting it to melt. Sort of a bitter sweet treat really.

This week's market flowers are pink roses. It took me by surprise that I bought roses as I don't very often, but the colour of them was so cheery in the grey of the cold day that I kind of fell under their spell.

They look lovely on the table, an unexpected memory of summer time.

I've been working on my latest hooky project during short snatches of time in my busy days. A square here, and a square there. Today I managed to photograph a quick tutorial for making these little squares, and I will share that with you next week.

It's exactly three weeks until Winter Solstice, the shortest day of the year. I'm weirdly enjoying these short days actually, mainly because it gives me the chance to experience sunset at 3.30pm as we walk home from school. But at the same time I am relishing the thought that we are nearly done with them. Three more weeks. I've even got my special Winter Solstice Candles ready.

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♥.....more snippets from the Attic.....♥

Winter/Spring

Springtime Hooky

Autumn Wreath :: Ta-dah!

Comments

[Elizabeth]

Thanks for linking back to your old posts Lucy, I read them this morning when I was irretrievably awake due to being heavily pregnant! That gave me a laugh anyway, and poked me to get my knitting out. Enjoy the beautiful winter weather x

[Eva Andrew]

Lovely post...and pictures. We've had frost and freezing rain one day. I wish I could experience the joy you describe so well in your blog...guess I have to change the way I think and start enjoying the little things in life. My little person is now grown and moved away but she always had her Christmas calendar filled with little goodies. Enjoy your little ones...they grow up too fast. I always make my wreaths on first Sunday in Advent...Happy Advent!

[Teresa Kasner]

Wonderful images and memories.. I've been with you since before little B even began. :-)

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*H*A*P*P*Y* * *H*O*L*I*D*A*Y*S*!*!*!*
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((hugs)), Teresa :-)

[Laurel Pries]

What a wonderful blog you have lucy...it never fails to inspire me...and now I'm so looking forward to your magazine article!! The magazine was a little more expensive then I usually do, but couldn't pass it up. I've never subscribed to a magazine from England...So excited!! Best wishes, Lucy, keep up the good work!!

[Carolyn]

What a shock those first two photos were- after all the recent colourfulness the sudden onset of your Winter was quite unexpected. It's the first day of Summer for me but it's not quite living up to its name...The Christmas box is a great idea. You are so right about the joy of setting fast traditions in the hearts of your children. I think it goes a long way to making them into good parents of the future.

[Angela-Southern USA]

Winter gave a brief hello here. We went from a deluge of rain(4 & 1/2 inches) into bitter cold and snow flurries, all in one day, then today, back up to 50F. I've recently been in the attic as well, dragging out all the festive decorations, tins too! My youngest asked if I'd bought the chocolates for the advent calendar, so ready. lol Love the memory making. Today I've been working on my winter wreath. I look forward to yours ,with pink! lol

[Jacky Russell]

Chilly, chilly here in the Cotswolds. We had our turning on of the Christmas lights this afternoon and it was dry and very cold. Absolutely loads of people, many children, mulled wine, crepes, hot dogs and Father Christmas. Having our first Christmas Day gathering next Sunday as one daughter going to Oz!

[Careful with cash]

Ah yes - the spending continues. Not only flowers but candles too.

You just have to broadcast your spending on frivolous items whilst being totally oblivious of the fact that some people struggle to put food on the table.

Materialistic, smug and self obsessed.

How's that for heart skippy comment? Wheeeeeeee!
Sooooooo heart skippingly fab! Did that almost make you drop your shopping too? Never mind you can go and have another spend at the shops. Wheeeeeeeeeeee!

[Clare]

Gorgeous photo's I do love a bit of cloud watching, keep warm and happy adcent decorating. Eek three weeks to the solitice I ready do need to crack on with my Wintertime wreath, don't want to miss it like I did the Spring equinox

Clare x

[Jan]

We've had no icicles yet, but we have had a dusting of snow on the distant mountains. Had not realized that it only three weeks before the shortest day, makes me feel so much better. I must make a Christmas garland, yours looks so colourful. x

[Teresa]

The pink berried tree is Sorbus forestii I think. Lovely leaf colour in the Autumn as well. Wish it would get proper cold here.

[Steph]

Seasonal gorgeousness, thanks so much. Loved all your pictures as ever, amazing icicles too!

Your crochet traditions are building such precious family layers up for your all. What a gift Lucy x

Your pink berry tree is a Sorbus (a row an to you and me, same species as Mountain Ash). Looks like it could be this variety here: http://www.ornamental-trees.co.uk/ornamental-trees-c18/rowan-mountain-ash-trees-sorbus-trees-c43/sorbus-hupehensis-pink-pagoda-tree-p594

Stay cosy xxx

[Rebecca]

Not so cold here at the moment, but I've got my eyes on the sky - awaiting the influx of snow. I love snow right up until it gets wet and mushy and I then wish for summer!

[Rachael Iddon]

I'm a little bit jealous of your frost. I've seen lots of clear starry nights but by morning the cloud/wind/damp has come in and everywhere is brown and sludgy instead of white and sparkly. Bring on the snow I say.

[Chel C]

Wow! No icicles yet but the temperature has dropped suddenly making our trees drop their leaves all in one go. I've unpacked the Christmas boxes and found my crocheted wreath from last year and my fire place garland - all inspired by you, thank you. Keep warm xx

[Adaliza]

Lovely photos - yes, indeedy Winter has arrived! We haven't had your intense cold, but we've had a glistening frost overnight and clear starry skies. I think that tree might be a kind of crab apple. Not sure though - or maybe a kind of Rowan - Sorbus, I think they're called. I'm loving our White Birch tree at the moment, it's all bare but the branches are bursting with tiny catkin buds, just to remind us all that in a few months' time, the season will be changing again! Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

[Liz]

It looks like we had the caravan drained down at the right time this year. I love reading what you've been up to, starting the countdown to Christmas with all the festivities, decorations and crafting. Liz x

[Lisa G.]

Wow - we haven't had icicles yet! And our sunset is an hour later than yours.
Beautiful photos, Lucy.

[Helen R]

I too have been amazed by the fantastic skies that we've had lately Isn't it great that we can wow over such things! I find that I want to keep taking photos of them too. It's the 1st day of Advent tomorrow tomorrow. Can't wait to also get some of the festive stuff out of their boxes. Lovely to see yours Lucy. Am also looking forward to see your new tutorial. You continually inspire me.

[Lynne Gill]

No frost yet here in Norfolk, but by gum the temperature has dropped! And the days a re a we bit grey too - I 'd like a nice drop of blue sky and wintry sun, please! I love those little squares, they look kinda dinky and possibly even I could run a few of those up ..... they'd make a lovely garland, or tinsel trail for the tree. Well, not tinsel, but you know what I mean, a whole line of them draped through the branches. Or ......but you're going to tell us soon, aren't you!

[Bernadette Edens]

It's even been cold here in Alabama, Lucy. I just loved the photos of the clouds! Do you remember the old song by Judy Collins? LOL Thank you for a lovely blog post! :)

[kirst]

I live over the penines from you and we've hardly had any frost. it's quite tropical in the east ! I think the berries are an ornametal white rowan.

[Jane]

I think the skies over the last month have been spectacular - they make me want to run up to complete strangers and shout 'look up there' at them! Fortunately that hasn't happened - yet! Strange to think the shortest day is actually so near. Lovely to see all your festive crochet again - looking forward to the new tutorial. Keep warm x Jane