Sprouting winter greens on the kitchen window sill, couldn’t be easier than this…the top of a swede sitting in a saucer of shallow water and left to continue growing and giving! I shall harvest small leaves to add to stir-fries. It actually looks quite Christmassy too! The seed-heads of Poppy and Honesty, now void of seeds, but perfect for winter displays. I have harvested all the seeds and am packing them up for distribution across the world…especially for the bees, but also for their extraordinary beauty, even when dried!Dried Chillies, ready for packing into containers and storing in the pantry…an effortless way to store food!And outside, in the gardens this morning, the colours of winter deepen as the mists continue their journey from the lough.Nature’s baubles decorate the bare trees…The mild, early winter creates a feast of chocolate scented berries, for the Blackbird, on the Leycestria Formosa…early mornings can be noisy, as birds squabble over this winter feast!This old bread tin, bought in a Charity shop in Belfast last month, is ready to be packed with seeds, saved at Bealtaine Cottage…a perfect container for this purpose!Potager beds continue to hoard food in this little micro-climate area at the back of the cottage.Vibrant red dogwood splashes colour here and there, making winter as joyous an occasion in the gardens as any other season!Midwinter, on the 21st of December, is a lovely time to be with loved ones and celebrate!This year will be easy to gather, as the 21st falls on a Saturday…I had arranged a get-together for the Sunday, 22nd, but…The Midwinter Gathering is transferred to a closer date…all on the list have been contacted and there’s sure to be some great fun on the day! Enjoy your Gathering!Blessings X
