However you brought in the New Year - perhaps you were partying to the wee small hours or maybe not - whatever you did, I hope you have had a wonderful first day of the year.
We managed to stay awake for the bells, toasted each other and then thankfully went off to bed :) Which is probably why I was up bright and early this morning and out in the garden with my camera spotting what was in flower. I like to note, if possible, what is flowering in the garden on the first of January ... not always possible if there is a covering of snow but this year it was clear.
Not much going on really ... mainly leafy shrubs but there was a surprise or two and one of my favourite heralds of spring, the Hellebore, was in bud.
I can't wait to see this plant in full flower.
The first of the surprises. I forget the name of this Clematis but I have to admire the tenacity of these buds ... will they ever open!
And the second surprise, this tiny blue Phlox. It lives in an old sink that sits at the side of the front doorsteps and has just kept on flowering despite the foul weather we've been having.
This Viburnum was one of the shrubs I robbed for my vases of Christmas greenery - love the froth of white flowers.
The last two photos are not of flowers but foliage.
This Euonymus has enough colour on it to brighten up any winter's day.
And finally our Escallonia showing fresh new growth ... hinting that spring is just around the corner :)
Sticking with tradition, we drove down to Culzean Castle Estate for a bracing walk this afternoon. Although it was decidedly chilly, being out in the fresh air certainly blew the cobwebs away.
I haven't been a good blogger over the holiday period. There were so many other distractions that kept me from the craft room, but it's a new year, the holiday is almost over ... here in Scotland we have the first two days of January as a holiday ... and normal service should be resuming shortly.
So I'll be back soon but in the meantime I'll leave you with this blurry photo the EM took of me at dinner this evening. It's a rare sighting of me with a glass in my hand.
Slàinte! Good health to you.
A guid New Year and mony may ye see.
That sounds like a great start to the New Year. Your garden holds many wonders with all those blooms! Your walk sounds envigourating. We are just heading out to the walking track a few blocks away. Need to walk off our lunch!
ReplyDeleteI don't have any growth on the hellebores yet and the clematis have not grown back up yet...but
I do have the nice contrast of the ornamental grasses so will have to make do with that right now.
We had 4 over to welcome the new year with us and the last left around 1am. A little tidy up and touch ups in the kitchen and off to bed by 2 am DH was still reading in bed when i fell asleep. I usually have a bailey's with my coffee over the Christmas party season. All my friends tease me as that is the only time they see me having a drink all year! Didn't even remember to do that last night.
I have been pinning sewing themed cards in plans of cutting into my beautiful papers from you. I am going to make couple a sewing themed cards for my stash and then design a fairly easy one that the girls at quilting club at the lake can try. There's about 6 or 8 regulars that I am fridnly with so I will precut the pieces and show them how to make it up this su8mmer.
I have a layout in mind for the little tins...hopefully you will see some action of my blog soon. I'm a bit spoilt and lazy with the hollidays.
Forgot to mention in the previous...This picture of you is lovely...such a beautiful smile!
ReplyDeleteCheers Elizabeth but please make mine a fruit juice :-) I really hope 2013 is a great one for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteHugs,
A x
ps did you text me this morning?
A very Happy New Year to you...
ReplyDeleteCassidy xx
Happy New Year to you and yours Elizabeth and your photos are lovely so grateful for showing them and you will need to see us when the clematis opens up .......take care xx
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely idea to go see what is flowering in the garden. Wish I had done that too. I'm just happy that my last years orchid has reflowered this Christmas (it did June time too) first time I have ever managed that with an orchid, it makes me smile. Perhaps I'll venture out tomorrow, wonder if the snowdrops are up yet? Glad I popped by. BJ
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Elizabeth, Love the look of your blog...
ReplyDeletehappy new year Elizabeth! thanks for sharing the lovely pictures of your garden, it's been quite hot over here in Sth. Australia so funny to hear you talk of snow.
ReplyDeleteHugs, Sandy
Oh Elizabeth you look in good form there! Pleased to see some hellebores appearing there. They are my favourites - we have pinky-purple ones (I'm sure there's a real colour name but who knows what it is!)
ReplyDeleteWishing you and yours all the best for 2013. Hugs, Jenny x
A Happy New Year Elizabeth... Hugs May x x x
ReplyDeleteA very Happy New Year Elizabeth. I hope that 2013 brings you both much peace and joy. Love your photos. It is so good to see the plants starting to come back to life.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Elizabeth, I hope that 2013 gives you lots to smile about. I cannot believe it's a whole year since we were saying hello to 2012!!!!!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs, what a lovely way to start the year :o)
Jackie xx