We had a great Christmas. Snow, food, gifts, jigsaw puzzles, candles and rest. I made five different pickled herring and we tried wild boar instead of farmed pig for the Christmas ham. Success!

December early morning. The world looks black and white. It's so cold and so much more snow than it usually is this time of year. Garden work feels far away and that is all good. We are building a bird table. The cats on the windowsill, yapping.

on my november (december) window sill. Herbs (rosemary) from the garden, an orchid from my mother-in-law and geranium cuttings. The one in the white pot, my favourite - Doktor Westerlunds blomma, pelargonium graveolens. Like a winter lavender.