Bringing Colour into Winter

Do you know the Flower Fairy books
by Cicely Mary Barker?
I opened the page on the Primrose Fairy.
Isn't she lovely?
There's a poem to match each fairy too!

I really appreciate the fact that we can find beautiful potted flowers
during these winter months.
I picked three of my primroses to put on the Primrose Fairy page!

Of course, we're getting light snowfalls here in town and it looks so pretty
when it settles on the trees and bushes and in the gardens.
I just love this garden gate. Don't you?

The red berries got a good covering of fluffy snow.

and the evergreens in the nearby park looked beautiful.

It's the perfect weather for Cheese Raclette!
It's a combination of small potatoes in their jackets
and a special kind of raclette cheese which is tasty and melts easily.
I used two types of cheese:
Bagnes and Alpages.
A nice crunchy carrot salad on the side and a turn of the pepper mill on the cheese.

You can read more about raclette when I did an evening cruise on the lake:

More colour to bring into the home in the form of a beautiful bouquet of tulips.
They are still in bud and will bring me great joy as they open up.
I chose this photo for my new blog header. The frame is bright and cheerful
to bring you some happy colour in these winter months!

There's always something on my crochet hook.

I'm going to make a garland with these hearts and I'll be posting the finished decoration
in a future blog post.

This lovely pattern comes is called Sunburst Granny Hearts and comes from


January Wanderings

Ile de Peilz
is a very small island, originally a simple rock which was reinforced
in 1797 with a little wall to make it a bit taller.
The tree is a big plane tree.
It looks very impressive in the summer with all the leaves which hide the tiny island.
This is the far east end of the Léman Lake
and the adjacent town is called Villeneuve.

Mountains and port in Villeneuve.
I'd taken a train to get here with a friend.
On the way back to Lausanne we stopped in another lakeside town of Vevey.

The cloud formations were beautiful
The snowy peak to the left is a mountain called Dent de Morcles.
It overlooks the Rhone Valley and is 2.969 metres high (9.744 feet).

A closer view which includes a strip of lake.

Another lovely mountain view on the Dent de Jaman on the left
and the Rochers de Naye range on the right.
The views from up there are spectacular.

I loved the structure of this almost bare tree against the blue of the sky.
Quite a few autumn leaves are still clinging to the branches.

Another day and a new train ride.
This sleek and very long train was on its way to Milan in Italy.
My smaller train came a little later.
It was a cold wait on the Lausanne station platform!

This is the lakeside in the small town of Cully.
There was a misty, mysterious ambience at the start of my walk
with just a few sparkles on the lake from a pale, hazy sun.

There were silvery tones in the lake
and I like how this scene tells a story.
We can even invent a story of our own!

I had to include this capture because we can see how the lighting changed
an hour later when I was walking back towards the station again.
The pale sun had pierced a layer of mist and the sky was turning blue which reflected in the water.

Back home again
and here is the last bloom on my Amaryllis.

The petals through a macro lens are so dainty and lovely.

After lunch, a small espresso coffee and a square of very dark chocolate.
The embroidered cloth is a lovely memento from three days spent in the mountains in Zermatt.
You can see them below if you would like to:

It's half-past pink!

There is always something new on my crochet hook.
This is my latest creation.
I received this clock from a very kind blogging friend, Astri from

It was time to refresh the flowers with new colours and I really enjoyed
crocheting the tiny roses in bright and cheerful colours.
This clock is on the wall in my bedroom.

Colour is so important during the cold winter months, don't you think?
I hope that you are finding lovely ways to bring colour into your life.

Snow Flurries and Life at Home

Despite the winter months, cold winds and snow flurries,
tiny viola flowers still bloom in a sheltered spot on my balcony near the kitchen.
I occasionally pick a few to enjoy within my home.

I did go out for a walk one day after a light snowfall and loved the powdering of snow
on the leaves.

A short burst of swirling flakes looked so pretty.
I took this photo from my balcony.

One shopper walked home briskly with her red umbrella.
To see a real snowstorm, go back to 2016
when we had an amazing amount of snow

The blue fairy didn't get put away with the other Christmas decorations.
She's a graceful presence on my little round table.

Potted plants bloom in my living room.
This lovely hyacinth which is still part of the New Year's arrangement that
I showed in my first blog post of the year.

Yesterday,
a new Amaryllis bud started to open

... and today all the petals have unfolded.

I've been inventing new and delicious salads
This one is a mixture of lamb's lettuce (rampon in French).
avocado, crunchy Topaz apples, Cheddar cheese and red bell pepper.
Sprinkled on the top are a mixture of ground seeds:
flaxseed, pumpkin seeds, chia and sesame seeds.
I like my dressing simple: Rapeseed or olive oil, a little mustard and lemon juice.

This is also the perfect time of the year to enjoy colourful crochet patterns,
like these popcorn flowers in happy colours.

In these winter months, there are plenty of lovely things to enjoy.
Colour is very important when it's grey outside
and trying out new, healthy recipes.

I hope that you're also finding some joyful colour in your life!


2019: A New Year is Here

Starting the year with an explosion of colour!

The fairy on the Christmas tree spreads her magic over my home.

This charming globe and Christmas decoration
contains a personalized message:
'Joyeux Noël Maman'
(Happy Christmas Mummy)
from my daughter this year.

In the deliciously calm days after Christmas,
I love to create a corner of comfort for myself.
The Christmas garland is still on the wall,
Two beautiful cards from my children sit on the little table.
A new crochet project has been started,
that's always so exciting.
A new book and a cup of Rooibos tea!
What a perfect way to spend the first day of the new year!

A new candle, from my son, was lit for the first time on Christmas Day.
It's a warm and welcoming flickering flame which I can see from my couch.
Pretty dried flowers have been incorporated into the candle's shell which are protected
from the flame.

My December Amaryllis plant is still blooming beautifully and is giving me
so much pleasure.

I love taking macro shots of the wonderful details.

This sweet arrangement came home with me when out shopping.
I love the little clock decoration to celebrate the New Year
and the pale pink hyacinth opens a little more each day!

There have been brisk walks every day.
I captured this early sunset from the little park very near where I live.

I love this setting sun which reminds me of the return of the light
and how our days are slowly getting longer
by about a minute each day.

These beautiful bare trees, taken in my neighbourhood, charm me
with the simplicity and beauty of their shapes against a pastel sky.
I love the nest too!
I chose this photo to make for my January blog header.

A tiny crystal snowflake hanging in front of my window,
reminds me that winter is still here and perhaps we shall see some snow very soon!
The natural lighting of pale lilac tells me also that spring will come soon enough
and all the flowers are merely preparing their apparition for warmer days.

It is so easy to lose sight and forget a previous blog header,
so I would like to add the December one here
as a reminder of the days when the warming glow of candles is so welcome and nurturing!

I hope that you are enjoying this first day of the New Year!
I wish you good health and contentment and much gratitude for all those things
that we are fortunate enough to enjoy.
Simple things like a roof over our head, a comfortable bed and a heated home.