Snow, snow and more snow at Tumbledown Farm.

Snow has finally arrived at Tumbledown Farm. It is not just a gentle dusting of icing sugar either, but great big drifts of snow smothering everything in sight with its icy white kisses.

The snowy flatlands of South Lincolnshire.

The birds are particularly unimpressed with the weather. I don't think I have ever seen quite so many grumpy black birds sat about the place. There are a few berries left for them to forage and we have put out extra food for them. However they remain unimpressed about having to dust off a thick layer of snow from the branches before they can perch on them.

The tale of the grumpy black bird.

 

 My first Christmas wreath.

In an attempt to be festive I have started to make a few Christmas decorations. This is something I have never really tried before as I thought it would be far too difficult and time consuming. However after seeing that all the chaps have been busy this year making wreaths and decorations I thought I better have a go myself. I soon discovered that making a Christmas wreath was actually quite fun and I was very pleased that I managed to gather all of the things I needed to make it from around the smallholding. I stuck to a very simple design of fir and ivy. I bent an old coat hanger into a circle and then fixed pieces of fir to it with flexible garden wire. When I had covered the hoop I added a few sprigs of holly for a dash of colour. 

I then tried to make something far more fanciful and girly! I cut several red dogwood stems and attempted to weave them into the shape of a heart. This was perhaps a little adventurous as the stems really did not want to hold the shape, preferring instead to randomly lose shape and smack me on the nose when I was least expecting it. After a long battle I wrapped the stems with ivy, added a few star anise, a sprig of holly and a ribbon and then firmly nailed the damn thing to the wall before it could smack me on the nose again! I should have know it wouldn't be all plain sailing, but I'm glad I persevered as I have some decorations I really like that didn't cost me a penny and a sense of pride that I managed to make them myself.

Snowy Hebe.

Icy jewels in the afternoon sun.

Snow hats.

Leo the snow tiger!

The cats have not been impressed at all with the weather. Silvi has not even ventured from the warmth of house. Leo, our hardcore tiger admirably tried to battle the elements but was tucked up on the sofa warming his toes by lunchtime. Stilton did his best to supervise me in the garden as usual but he was not impressed with the snow. In fact his language as he followed me around the garden was rather blue, but he carried out his supervisory responsibilites to the best of his abilities. I was immensely pleased about this for once as just over a week ago he was laying in the vets hooked up to a drip fighting for his little furry life. So for me the best Christmas present this year is to have him trotting around after me shouting his complaints and shaking his soggy paws at me.

Stilton giving his orders as usual.