Everything else that thrived in the gardens is dying or dead, but the pansies are thriving. They love the cold weather. They really bookend my season of gardening – they’re the first plants I potted in early spring and the last plants standing. (The porch plants are kind of hanging in there, but we’re due for some cold nights. At some point, I’ll have to let them go.)
I have to take a day away from the news today. I can feel my anger boiling just beneath the surface and I want and need calm and peace. I also feel like I’m entering a “hard to concentrate on reading” period. I have the new mystery from Elizabeth George on loan from the library. I just can’t get into it. I pulled out a copy of One Hundred Years of Solitude that I had on my shelves (I’ve never read it) and I’m hoping I can lose myself it. I do have the newest Louise Penny but I always, always hold off on reading it. I suspect I’ll crack it open in January.
The skies are gray, it’s raining off and on. Most of the trees have lost their leaves, save for the oaks and the crabapples. It looks bleak out there. This is the time – from here on through the winter – when I have to be on guard. I don’t want to sink into a mild depression. Thanksgiving and my birthday and Christmas will get me through the next couple of months, but what follows will be the hard part. I did play some Christmas music the other day. Don was out and about and I thought “Darn it! I’m going to listen to some Christmas music! I don’t care if it’s early November.” I’m aching to decorate but it’s too early.
We almost decided to buy a faux Christmas tree this year. Surprisingly, I was the one pushing it. I felt we would save money in the long run (and we would.) We could set it up earlier and keep it up longer. Don was just about to go along with it when he said “That isn’t who we are. We love picking out a tree and bringing it home. We love the fact that every year the tree we choose is unique. What are we thinking??”
He’s right. We don’t really exchange gifts anymore – the tree is our joint gift.
So for now, we’ll get another real tree. I suppose we’ll keep on doing that until it becomes harder to deal with it all.
That means no tree until the first week of December, which really isn’t all that far off.
I’ll set up my little white tree at some point in November. Maybe on my birthday? That would be nice present to myself!
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
Love that your pansies are still hanging on….they are the troopers of the garden. Unfortunately, the cold has descended on us for a few days, and we had snow. I pulled my flowers from pots earlier in the week when we had a killing frost.
I am anxious to start putting out cheer for Christmas , too. We are not hosting Thanksgiving this year, so I may sneak something Christmassy in, but not the tree. It’s too early. You and Don have a tradition with your tree, and I’m personally glad you are going to continue that tradition. It’s important both physically and psychologically, to keep doing these things for as long as we can.
I wish you good luck in staying away from the news…I need more diversions. Enjoy your day…and your book! ;)
Thank you, Donnamae.
I think I can get away with my small white tree…but not quite yet. Maybe you can hang some little white lights?
Stay safe.
I love your pansies. It’s nice to see something so delicate be so strong. The other day I was in a store that was playing Christmas music. That is something I do enjoy, but I’d like to wait to see lots of Christmas decor. I just moved from the bay area to near Sacramento, so I’m in a similar mood as you…needing more calm for a while. One of the first errands was to get a new library card. Hope you have a calm day.
A perfect first errand, Barrie. A library card! I hope you’re settling in nicely in your new home.
Stay safe.
i am very sentimental and often have a hard time with changes so i find not only happiness, but also a lot of comfort, in traditions … things started by my beloved family, especially my parents and my grandparents and likely my greats and probably my great-greats … i know i’m not alone in some or all of that. and i’m glad for you and don to continue your tradition of getting a live-cut Christmas tree. and other traditions, too. whatever (and whenever!) makes you happy. :)
best wishes for dealing with the weather, plants withering or thriving, concentration being more or less, reading or not …
stay safe and be well.
kathy
Thanks so much, Kathy.
Most of our traditions have been created by the two of us. Christmases were often tension-filled in my house (though my parents did their best) and Don’s childhood was often a nightmare, so we try to created beauty, calm, and peace.
Stay safe.
sorry about that past tension. :(
and i’ll say (based on what you’ve shared in words and photos over the years) that you and don have created and do create beauty, calm and peace for each other, yourselves and others. and not only at Christmas. :)
happy, safe wednesday.
kathy
xo
It’s very misty, murky weather here as well and I also have some miniature pansies that are holding on. I want to get out and plant up Spring bulbs but it’s just too wet and full of slippery leaves.
I’ve never cared for Elizabeth George’s detective series, I am probably being a bit harsh but it used to irritate me about how many inaccurate English details there were in her writing. I am sure, it’s true in reverse when non American writers set books in the States!
Have you read There are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak? Just finished and really enjoyed it.
Happy Monday
I get it. I stopped reading her books for a while, then I thought I would give one a try. But it’s not doing it for me. I also feel that she spends too much time creating detailed micro-stories that do not move the story along.
I haven’t read that book, but I will be sure to look for it, Dee Dee.
Stay safe.
Wishing you peace in your cozy home and property. My husband and I don’t exchange gifts either. We are frugal but have and get what we need. So it is a blessing for those of us who can enjoy the little things in life. I am content with what I have and that brings me joy. Sounds like you are the same. I have a 4’ pre lit flocked tree . I will put it up soon with birds then ornaments then after Christmas maybe snowflakes then birds. It might stay up until late February as we enjoy the white lights every evening. And no I don’t have a ton of decorations for the tree. There are just a few of each theme as we enjoy simple nature themed decorations. Take care!
Your tree sounds lovely, Carlotta. We were lucky last year, our real tree lasted well into January.
I’m with you – I love the white lights shining on cold winter evenings.
Stay safe.
I love pansies. Glad they are hanging on a little. We switched to an easier tree (I hate to call it fake!) a few years ago and I am glad we did. I love being able to put it up earlier and not have to worry about keeping it watered. It was one of our traditions too, to get a live tree(, but it was just getting too difficult. Now they sell the “Scentsicles” to hang in the tree so we still get that wonderful smell! People that come over can’t believe it is not real. I also want to start decorating earlier this year. Just need some happiness in our life with all the negative that is going on, I think I told you our 11 year old Golden was diagnosed with kidney cancer 2 months ago. Well, she is still with us and not really showing any negative signs yet. Our vet said it could be weeks or months it is just to hard to tell. We are just cherishing every day we still have with her, I can’t read the news either today. I have a hard enough time keeping my depression in check. Enjoy your pansies and take care!
I’m praying for your dear Golden, Deb. I know how hard it is. Enjoy each day with her.
Stay safe.
Claudia, your blog helps with my sanity.
Being surrounded by people in love with Yam Tits, it brings a bit of hope to my world. Most of my family, my in-laws, neighbors and nearly all my friends have gone to the orange side. It’s awful. Sigh.
I’m definitely starting my holiday decorating Thanksgiving week. Our son is coming for the weekend and I want (need!) a cozy atmosphere. For various reasons, we gave up real trees many years ago, so let the decorating begin! I do miss the fresh tree fragrance, though.
Oh! I’m on my 100th (seems like) Law & Order rewatch. An episode I never noticed Don in before. Ill Conceived. He was SO GOOD!!
How’s Meredith? She hasn’t posted in a long time. I miss her.
Stay sane!
I’m so sorry you have to deal with that, Kelli. Hang in there!
Don is a really good actor, thanks for letting us know you saw that episode.
Mere is well. She has a lot on her plate and even though she’s divorced now, her ex is still a pain in the tush. She has a lovely home and little Z isn’t little anymore!
Stay safe.
Hi Claudia. I love the pansies! Mine are all gone… too many dry spells did them in early. I replace them with petunias in my planters as soon as frosts are done in the spring… the petunias last forever… I’m still getting a blossom or two in spite of the frosts.
As for the seasonal depression, I battle it as well… the lights are what help me through and I put up a small string in my studio as soon as the dark encroaches… it just gives me a lift! As for trees… real vs fake… I’m determinedly on the real side. Farmers grow them as crops…. they contribute to the oxygen while they are growing… I know it is hard to keep them long enough inside… mine dry out too soon… but they are real! It is the pagan holiday about the evergreen that stays green and reminds us that life will return… I just absolutely need the real thing and I’m thankful that I can manage it every year. And of course, the plastic ones do fade over time and get brittle and the lights stop working and you have to throw them away…. huge amount of plastic waste. And you have to store them somewhere clean in the off season… no room in my house for that! So I am glad you are getting a real one again!
I am hoping you can keep your spirits up. I’m right there with you. I did some work on my minis today… the other day I was reminded that I don’t want to give up. “They” win if they succeed in making me miserable! I can and do find things that make me happy and that helps me enormously. Hang in there!
The real trees are so expensive here. Especially since lockdown. The prices shot up after that.
Thanks so much, Betsy!
Stay safe.
It’s bloody cold here, worse up north. Rick had to make an emergency trip as our water isn’t off yet and he needed to get heat in the house till the repair work is done this week. Ugh. Not ready for this! 15 is too cold. (Night time temp, so they say). Nor am I ready for snow! Loving those pansies! What hardy little ones they are!
That is really cold! And you got snow, right? No snow here, but it’s darned cold and windy.
Thanks, Jeanie.
Stay safe.
What brave little pansies. They are always so cheerful. We had lots of snow yesterday and I’ve been reading a couple of Christmas magazines. Always fun to get one in the mail. We’re still getting a fresh tree too although perhaps not as large a one. I’m kind of taken with a table top tree. We shall see. Hugs, Elaine
I’m ready to read a Christmas magazine, Elaine. I need those visuals!
Thanks so much.
Stay safe.
Your pansies are really cheerful. My sister and family in edmonton always have a real Xmas tree and its so lovely. We had real trees when we were first married.
It’s kind of bleak outside, but we had our first snow a few days ago.
My dad is getting rather impatient. Sometimes I do little things to try to help him and he just doesn’t want anything from me. It makes me upset that he’s so stubborn!
I slept almost the whole day because of this migraine that started yesterday. It’s unusual that i have a headache thats so bad. Going to bed now…
Hope you and don are well. Donald Trump is off his rocker. Noe hr wants to give us California. Why not give us Hawaii? I realize some love him, sorry about my opinion.
Thanks so much, Irene.
Stay safe.
Any rabid followers of T have been blocked from this blog, so you’re okay.
I’m having the same trouble getting in to the newest Louise Penny—it can’t be the book’s fault! Love those valiant pansies! Trying to take inspiration from them.
It’s so frustrating, isn’t it?
Thanks, Shanna.
Stay safe.