Merry Christmas
It's that time of year!
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| I'm keeping one eye out for Santa! |
On the local radio yesterday morning they were mentioning that a Dorset out of town shopping centre was expecting 18,000 visitors just in one day.
Our Christmas preparations were slightly different we headed to the woods and visited the cottage where the famous Dorset author Thomas Hardy was born in 1840. I first came across his work while still at school.His description of the Dorset landscape and way of life left a lasting impression on me.
The cottage was beautifully decorated with natural Christmas arrangements produced from the local branch of NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arrangers.)
It really showed how much simpler and uncommercialised Christmas was in those days!
As in other years, I have tried to capture some of the essence of that in our home too, with homemade natural arrangements. We have attended a few meals, had the neighbours around and attended a few concerts, done our final visit to the local butchers and greengrocers. It is good to now slow down and spend Christmas with our children. How do you prepare for Christmas?
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| Another sunrise in West Bay this time over the golf course. |
On the 6th Anniversary of starting this blog, I thank you so much for visiting me and wish you all a very Happy and peaceful Christmas!
Sarah x
Wishing you a very Happy Christmas too Sarah. I visited Hardy's house last year and loved it. Good to see it decorated for Christmas. B x
ReplyDeleteI hope you and your family have a Very Merry Christmas and wishing you a Happy New Year from Ann and family in Devon :)
ReplyDeleteEverything is so beautiful, Sarah. Natural arrangements really are the best so it's wonderful that you use them. Once this rain stops I shall go out and cut some boxwood and pine branches and a few red berries to tuck in here and there. It ought to add a wonderful fragrance, too! Happy Blog anniversary! And may your Christmas be merry and the New Year happy!
ReplyDeleteDear Sarah- this looks like a lovely spot to visit- so quaint. May you and yours have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary, Sarah.
ReplyDeleteI’d rather visit the Hardy house than shop too, Sarah.
We had Christmas early because the grandkids were going to the UK for Christmas. It was a great two days with them. Christmas Eve and Day will be low key for us. All the prep is done!
What a lovely place to visit - I imagine it was fairly quiet as well, at this time of year. So lovely to find natural decorations to inspire, they really are the best and very special when home made. Happy blog anniversary, Sarah - hope you'll keep writing, I do enjoy my visits to the West Country via your blog! Wishing you a happy Christmas, Caro x
ReplyDeleteHusband has just started re-reading Hardy, beginning with Tess. I love his writing and descriptions of the countryside. How wonderful to see his house! All best wishes for a Merry Christmas, Sarah!
ReplyDeleteHappy blogaversary Sarah, that's a fantastic achievement. I'm a Thomas Hardy fan as well, the cottage of his birth is lovely, and so simply and beautifully decorated. Avoiding the crowds here too, out for a walk with the dog this afternoon. That first photo is gorgeous. Good to see Tavi is keeping an eye out. A wonderful Christmas to you and yours Sarah. CJ xx
ReplyDeleteThere is such a sense of peace in these old places. Congratulations on six years of interesting blogposts Sarah and every good wish for Christmas.
ReplyDeleteI always think that Hardy's house looks so comfortable sitting in its wooded valley, and especially so at this time of the year with the smoke curling out of the chimney.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your 6th anniversary - a Happy Christmas to you and all your family, and look forward to your posts in the coming New Year.
Have a very merry Christmas Sarah! xox
ReplyDeleteI am definitely going simpler and natural next year- that cottage is so lovely. Have a Happy Christmas.x
ReplyDeleteHappy sixth blogaversary!
ReplyDeleteThat chair by the window in Hardy's house looks a perfect place to be lost in a good book.
The years do fly by!
ReplyDeleteHappy sixth blogaversary!
Merry Christmas Wishes to you and yours, enjoy the Season.
All the best Jan
That's just how I'd like to decorate - simple and natural :) Thanks for your comment on my snow pictures, glad you enjoyed them. Sadly we're not spending Christmas in our own home, it'll be another couple of months before we move in. We'd hope to be in at the end of October but we've done more work than originally planned (of course!) and doing it all ourselves takes longer too, around work and everything else! We're getting there though.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a very happy christmas too.
Thomas Hardy's house looks wonderfully old world & SO much better than being in a huge shopping centre... Congratulations on 6 years of blogging, I very much enjoy all your posts, & look forward to more next year. Best wishes to you & your family for a very happy Christmas & a peaceful New Year.
ReplyDeleteGood morning, Tavi and Sarah.....Tavi, I SEE YOU! LOL!
ReplyDeleteOHHH how lovely to see this rustic cottage in the countryside; like you dearest Sarah, I enjoy fixing up our cottage with natural elements because they bring a peace about the house. This past Friday was my last day of school and for two weeks, I am off to enjoy the peace. Thank you also for coming to my blog post! It was a delight to see that my comments, which would not appear, finally came back. Thank you for the inspiration you give, sharing your beautiful country. May your Christmas become fond memories to come.
Merry Christmas and best wishes for 2018!
ReplyDeleteCalendula
Thomas Hardy's house, as I see your photos a lovely spot to visit. Is it not a coincidence that the rose named after his book 'Tess of d'Urbervilles' is currently blooming in my garden?
ReplyDeleteAnd......I wish you a wonderful Christmas and a Healthy and Happy 2018!
ReplyDeleteHappy Christmas lovely Sarah xx
ReplyDeleteNice to see the two violins as the Hardy family were great musicians.
ReplyDeleteHope you have a lovely Christmas!
What gorgeous photos, Sarah. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family and a very happy new year. Sam x
ReplyDeleteOh Sarah, these are such beautiful photos.. Wishing you and yours a beautiful Christmas.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Penny
Merry Christmas dear Sarah to you and your family and best wishes for a wonderful 2018.
ReplyDeleteI love the Hardy family cottage and would much rather be visiting that than some shopping center. Also your wreaths are beautiful and my daughter made us a lovely one with ivy and plants she had picked around the garden. we have spend time with our children home and it is always so great to have them back.
Happy holidays and best wishes for 2018
hugs
Carolyn
A much more sensible thing to do than visiting the shops. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
ReplyDeleteOur son drove 8 hours to be with us for Christmas! We prepare a Turkey, casseroles, fresh cranberry sauce and we fruit bread. We usually have the meal in the evening and then open gifts. Then a couple days later head to the state of Iowa to celebrate with all the relatives. Wishing you a wonderful Christmas time and may the new year bring peace, joy and good health!
ReplyDeleteWe avoided the crowds too. Hardy’s Cottage looks perfect.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary and Merry Christmas Sarah.
Gentle festivities are the best. Just me and our youngest here this year, with the collies of course. We went for a walk in the rain up to Farley Mount then enjoyed a very relaxed dinner with griddled turkey steaks - what a find they are - no waste and they cooked in minutes, delicious too! It's brighter out there today so maybe we'll go for a longer walk. All the best for this quiet wintertime between Christmas and New Year, for which I send you my best wishes. Adaliza
ReplyDeleteHardy's birthplace looks like a marvelous place to savor the feeling of long-ago holidays. Here's wishing you a New Year filled with all the best.
ReplyDeleteMerry Christmas Sarah - that cottage and they natural decorations are so charming. Slowing things done here and doing less, thereby having less stress. All is good. Wishing you the very best this day and every and thank you for blogging, we are all so lucky that you do. xo kim
ReplyDeleteHope you have had a LOVELY Christmas, let´s go for a HAPPY NEW YEAR now!
ReplyDeleteLove from Titti