A Happy New Year to you All.
I do hope it will be peaceful and productive.

So David is still home and getting better all the time. I am sure hospital was making him worse!!
There he is at the far end of the table on Christmas day (large white napkin!) Just 16 this year for lunch and a few more in the evening

It was his 74th Birthday last week. A day we never thought he would see towards the end of last year, but he goes from strength to strength so  On On ....

Starting to clear the gardens for the start of the season. I have neglected them somewhat but I am sure that I will catch up. Early tomatoes and main crop onion seed to go in propagators next week. We still have some veggies in the garden. Russian, Curly and black kale, Savoy cabbage and brussels. There are still apples, potatoes and onions and dried beans in store and lots of stuff in the freezer. So we won't starve, tho' we would get a little bored if we couldn't get to the shops!
I spent very little time on the bees last year, taking no honey off them and not really keeping an eye on them . I often hear people saying that they don't want bees for honey and just want them around, not "interfering " with them just letting them be(!) It actually doesn't work that way. Bees need attention and careful handling when necessary. They are subject to diseases and pests just like any other living creature and "letting them be" can amount to neglect. That said that is more or less what I did last year. Last time the temperature rose into double figures the bees came out for a cleansing flight and I noticed that two showed no movement at all, so it looks like we have lost at least two to the winter. As soon as the weather warms up I will have a peek and I have promised them all that I will look after them better this year! Obviously we have no honey for sale, which has been a blow as the honey sales help us with the winter food for the chickens and we have let down people who rely on us for honey for medical reasons.. I have bees wax saved up from previous years and have been making bee wax wraps in my efforts to be plastic free. These have worked surprisingly well, so I will make more for myself and then some for presents.
 No snow here at the mo tho' it is VERY cold and foggy.

 Our youngest daughter is now working in Jersey so we have her old dog all the time now. he is 16 years old next month, a rescue dog who cannot be left alone as he becomes anxious and literally eats his legs!
He has arthritis in his feet, is virtually deaf and has cataracts in both eyes. This is not an attractive picture I am painting but he really is a lovely, kind, affectionate boy.
It was very cold and foggy this morning and I was worried about him when I took him for his constitutional around the paddock so....

Doggy Fashion God eh?!
All for now, I am looking forward to this year and have lots of plans and things I want to do. Nothing bucket list type you understand. I have no desire to swim with dolphins (poor things - who asked them?!)  or go to Disneyland (ugh!) but will be working through my fabric stash, making more time to socialise with friends instead of working all the time and decorating some of the tatty rooms for starters.
Enough for now.
 Now I am back on track I shall start to read the blogs I follow.
Thank you all for your best wishes for David.
Gillx