In the past I used to wish away the time between November and March but in recent years I’ve come to appreciate winter, if not quite like it. I have adjusted my mindset and my expectations of the season and the weather, and instead of feeling frustrated at how I perceive my plans repeatedly thwarted by ice and rain and cancelled trains, or my activities limited by short days and lack of light, I have altered my own rhythms and lifestyle to fall in with nature.
That being said, I still do not look forward to winter’s arrival, and although I have made peace with it I still rejoice when the days start to lengthen again, and feel positively buoyant when the season has departed.
Today is the shortest day, a day later than the solstice usually falls. Apparently, yesterday was one second longer. Solstice translates from Latin as sun stands still when for three days our star holds its lowest position of elevation in the sky before it starts once again to ascend, bringing the promise of new life.
Last year’s beautiful blooms have withered now but look graceful in their dignified decay.
Though there are still splashes of colour and signs of life.
The cat mint, virulent and super fragrant all summer and into the early autumn looks dead to me; brown twigs rotting in the damp soil. I think Paddy cat’s keener sense of smell may still detect the faint delightful aroma, or perhaps he’s reflecting too, on memories of warmer days and basking in olfactory pleasures.
In the autumn I dug up a little crimson rose bush which wasn’t thriving, diminished and crowded out by its bigger neighbours. It had stopped flowering when I transferred it to a large pot and hoped for the best. This week, a solitary new rose has opened up. A magical sign of things to come in the darkest week of the year.
The winter jasmine is in full bloom and the ivy looks as good as ever.
It will soon be dark again but right now the sky is still blue and it’s not too cold; a perfect moment to sit in the garden and enjoy a cup of tea with Jasper cat.
and meditate on the cycle of life
and the sound of a lone bird
In a few weeks from now there will be the first stirrings from beneath the ground, green shoots emerging and new beginnings. For now, it’s still time to rest while Mother Earth works her magic in secret.
Welcome to the Beautiful North 
Jasper looks very handsome. Isn’t it lovely to have a little bit of colour from the Winter Jasmine when everything else is dying back or dormant. X
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Thank you. Yes, it is lovely, I bought the near-dead jasmine plant a couple of years ago for about 20p from the last chance shelf at B&Q. It was only labelled as ‘jasmine’, so I was disappointed when it didn’t flower in the summer, not knowing that a lovely surprise was in store when the temperature dropped.
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I love the splashes of Winter colour, they always seem more amazing than those of the Summer. I am glad to hear that you have made peace with Winter and all that it heralds, to wish it away has always seemed a waste to me, it would be wishing away a quarter of our lives after all especially here in the North of England where the winter can seem to go on much longer!
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True. It is a long time since I felt that way. I used to think I had SAD, if it even exists, and even considered getting those special light bulbs. Now I embrace the season and have altered my expectations.
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I remember us having a winter jasmine in my childhood home. Such cheery yellow blossom. And snowdrops would appear underneath. Have a lovely Christmas.
Ps Jasper looking very handsome there. 🙂
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Thank you. Yes, the winter jasmine brightens up these grey days. Happy Christmas to you too! X
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Nice, I enjoyed reading that! Happy Christmas and every blessing for 2020
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Thank you, Mattew. All the best to you and yours!
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