The sun sets on 2011...

Here are some final photos from the last day of the year.  We had sun, hail, rain today all in a very short period of time.

The witch hazel is starting to show some of it's winter colour.

 They looked so delicate in the afternoon sun.

 Raindrops left over from the showers a few hours earlier clung to the beauty berries.

 They look so delicate and fragile.

 My winter wreath welcomes you to my home.

 One of the resident ducks just hanging out on the quay.

 What is that sea gull trying to do?  It is trying to steal the loon's dinner.

 He or she dove below the water to escape the gull and surfaced with this tasty bite.

 Winter flowering forsythia is starting to bloom.

 These bare branches put out a pretty delicate pink blossom.

 In my courtyard the roses are still putting out blooms.  White ones.

 Some pink.

 A red.

 Yet another red.

 As the sun sets on 2011 my wish is that you have a safe and healthy Happy New Year.

See you in 2012!

Merry Christmas

This tree is made with ornament blocks from an online swap with friends in Mary Lou Weidman's yahoo group.  This morning I got my top finished.  I'm thinking I might put som snow on the bottom but not quite sure yet.  This is one of many swaps that I've done with Mary Lou's group and would recommend coming and joining the fun.

May you enjoy this day with family and friends and share a lovely dinner, Merry Christmas everyone!

Starting to look like Christmas...maybe!

I went up to West 10th last weekend and found these delightful Grinch Christmas trees outside a nursery.  I was tempted to bring one home but didn't.

 They could make quite a fun decorating theme...I just might have to go back and get one.

 The next day I spotted these cyclamens flowering along the quay.  There were a couple of plants putting out these delicate blooms.

 They almost look like butterflies don't you think?

 The fall crocuses were making one last bloom before winter arrives.