Happy Holidays

The gardening can wait.... there's baking to do!

I've been baking cookies for weeks and giving them to friends and family.

 

 

Needless to say I've been eating too many, and have already put on a few extra pounds! My New Year resolution will include eating healthier, lots of outdoor walks, and of course lots of gardening!

 

 

 

 

Whether you're baking or being healthy,

 

hope you have a wonderful Christmas and holiday period!

 

 

 

Some of the baking supplies!

Sugar cookies (Betty Crocker recipe) with icing made from icing/confectioner's sugar with a drop of vanilla essence and tiny bit of water and coloured with food colouring.

These are yummy! Sugar cookies decorated with melted chocolate, mini pretzel antlers and gummy noses.

The healthier option (?) - pretzels covered in dark chocolate and crushed candy cane, or pretzels covered in white chocolate and a walnut.

 

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.

December surprises in the garden

Even though our 'winter' weather has been very mild, I haven't been in the garden much over the last two months. Daylight is shorter and I suppose I've been caught up with other things. 

There still hasn't been a hard frost, so some of the summer plants are still flowering.

For example, the white flowered begonia (pictured) hasn't yet died back. This is unexpected for this time of year. 

A trailing Summer bedding plant is still thriving (above). I'm not sure, but I think this is trailing verbena.

Another begonia still in flower, albeit looking a bit shabby.

Another surprise - this azalea usually flowers at Easter. It has decided to flower now! This hasn't happened before.

Lastly - isn't Pampas Grass quite striking this time of year - especially against a blue sky!

Happy December! 
Hope your garden has brought you some unexpected surprises this year!

Copyright: All words and photos are property of Kelli's Northern Ireland Garden.