PPP's Winter Mixture

Last weekend Cliff and I found ourselves in Lichfield where we had an overnight stopover to break a long journey home. We stayed in The George Hotel, in a room high in the eaves with William Morris curtains and a view out over the tiled roofs and narrow lanes. After a drink in the cosy bar (a Stone's Ginger Wine for me please!) we had a very good dinner at a Nepalese restaurant and in the morning we bought a game pie from the Christmas Market and looked around the town (sadly the most tempting shops weren't open as it was Sunday), but the sun was shining so we waited in the Cathedral Close listening to the thunderous organ music accompanied by the 'chack-chack' calls of the Jackdaws flying around the steeples, until the service finished and we could have a quick look around inside the Cathedral, which was beautifully decorated for Advent with evergreens, seedheads and purple ribbons.

One shop that was open was a little traditional sweet shop, so we popped in to admire the rows of big glass jars. I remembered my Grandparents always seemed to have a bag of 'Winter Mixture' boiled sweets and wondered if they would have some . . . and they did :-) not quite as I remembered as these are individually wrapped in cellophane twists, but the smell - mmmmmm the smell :-) that brings back so many memories of winter, sweet spice and herbs, licquorice and peppermint, cloves and anise.

So, inspired by my paper bag of old fashioned sweeties, I'm decking out my blog with a festive cornucopia . . .

Snow

Yes, this morning it snowed - just a little bit -
but enough to give a festive frosting to the rooftops
and the trees. The north-east wind will blow and we will
have snow - more coming along before the week's end.

Evergreens
There's something special about bringing branches from the
garden inside to decorate the house. I suppose it's one
of our Christmas traditions that is far far older than the
commercial Christmas or even the Church festival.

Here is the box of Yew, Bay, Holly and Ivy
I cut from the garden, all ready for me to make into
a Christmas Wreath for the front door.

Bubble & Squeak
After trudging around the garden in the icy cold,
I fancied something warming for lunch - and what could
be more yummy than Bubble & Squeak topped off with an egg?
Mmmmmm, feeling more festive already!

Sweetie, anyone?

Oi! I didn't mean you you!

And, I almost forgot - Sophie, whose blog Flatlanders is a wonderful
roundup of design, art, culture and food that is to be found in
East Anglia, interviewed me about art and blogging - so you can
read a little bit more about me here, and while you're visiting
Flatlanders have a little browse around and see what a
special corner of the England we live in.

More of PPP's Winter Mixture coming soon . . .