we wish you a merry christmas....

and a Happy New Year!  

Here's a bit of Christmas exuberance, courtesy of someone who lives nearby:

And here's Jake, the Greenbaskets mascot, having a great time in the snow. He really enjoys it and doesn't appear to notice the cold, unlike the rest of us for whom the novelty has now worn off! Sorry Bing Crosby but I'm not dreaming of a white Christmas - I'm dreaming of warm, balmy days when I can wear only one layer of clothing!

So Happy Christmas to one and all and I hope to see you in the New Year. This is Greenbaskets first year and it's been an absolute pleasure to meet everyone who's come to the markets and fairs.

Hope everything you want is under your tree.

last whiteladies of the year.....

Yesterday was the last Whiteladies market of the year. Here are our very own Charlies Angels, from left to right, chief greengarland elf (Sue from Greengarland), yours truly and Helen from Bordeaux Quay (http://www.bordeaux-quay.co.uk/). Thanks to Wendy from Organic Blooms for being the photographer (organicblooms@ironacton.plus.com).

As you can see, it was a chilly day and we were all wearing as many clothes as is humanly possible while still being able to move! Snow on the ground but the sun came out, the market was busy, there were stalls with beautiful bread, hand made pottery, fresh fish, lovely cheeses and meat, cakes and chutneys, plants and organic wine......oh and Sue's lovely wreaths and my baskets, of course!

So Merry Christmas to you all!

For more information about the market, go to www.sustainableredland.org.uk. 

christmas is a coming.....

Went and bought the tree yesterday and decorated it with all our old, favourite decorations. There are Chinese dragons bought in Hong Kong, papier mache leopards, majestic stags and unicorns, cuddly teddies and furry bears, wooden toys from Italy, jolly santas, stars and hearts and strings of blue fairy lights. The loveliest of all are the ones made by little hands at nursery and ones sent as gifts from loved ones, some of whom are no longer here.

Hanging from the curtain rails we have strings of handmade decorations from India featuring elephants, horses and birds, with dancers and riders in fabulous costumes, all in the brightest of colours. And at the base of the tree there are strings of lights made of paper flowers in red and green and others of dancing blue dragon flies.

So this is Christmas 2010. It might even be a White Christmas.

busy, busy, busy....

Three weeks to Christmas! Horribly behind with my Christmas shopping. No tree, no turkey, no presents.....oh dear! However, I have made a Christmas cake which is a gluten free version of one of Nigel Slater's recipes. I was a little creative with my adaptation so goodness only knows what it'll taste like. I randomly added and omitted various ingredients. I also used the wrong size cake tin. Hmmmm - doesn't sound promising, does it? I'm hoping that if I put enough brandy in it over the next three weeks, noone will notice it's inedible!

It's been a busy week. Fabulous venue and lovely carol singing at Clifton College's Christmas Fayre, complete with the Stig! Followed by a bustling Bishopston Christmas Market where there were friends and good company:

Here's Sue from Greengarland with her lovely wreaths and Christmas decorations:

And then there was a very busy Whiteladies Christmas Market, complete with choir and hot, spiced apple juice (thanks Robin) which helped to combat the cold and damp!

And that was followed by a packed Henleaze Christmas Fair where the choir sang, the children got very excited and everyone played games and drank mulled wine (well, the adults did!). Here's a young volunteer balancing a Bolga basket on his head!

So, off we go. Only three shopping weeks left - here's hoping there's something left in the shops that I want to buy and my nearest and dearest will want to receive!

Hope you're all on top of the situation better than I am!