Time for Tea

This week I have been decorating and making Christmas decorations so I have done very little gardening. We continue to have frosty days and it is now getting dark around 4.30pm, so if it is a grey day we get very little sunlight.

We buy Herdwick lamb from Yew Tree Farm at Rosthwaite in the Lake District. It has an amazing flavour.

A view of the Rosthwaite valley

An old wooden door on a farm building.

How many stories this doorway could tell

I love the cast ironwork at Hexham station. The craftsmanship that went into the building of this station is to be admired.

It looks like the film set for Brief Encounter

These huge rosehips will be a tasty treat for the birds.

Pillar box red hips

Dried calendula petals retain their colour.

These remind me of saffron

We had a heavy frost one morning. It is interesting how it changes the appearance of the flowers.

These spiky teasels with a tinge of frost.

To be admired but not touched as the barbs are very prickly

Alchemillia mollis looks completely different.

The shapes of the petals are emphasised by the frost

Frosted daisy seedheads.

Icy pom poms

Can you guess what plant this is?

Lettuce

Can you guess what this is?

Frosted soil

I have a collection of old teacups.They feature designs from a time gone by when ladies sat down for afternoon tea and cakes.

Time for tea

Anyone for chai?

A coffee can

Can you read tea leaves?

Anyone for sugar?

This amazing sunset was taken from Hartside cafe at the top of the Pennines, on a cold and icy evening. The car park was all frozen when I stepped out of the car to take the photo.

The intensity of colour was wonderful