Christmas is coming

There are bets on how long the Christmas tree will survive. This is our cats first Christmas and the lure of the shiny things is strong..

Freya is especially taken by it.

We often hear a furtive rustle in the evenings and find her batting the tree ornaments around with her paw. Hugh caught her trying to find a way up into the tree this morning. It’s only a matter of time..

I’ve been doing a bit of festive baking. Sausage and cranberry rolls and frangipane mince pies. I’m going to give Stollen a try later this week. It’s a favourite, and a freshly home-baked one will be so much nicer than a shop bought, mass produced one.

I’m keeping the decorations minimal this year. Firstly we’re still not fully unpacked, and most of them are still in the boxes. And secondly, the cats have more than enough temptation for chaos as it is.

A few candles and fresh evergreen foliage will have to do this year.

We’re approaching the winter solstice very soon now. The days are at their shortest with the sun rising slowly above Loch Nevis at about 9am and setting by 3.40pm.

Short days and long, cold winter nights.