Wednesday 20 November 2013

What's Going On? Roses in November?

Photo Copyright: Maggie May

The weather continues to be fairly mixed. One day being mild and sunny and another cold, wet and windy. We never really know what to expect.
When I was a child, the winters were hard, cold and snowy and without central heating, or double glazing, I can remember it was really freezing, even inside. We had a small electric fire to get dressed by, while my mother raked out the ashes of yesterday's coal fire and laid another one for the day. We wore layers of clothing and we often got long drawn out coughs, colds, tonsillitis, as well as all the children's diseases that went around in cycles. Some of them such as Measles and Scarlet Fever were killers. However, we survived.
A good memory, from my point of view, was being pulled along on a home made wooden sledge by my Mum or Dad. It might have been a nightmare for them taking me to school in thick snow and ice but I considered it fun.
Those were the days when we knew the seasons and the weather followed a definite pattern.

It is now getting on for December, the Christmas month, the shortest day soon upon us. Today, I'm looking out of the window and the sun is shining. The heating is off and because I'm wearing my *thermals* I'm not really cold at all. Out in the garden I can see a rose bush covered in flowers, a bit tatty by any standard, but quite recognisable as clusters of roses. Don't you think that is remarkable, roses blooming in the heart of the winter in England?
My Pelargoniums that are only hardy if brought indoors are still flowering in their pots outside.
Is Global Warming the cause of this?
The terrible typhoon that has happened in the Philippines is supposed to have been caused by the shift in the weather patterns as well as all the other disasters that have happened in various places round the world.
So I suppose that it's swings and roundabouts, what weather you get, depending on where you live.
There are warnings of really bad weather to come here, so I'm stocking up a cupboard of basic foods in case we can't get out. Salt is at the ready for the pavements.

I wrap up warm and get my jigsaws out if the weather is bad.
The kitten jigsaw was in a big box of 10 different ones that I bought in a charity shop. I'm glad that they seem to be individually wrapped. With second hand puzzles you can never be too sure of what state they might be in.
Imagine trying to sort over 6,000 pieces into 10 separate puzzles.
I recently was told by the doctor in the cancer clinic that we attend, that doing jigsaws helps the brain to get into a meditative state that is very benficial. 
After I have completed one, I don't like to smash it up straight away, like my sister in law does, so I take a photo of the ones I've really enjoyed doing and this one fits that criteria. That way, I don't feel that I've *lost*  what has become a friend during the time its taken to complete it and can recycle the original.




15 comments:

Celia said...

I love puzzles too, a great pastime for winter. And I'm trying to get prepped for what weather may come.

Rosaria Williams said...

We've had the driest and warmest summer out here. So many changes are visible all over the globe and we're still learning and deciding how to react.

Enjoy your roses, however and whenever they bloom. Would you believe I have tomatoes growing when in the past I couldn't grow them? Yup. They are still flowering and producing since our temperatures are still summer like, and our rains are coming in small batches.

Jackie said...

I love being here...reading your blog. I get such a flavor for your language just by reading your words...and I love it! I remember coming across the word "sledge" when I was reading C.S. Lewis' "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" and thinking that it was such a great word. We use "sled"...but since I read that book, I have always looked for and loved the word "sledge" when referring to snow. Lovely.
The weather is much the same here, Maggie. Cool one day, warmish the next. Clear for several days, and then a period of rain. It is unusually warm here for wintertime. But, I know that winter will come in its full splendor soon. (We just don't get any snow here. It's too warm for that here in the Southern part of the USA.)
Sending you much love,
Jackie

dianefaith said...

Like Jackie, I'm in the Southern part of the United States, specifically in Georgia. We've almost always had warm weather even up until Christmas, but this year there's already been a hard freeze and the leaves on the crape myrtles -- which should have fallen off before a freeze hit -- are black on their branches.
That's a sweet puzzle you did. I've never been good at them, but you're inspiring. Maybe I'll try.

Akelamalu said...

I agree with you the weather patterns are all topsy turvy. I remember winters when I was young - scraping ice of the INSIDES of the windows! LOL

Rose said...

When I was young, we had an oil heater that heated most of the house. On winter nights, if we had gone somewhere, we all waited in the car while my father went in and lit the heater so that it would be halfway warm when we all went inside. Oftentimes, the oil heater would be covered in damp clothes on laundry day, since Mother didn't have a clothes dryer. And yet, I didn't mind winter as much back then:)

I must admit the severe storms the last couple of years, like the typhoon that recently hit the Phillipines, have me rather worried that we have done something to change the weather patterns.

Hilary said...

I love doing puzzles also and I have been known to snap a photo of one from time to time.

I'm impressed that you still have roses in November. We're dealing with our lake icing over. Winter is creeping in on us. Enjoy your roses and your puzzles. It's a nice start to a cold season.

Brian Miller said...

smiles...my boys love puzzles...we got them a new one last weekend cause we were supposed to get snow...we did not...now they say tuesday...we will see...i remember a lot more snow when i was a kid...

Family Affairs said...

That looks like it took ages! I wouldn't be able to break it up at the end either Lx

I'm at http://familyaffairsandothermatters.com - whenever I come over to leave a comment I get an open ID error so trying on my google account - which doesn't say what my blog name is so you probably don't recognise me! Lx

Secret Agent Woman said...

I worry that we'll get slammed this winter. I need to buy some supplies, too.

Anonymous said...

Hi Maggie, sorry I haven't been by for a while - blogging seems to be getting less and less these days, but it's good to look in on my loyal favourites.

I remember the winters when I was little, in the 70s, and I also remember my mum taking me to school in all weather. Snow and ice? It could be knee deep some days and we'd still go in. Who cared if it was cold? we couldn't afford ridiculous heating bills back then so a coal fire had to suffice and that was that. Take it or remain cold.

Our house is so cold throughout autumn/winter months but I don't put the heating on until mid-afternoon, mainly because of the expense, but also through principle. James is outside most of the day in the freezing cold and the gales and the wintry showers, so I never think it's fair if I'm snuggled up in a nice warm house. Call me daft, I know!

Hope you're well.
CJ x

Suburbia said...

Dear Maggie
I have not patients for puzzles!
I'm not looking forward to the bad weather, I hate driving in it!

Glenda said...

Maggie, it's great catching up on your posts. I've now finished my book and have a little more time to pleasure read! I'm excited about finishing - it will be published in early January and it's called Sweet Tea and Southern Grace. Our weather has been topsy turvy in November - Summer-like one week and then way below freezing the next. Our weather patters have definitely changed over the last few years and I don't see how anyone could deny that Global Warming plays a big part in it. Take care and blessings to the two of you!

Wisewebwoman said...

Knitting does that for me - pushes me gently into another zone.

I love jigsaws as a communal event. A friend would gloop (?) them together and then paste another completed on the back and dangle the result from a high ceiling for a month or so.

Subtle and effective show off.

XO
WWW

Unknown said...

Maggie, I actually was reading up on few of your posts and had quick question about your blog. I was hoping you could email me back when you get the chance, thanks!

Emily : )