Hey; thought you wouldn't hear from me till after Christmas eh? You can't get rid of me that easily!

Winter Dog

Introducing Axle! The fabulous squinting dog. Well, you would've been squinting too, in that icy wind. I should have called it 'winter squinter'. To be fair, only one of his eyes was squinting. He's lovely isn't he? He's so full of beans at the moment. Well, hubby is home for the holidays now, so he gets very excited about that. Don't we all! And of course, he never usually gets so many treats on a normal day!

All Axle does, is race to the ice puddles on his walk now. He's like a rocket. Then, he sets about attacking and bashing them, like a dog possessed. It must be awful good fun, if you're a dog. No wonder, he starts licking his paws when he comes home. We think he makes them sore. Though, I suppose, some things are worth getting sore for.

Well, we've had quite a few days of freezing fog here in Fribourg, Switzerland. Do you want some? Because we've got more than enough to share? It has turned everything white and hanging with icicles! Even the grass is white. Like the 'Snow Queen's' world.  It's very beautiful (from inside the house) from outside, it's more of a challenge. You can feel the warmth being sucked out of every pore, if you step outside. I think this is the coldest winter we've had, since moving from England to Switzerland. It only takes minutes for your hands to feel like they're beginning to freeze, if you leave them unattended. 

Hey, but that doesn't stop me taking to fabulous photos to share with you! Freezing fog, is like manna from heaven to an artist! Or, at least hand-made biscuits then! So, complete with running nose cold and watery eye, I brave the elements. Just for you! Well; and me of course. I even had to talk my best camera into coming with me, it was thinking of chickening-out. I had more clothes on than a clothes horse. Lord knows, what the neighbours thought.

Dried Wild Flowers

There's this wonderful field of wild flowers close to our home. It is always a riot of colour in the summer. These giant 2/3 foot stalks were amazing encrusted with freezing fog this winter. I'm going to impress you now by telling you what they're called 'Dipsacus fullorium'. There, you look impressed.

The cow-parsley looked enchanting, too. Great sprays of white. Let's see if I can find a little photo for you.

I took rather a lot of photos. Well, I just kept squinting and clicking until the cold finally found it's way into every available nook and cranny. It was worth it.

My husband is just off to cook us some festive spaghetti bolognese! Let's hope it's a good-un. Lovely not having to cook sometimes. Watching your husband banging and chopping in the kitchen sometimes, is such a good spectator sport. Especially, when he starts cutting the onions. Then, it becomes like some kind of Christmas pantomime: of running and moaning waving a dish-cloth. There's an awful lot of drama and over-acting involved. Ooops, he's probably going to read this. I'll be in trouble now.............. Just joking sweetie. Got you a lovely pressie........it's big too!

Keep warm and don't forget to stuff your turkey!

We bought some lovely new games for Christmas. But since they should long since have arrived by now, we suspect they have 'gone astray' from England. So, we are left with our one game of Scrabble! Could be a long game then! I wonder if 'dipsacus fullorium' will come in useful? Or should I just write 'big stalk'?

www.boundlessgallery.com and www.moorethanart.com or questions@moorethanart anytime.