A Very, Very Late Bloom Day and Season's Greetings

Since I started blogging over four years ago, I haven't missed a Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day yet.  Thanks to our creative and energetic hostess Carol, these mid-month posts have provided me with an invaluable record of what is blooming in my garden--or not--from year to year.  But this Christmas season has been a busy one, and time spent on the computer has been limited to cyber shopping, not reading or writing blog posts.  Endless gray days have kept me from even thinking about the garden, much less photographing it.  And then last Friday, I was left without words . . .

And so I am very, very late in sharing what is blooming in my garden this December.  But the only bloom worth noting is indoors--a new Christmas cactus blooming right on schedule.

Outdoors, the garden has been dormant for at least a month.  Despite the mild weather of early December, nothing is blooming, with dried seedheads the only reminders of the garden's former glory.

The endless scene of shades of brown was broken on Thursday when a winter storm blustered through and covered one of the few spots of green--the hellebores--with white instead.  Although parts of the Midwest were blanketed with snow, we received only a dusting, and chances are that won't last for Christmas.

But the best "blooms" of all were in my kitchen yesterday as the grandkids came over for our traditional cookie-making time.  For a few hours the house was filled with laughter and sugar-fueled squeals of delight.  Although the finished products were heavy on frosting and might not be quite edible, the time spent was precious and priceless.  I feel very blessed this Christmas. 

Wishing you all a Joyous Christmas

and Peace in the New Year!