Saturday, December 22, 2012

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!

25 comments:

  1. Thank you Rose. It is so good to see that you have a bloom and you are having quality time with your Grands. Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year to you too.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Rose, you're happy granny! You have so nice helpers in your kitchen and I'm sure all cookies you all made are very tasty.
    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Merry Christmas, Prairie Rose! Having time with your grandchildren making memories is better than any bloom in a garden, isn't it?

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love your *best blooms* best! The nicest kind to have.
    Also love your header!
    Happy Christmas to you all. Hope you have a really peaceful and blessed time.
    Maggie x

    Nuts in May

    ReplyDelete
  5. You have a great kitchen full of young blooms! Merry Christmas and happy gardening indoors and out!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hi Rose,
    My holiday cacti are already finished blooming. Yours sure is a pretty color!

    I look forward to our grandsons being old enough to make cookies with. I hope by then they will have outgrown some of their allergies.

    Thanks for stopping by my blog. Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The best blooms, indeed! And they're the priceless variety, too. Merry Christmas, Rose!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Rose,
    I have an award to you!
    Take it here:
    http://northern-garden.blogspot.com/2012/12/merry-christmas-to-all.html

    ReplyDelete
  9. Rose, love that your "stockings are hung by the chimney with care". The spirit of Christmas comes across loud and clear with the gathering around your kitchen table. Have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Merry Christmas, Rose! How fun (and delicious!) getting the grandchildren together for cookie-making.

    Your Christmas cactus blooms are beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Christmas baking sessions are the best! Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Christmas cactus have the most magnificent blooms don't they? Such huge flowers in vibrant colours, they're a very happy plant when it's dreary outdoors. Have a wonderful Christmas with your family and best wishes for the new year.

    ReplyDelete
  13. What a great Christmas tradition Rose! This is a perfect Bloom Day post. Grandkids are the best-in-show variety of "blooms" after all. All the best to you and your family for the holidays!

    ReplyDelete
  14. What fun to be baking with your grandchildren. They will have warm and loving Christmas memories of the special times with Grandma.

    Have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful 2013.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Merry Christmas to you & yours, Rose! We're having a lively holiday here thanks to visitors from Missouri: my daughter's best friend, her boyfriend and her almost 7 year old. I'm hoping to squeeze in a cookie making session before they leave!

    ReplyDelete
  16. I hope you had a safe and merry Christmas, Rose. You know, I don't mind the various shades of brown in the garden at this time of year. Don't miss that snow, though!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Rose girl .. I am red faced for taking so long to come for a visit here!
    Loved seeing that Christmas cactus (I don't have one .. I felt guilty for killing them all the time .. how is it I can garden and not keep house plants alive??) haha
    It looks like you had such a great time with the kids .. I love sugar fueled times like that .. squealing is good for the soul : ) LOL
    Hope you are having a wonderful time still .. we are under a blanket of snow finally .. I can say the Great White North with a free conscience now ? LOL
    Joy

    ReplyDelete
  18. The grands are certainly 'grand' for a reason I have found. What memories you are making. I do hope your Christmas was filled with love and laughter and that your New Year will bring you some new fun.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Love your Christmas cactus! Mine too has bloomed and finished - seemed quite fast this year.

    So nice to share a cookie activity in the kitchen with the grands. Mine was cancelled this year. I've been sick with a horrible cough that just won't quit.

    You kitchen blooms are best of all!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh that beautiful cactus and your grandchildren must have provided you with some much needed sunshine.
    I do hope that you enjoyed the festivities Rose and wishing you and your garden a happy and healthy new year xxx

    ReplyDelete
  21. Happy New Year, Rose!

    That Christmas Cactus is just lovely.

    ReplyDelete
  22. AS you say, the very best blooms! (Although the christmas cactus is rather lovely.)

    Hope your Christmas season was wonderful and I wish you a new year full of promise and adventure, love and excitement. May it be blooming great!

    ReplyDelete
  23. You have such beautiful blooms and such a happy house. May you find many joys in 2013, in the garden and out.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Thank you to all of you for taking the time during this busy season to stop and leave a comment. Now that the holiday rush is over, I plan to return the visit to each and every one of you.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Happy four years to you dear Rose. I applaud you for never missing a GBBD, outstanding! My Christmas cactus dropped most all its buds.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for stopping by. I love to hear from you, so please leave a comment. I'll try to reply here, but I'll definitely return the visit.