Thursday 17 November 2011

Small things and shivers

There's nothing like a sunny day in November to lift the heart and after too many days of grey, grim, lowering skies, it seems particularly precious.



And the loveliness of the light impelled me to take out my camera to record a happy moment, a small, mundane moment to treasure for when the world turns grey again.


But what an unpredictable moment of bitter sweetness: Princess Bunchy is counting down to Christmas, and every time she tells me how many days to go,  I feel a small shiver of unpreparedness grip my heart.



It is supposed to be a time of soup and mittens, and grubby root vegetables roasting slowly in the Aga - so how come I was eating salad for lunch in November?


Tomatoes and lettuce growing in the garden - a moment of joy at the sweet summer taste, and a small involuntary shiver at the uncomfortable thought that the seasons have gone awry . . .


Still, I think there are reasons enough to be cheerful . . . and I have found some more over here.

31 comments:

Serenata said...

In a way they have, but it still feels cold to me ;-) It has been quite dark and grey here as well, intermingled with periods of brightness, and it actually was quite warm when I walked down the road as I had to take my coat off!

Great to still be getting such lovely veg from the garden.

greenrabbitdesigns said...

The season feels spot on here, grey and grim I'm afraid with torrential rain. :(
Vivienne x

MelMel said...

I love salad.....I'll eat whatever the time of year!
But if I had an AGA!!! oohhhhh...soips ans stews would take over from the salad and no mistake!x

Thrifty Household said...

It's getting cold at nights though...

Christmas seems to be on a fast track this year!

Rosa said...

I love salad and we eat it every season.

Today is a cold day,I love sunny days.It looks like winter just arrive.

Canadian Abroad said...

I bet that salad was gorgeous too. We had salad with our dinner tonight but not out of our own garden unfortunately.

VintageVicki said...

The seasons have got so muddled - salad in November is just wrong!

Annie said...

This weather is crazy isn't it, totally topsy turvy. But how lovely that you can eat home grown salad in November! I'd say enjoy it while it lasts ... a friend who is a meteorologist reckons these winds from the south won't last much longer and then there'll be a big freeze.

Planet Penny said...

It's bizarre, isn't it? But at least you get a delicious salad out of it!
Thanks for joining in with Reasons to be Cheerful and spreading a little happiness!

Selfsewn said...

I've just had salad for my dinner!
Regarding the rsi, the only relief is rest and no sewing unfortunately.

I have also realised it's actually more like a trapped nerve in my shoulder. I hope you get some answers from the consultant :)

Kay G. said...

Your tomatoes and lettuce look wonderful, I too would eat them anytime!
Would you like to show a photo of your Aga? I have only read about them in English books, would love to see one in a real home! :-)
Have a lovely rest of November.
We have our Thanksgiving one week from today!

* said...

I am always slightly in awe of people who grow their own food, my few attempts have been fairly miserable....but as I keep telling myself, there's always next year! Have a happy week!

Katy Cameron said...

Don't worry, we're genuinely shivering up here! I eat salad all year round anyway, so that never helps me tell the time of year :oD

Marigold said...

How wonderful you still have things growing in the garden!

Cheryl said...

We're still eating tomatoes out of the greenhouse and baby spinach from the kitchen garden. It won't last much longer, but while it does, we're making the most of it! The root veg can wait.

sarah-jane down the lane said...

Reading you is mid November cheerfulness aplenty :D
Amazing you still have tomatoes on the go! Have a brilliant weekend,

Sarah x

Karen L R said...

salad from the garden in november??? bizarre indeed. but yummy!

henry and i are headed to vermont to get the thanksgiving festivities organized. favorite people to follow soon.

xo

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes - I do know what you mean about the seasons - it does seem odd eating lettuce out of the garden when you really feel more like eating jacket potatoes out of the Aga.

I can't always leave a comment on your blog, but I do always read and enjoy it.

Madelief said...

Oh Pomona, you still have salad from your garden :-)! Ours is long gone. We had our first frosty nights and days last week.

Princess Bunchy will not have to wait long. Time is going sooo fast!

Happy weekend!

Madelief

Carol said...

We are still collecting ripe tomatoes from the greenhouse ..... in November...... in Yorkshire! Amazing.
I have cosmos, larkspur, pot marigolds, verbena, dahlias etc., all still flowering away, even the odd rose is joining in the display.
The weather has been a bit grey but there has been some lovely sun too.
So much to lift our hearts and to be thankful for.
Have a great weekend.
Carol xx

Mrs. Micawber said...

I eat salad all year (mostly because I know it's good for me) but the times I enjoy it most are when the weather is warm and it's fresh from a nearby garden.

We've got a handful of tomatoes ripening on the counter - all that's left of summer. Then it's squash and California broccoli for us, I'm afraid. Do your tomatoes get sweeter if the weather cools? Our final batch was amazingly sweet after two brushes with frost. Here's wishing you more sunny days!

cathleen said...

Your salad looks inviting. I've been eating way too many sweets, including that chocolate muffin recipe you posted a few weeks ago. So, I think my body is craving foods that are good for me! Have a wonderfull weekend, Pomana!

Helen Philipps said...

We love salad and eat it all year round! I love the fresh salad you've grown, it looks delicious. It's sunny at last here today, hope it is with you too.
Helen x

Lorraine Young Pottery said...

small shiver of unpreparedness grip my heart.

When I read that it gripped mine too! eek...

The colors of green and red, very cheering.

Lorraine :-}

Crafty Green Poet said...

we've had a very mild and sunny November, very strange, its usually a grey cold month here. Our tomatoes continue to ripen on the windowsill...

Barbara said...

Summer has not left the garden yet. Apparently it will be in for a shock by the end of the week with frosts forecast.

...Nina Nixon... said...

It was so lovely at the weekend, but the grey has descended again today.

I have to admit though wishing it was a little chilly now - I crave my stews and mittens, but my body keeps on saying 'NO!'

Nina x

Katherine said...

That fresh and homegrown salad looks divine to me. We've definitely moved on to root veggies and mittens. It's been -15C here the past few days. Brrrrr...

Draffin Bears said...

Hi Pomona,

Your salad looks so good and even better when it is picked fresh from your garden.
We have salads most of the year, so healthy and good.
How fun for Princess Buncy counting down the days until Christmas, seems to be coming to quickly for me.

Happy week
Hugs
Carolyn

Becks said...

Salad still growing?? Lucky you, it looks so tasty. Our autumn is definitely here up north, the frost is on the ground and the fires are lit.

grace said...

What a gorgeous image you have created in my head - totally share the shiver of unpreparedness though! Thank you for visiting my little old blog as well x

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