December Brings Change

When December comes to an end, many of us use that time to reflect on what's past, and what's ahead. You see, 2024 was a pretty dramatic year for us, and it's going to end with a bang when my husband retires on the 31st. Our plans are still uncertain, but regardless, we're looking forward to more time together. You see, my husband was a heavy business traveler, and we've been apart for much of the last 10-15 years. But now it's finally time for us to do life together again! 

As for December itself, I used the first part of it to finish my holiday prep. The decorations were put up, and gifts were purchased, then wrapped. Goodies were baked and placed into the freezer for future use. Cards were sent, and menus were prepared for holiday gathering. And some small gifts were made by hand, mostly scarves and earrings.  

After the holiday prep was complete, we packed up the car and drove south to spend Christmas with my parents in Florida. We hadn't spent Christmas together since they moved away from Michigan back in the 90's. It was a quiet time together, but we had plenty of good food and lots of visiting. No, it wasn't actually warm, even though we were in Florida. But it sure wasn't as frigid as the north can be, that's for sure. And it was definitely a green Christmas, a first for us. 

Now that we're back home, it's time to prepare for our late family celebration. The gifts have long been wrapped, so all we need to do now is shop for groceries and do some cooking. I'll leave the decorations up late this year, since the fam isn't coming until just after New Year's. Trying to remain festive! I didn't put up a tree though, since weren't home to water it. But all the other decorations are still in place. 

As for the garden, it's asleep. There isn't anything to see outside except the bones of the place. I miss the flowers, but I do enjoy resting during winter. I kept my display of Christmas greens simple this year, no bows or baubles, just the greenery itself. I like to keep these on display until March, and remove them when everything starts coming back to life for the spring. Below, you'll see the extent of our snowfall. It was just a dusting, and quickly melted. I did like to see the Sweetgum tree wearing its baubles, and the euphorbia Ascot Rainbow looking so well despite the cold it's been through. 

The gray skies of December in Ohio don't allow many sunsets to peek out. When there is a sunset, the best view is usually from my upstairs windows. I'm sure I'll get down to the local pond soon, since the sun sets over the water at this time of year. Meanwhile, it's quick and easy to watch out back at home. 

Thanks for stopping by to see what's happening in the Nest. I have to look beyond the garden at this time of year, while I keep hoping for snow. January should be fairly quiet, but with hubby actually at home, who knows what we'll get up to! Until then. 

November Chill

 As November comes to a close, I find it's also time for autumn to come to a close. The trees are bare now, with leaves skittering across the roads. And today, there are even a few snow flakes in the air. I'm having a hard time finding pretty spots to show off here. But early in the month, I did enjoy the end of the fall colors at my favorite parks. Plus we went to Florida to see my parents, and of course I found beauty there. 

Blacklick Woods and Chestnut Ridge are my favorite nature spots during the months when summer turns into fall. My last visit to them on November 7 was my final view of autumn here in Ohio. I'm always a little sad when my favorite season is over. When autumn comes to an end, it means that the next time I'll catch interesting nature photos will be the first snow. But when will that be? Our winters have gotten milder here, like they have in so many areas. We don't get much snow, and when we do, it doesn't last long. I suppose that's why I go running outside whenever snow does arrive. In the meantime, here's what I saw at fall's finale. 

I have two sets of parents living in Florida, so we visit fairly often. In Sarasota, we see coastal views and eat seafood. 

In central Florida, we see orange groves, marshes, and rolling hills. They each have their own beauty. 

With Thanksgiving behind us, it's time to get serious about my Christmas preparations. It's time to remove all the pumpkins outside, and buy holiday greenery to take their place. Inside, it's time to remove all the fall decorations, and break out my Christmas goodies. I do have some of my gifts already purchased, but I'll need to finish that chore. I will send out a few Christmas cards, and bake some cookies. I used to bake mountains of cookies when the kids were small, when we had various places to share them. Now I just make a few favorites for my immediate family. I also need to plan holiday meals for visiting family, but we decided to go casual this year and have a taco bar. Can't wait! Here's a little sneak preview of my decorations. 

Here at the end of the month, I tried to find any possible flowers outside, and didn't find much. It must have been quite cold while we were in Florida, as even my roses are gone, and they usually last past a few frosts. I did plant about half of my tulip bulbs before the weather got extra cold. I'll have to find a window of warmth to complete that task. We did clean out the veggie garden earlier in the month, and harvested these carrots and watermelon radishes. 

I'll leave you as usual with a sunrise and two sunsets. Not sure how much else there will be to see during the quieter months, but I do appreciate you stopping by regardless. See you again next month when I'll have holiday decorations to display, and maybe some snow.