I dream of a ball of mistletoe in the hallway

I must have said before that the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe should mean that for every kiss you have to remove a berry. So when I say I want a huge ball of mistletoe it's not for any lip action but I just think those green and white natural pom-poms look so impressive.These three are hanging from a tree in the garden centre and I looked at them longingly before driving off again.

I can't resist a bargain.

So, for the third time I have succumbed to the half price bulbs - this time at a garden centre. Since our local garden centre burned down just before last Christmas I have not really visited any garden centres and this has saved me a fortune but left the garden lacking much new colour. Online gardening sites still have some power over me to splash my cash but it's not the same as every day off being spent browsing the local garden centre. So it is a treat now to wander around, checking out the latest fashions in gardening as there is definitely a new trend each season. Actually I was only trotting into the store to use the loo after a long drive (yes, I don't believe that either) but had to cannily walk past all the bargains to get to the W.C. I ended up having a trolley full of MORE bulbs with some cyclamen and heathers to give a bit of above ground interest.
When I got home I enjoyed half an hour or planting, cutting back a wayward fuchsia that I never planted and can't seem to get rid of and tidying up the wisteria that has gone a little wild. Okay, it cost me another £25 but I now have a smart entrance by the front door and the knowledge that come March I will have some bright little flower heads pushing through. I won't think of the cost of it all then.

The last of the Autumn leaves

Our mighty Oak, after which the house is named, has shed it's final few leaves since I took this photograph three days ago. The last of the daylight shone it's golden glow on it for the briefest of minutes before plunging us into darkness. I locked the chickens safely away in their home and scurried indoors to warm myself.