Flowers for Birthday

 

Despite of a cold season one can always purchase any flower in January but I love spring one especially in my birthday. They tell me that spring will soon come to my garden.  Here is a gift received in this morning, I love hyacinth!
My own hyacinths are forced and their stalks are growing now.

I also had a small gift from my friend - it's packets with Blue anemone tubers. She knew I wanted this color anemone in the garden. Thank you, S.!

 

My family always pleases me cooking dainties at my birthday. Today I've seen my favorite cake with cottage cheese cream, raisins and nuts. There also were choux pastry buns (similar to cream puffs or profiteroles) with whipped cream and of course a cup of fragrant coffee on the table.

Whatever it is, I always invite my loved ones and friends to feast on and, telling the truth, I can not eat a lot of sweets :0)  Well, help yourself!
This weekend we'll go to watch the play 'Taming of the Shrew' by William Shakespeare performed by very young actors and then will have a family party. I hope to have fun, oh!

GBBD in Mid-January

This old asparagus is blooming in mid-January. It grows 10 years indoors and flowers some times a year, it doesn't care what season is: winter or summer. The white with yellow stamens flowers are small and fragrant.  

The flowers are many on various branches. When the blooming ends red round fruit are everywhere.  
The orchids flower as well,  not all of them, three - white one and two small ones sleep now. The red-purple one is my favorite, I love this color.

I've written about roses on a windowsill. They started growing buds in December and now both roses  'Ice Angel' are in bloom. The disease began as well, it was observed unexpectedly, so I sprayed them twice against aphids and spider mite.

The frost and snow is outside but the small green garden at home pleases me during the cold season. What indoors plant grow and flower in your place now? 

Christmas in Saint Petersburg

 

 

Russian Christmas is on January 7th, is an Orthodox church holiday (why it is in January I wrote here). Winter long holidays started December 31st and are till January 10th. So many days to relax and I had to think what to do these days. The list was not too long: to watch city decorations, to go to my garden and cottage, depending on the weather of course. 

This picture was taken yesterday in the woods along the road to my garden, 
it was -20 C ( -3 F) and my camera said "no more pictures".
I cooked some dishes for Christmas dinner: chicken breast rolls wrapped in smoked bacon, cabbage and carrot, smoked sprats with green salad. For dessert: bread pudding with fruit, nuts and cream and apple-orange-banana-cranberry salad.

I love to embroider, therefore I've chosen an interesting pattern to make the new pillowcase for the sitting room cushion and when I have free time I do my new thing. This embroidery is made on canvas, floss in 3 threads. I took a picture of my work, but it isn't finished yet.

What do you usually do during long holidays? How have you spent your holidays?

 A very cold day, oh!

Happy New Year!

С Новым 2016 Годом!

Happy New Year 2016!

  

Feliz Año Nuevo 2016!

Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku 2016!

Head uut 2016. aastat!

Hyvää Uutta Vuotta 2016!

 

Gelukkig Nieuwjaar 2016! 

   

 Ευτυχισμένο το Νέο Έτος 2016!

Godt Nyttår 2016!