Christmas in Saint Petersburg, 2016

December is almost over and my most favorite holidays come - Christmas and New Year. Here traditionally they both are family holidays when people gather at the big table.
The city is very nicely decorated, many Cathedrals and old buildings are lit at these cold, frosty nights.  
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Kazan (photo above) is one of them, its colonnade is beautifully illuminated.

Here is the famous Hermitage museum (or Winter Palace) at the Neva river embankment. The Neva River is partly frozen as the canals and small rivers are. The navigation from Baltic sea to Volga river is over. 

When the weather is wet and cold the tree branches are coated with hoarfrost, I like watching them through the warm home window :-) But some people love strolling along the frozen Neva.

The trees around the Saint Isaac Cathedral have been decorated with Christmas tree garlands, trunks seem very mysterious. The great Cathedral and especially its dome is illuminated as well.
 

The Nevski avenue and the Saint Isaac Cathedral at the festive nights, downtown (above).

There is the Mariinsky Palace, the Deputies' Legislative Assembly site at the Moika river embankment. As in others central squares, here artificial Christmas tree is set, decorated with garlands and stars.

I wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, dear friends bloggers!

 
Desejo-vos um Feliz Natal e Feliz Ano Novo, queridos amigos blogueiros!

¡Les deseo una Feliz Navidad y Feliz Año Nuevo, queridos amigos bloggers!

Toivotan teille hyvää joulua ja onnellista uutta vuotta, rakkaat ystävät bloggaajia!

Ik wens u een vrolijk kerstfeest en Gelukkig Nieuwjaar, lieve vrienden bloggers! 

Soovin teile häid jõule ja head uut aastat, kallid sõbrad  blogijate!  

Saya mengucapkan Selamat Natal dan Tahun Baru, teman-teman blogger! 

Jeg ønsker deg en riktig God Jul og Godt Nyttår, kjære venner bloggere!

Życzę Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku, drodzy przyjaciele blogerów!

Я желаю вам счастливого Рождества и счастливого Нового года, дорогие друзья блоггеры!

    


Here is my video about clocks - time never stops:

Mid-December Flowers

Despite the cold weather outside and sudden changes of temperatures  -10 ° C up to + 5 ° C, my indoor plants are doing well, and even some of them have begun blooming. Dracaena, dieffenbachia, cacti, Saintpaulia are growing well. Even the garden plants that had been moved to the city are healthy under special lamps that are on to increase a light day.

I bought Clivia few years ago and it has never bloomed before this December when to my surprise a spike appeared, several flowers have blossomed and there are more buds.

I learned that the Clivia usually blooms in a cool, bright place and I have before tried to make such conditions but it did not blossom and now ... the beautiful flowers opened for Christmas.

Schlumbergera is considered a very capricious home plant. Here we name it 'Decembrist' because it usually blooms in December. Another name is 'Christmas cactus', it wildly lives high up in the trees of rain forests and jungles. 
As a home plant it lacks light either it's too much, needs a certain temperature for flowering, a pot with the plant can not be moved when buds appear because the buds tend to twist towards the light, which can make them drop off. 

And you have to water it a bit, and so on. I have done all the necessary: reproduced the natural growing conditions, haven't moved the plant pot. And Schlumbergera has had buds and beautiful flowers have appeared. 

And finally the plant that is very thankful for little care, it's pelargonium, the variety 'Royal pelargonium'. Having been moved to the city it blossoms as mad, its velvet dark purple striped flowers appear time to time, it's a pleasure.

Do you grow these plants inside or outside? Do they bloom well every year?

Sweet Saturday: Apple Pie

I've been sure checking the apples from my garden that they are still fresh, so I have managed cooking and my family and I had delicious apple pie for Saturday lunch. We name it 'charlotte'. It's very easy to make it. 
You need :
1 glass of flour
1 glass of sugar (I put less sugar)
4 eggs
and of course, slices of apples

I put slices of apples on a bottom of a round pan and then pour whipped mixture of ingredients. That's all.
Oven 375 F( 200 C) 30 min
recipe here

I enjoy 'charlotte' with a cup of flavored tea. 
Do you love apple pie? 
What is your favorite one?