Much greeting and hugging and then goodbyes have been a large part of our holidays as our family swelled from seven for Christmas Eve to nine on the 27th, then twelve for just a day on the 28th and down to six as of today. Several of us have been suffering some flu, which even yours truly of the cast-iron-tummy picked up on Boxing Day. It’s been a bit of a struggle to be jolly and feed everybody. I’ve resolved to keep these last days of the year and first of the new very quiet and low-key with no more entertaining so that when some of us head back to work next week we’ll be fully recovered.

Our sunny frosty weather was a wonderful Christmas gift. Husband indulged in a new camera lens for us both and has played with it, including capturing the above image of ice that I just love. I wished I’d had time and wellness to capture some of the hoar frost in the garden! I look forward to getting acquainted with it and will tell you more later.

Speaking of ice, you may recall some of my past photos of frost flowers or fractals (search). The other day while browsing a new-to-me blog by a resident of Gabriola Island (off Vancouver Island near Nanaimo), I was stunned by his/her photos of frost flowers that look like spun sugar. I’ve never seen anything like them, have you?

Soon, much too soon, we’re into another year and leaving behind a decade called, what, the aughts, noughts, the 00’s? Twenty-ten, twenty-eleven and on will roll a bit easier on our lazy tongues though still sound rather foreign to me. I plan to be back with a proper New Year’s greeting but not with one of those long lists which I’ve been enjoying elsewhere. Just a simple goodbye and a hello.