A Celebration of Winter...

                           Kicking off this ‘Celebration of Winter,’ 

                             I’ve chosen a beautiful picture by Emily Sutton

                           If anything sums me up, then this does!

                           It could well be me, sitting there in my greenhouse,

                           contemplating. But contemplating what?

( From ‘Out and About’ by Shirley Hughes)

I think that if someone asked me what I’d loved the most

about my time on this earth, my reply to them

would be: 

The seasons.

I take joy and pleasure in each and as you say goodbye to

one season, another comes along to knock if from its perch

and you know full well that it’s not really goodbye at all.

And thus, at this very moment, I am celebrating:

❄️Winter ❄️ 

And yes, it’s  bitter cold right now...

as Shirley Hughes reminds us:

But what’s to stop you from wrapping up warm

and venturing outside. For instance...

  Mackenzie Thorpe highlights the delights of a snowy

day in his lovely paintings....

                                       

                                    Of course, the weather can bring its irritations...as

                                        Mal Burton so aptly depicts...

                                                  

                                  

                                   But there is a certain charm too...

                               

                            ...as well as a touch of romance..and we could all do 

                               with some of that!

                      Naturally, if you are going to celebrate ‘Winter’, then you need

                      look no further than Thomas Kinkade; his paintings cry out

                      to you, ‘ Come, embrace the season!’

                      This one is pure magic!

          

            I think I would always include  ‘The Holly Fairy’ by Mary Cicely Barker

            simply because the red berries always add such a wonderful contrast to

            a wintry day:

O, I am green in Winter-time,
When other trees are brown;
Of all the trees (So saith the rhyme)
The holly bears the crown.
December days are drawing near
When I shall come to town,
And carol-boys go singing clear
Of all the trees (O hush and hear!)
The holly bears the crown!

For who so well-beloved and merry
As the scarlet Holly Berry?

❄️ 

Delightful!

❄️ 

And talking of delightful...

...here is Monet’s Magpie

          

      Claude Monet painted many snowy scenes..apparently around 140!

           One of my other favourites of his is ‘Snow in Argenteuil’

            Brrrrrrrrrrrrr!

           Of course the season of winter isn’t exclusive to the countryside.

           Here is,’From the Royal Exchange’ by Ken Howard.

      And ‘Winter in Broughton’ by L.S. Lowry...

      ...as well as ‘The Pond’...

         To end this celebration, a Christmas card that caught 

        my eye this year.. I sent this to one or two on my Christmas card list!

                  ‘Between Snow Showers’ by Martin Truefitt Baker.

           And that is my celebration of wonderful Winter...

           What would yours be?