turning of the year...

New year, new diary so all the important info has to be transferred - birthdays, anniversaries, dental appointments.......... But it is also an opportunity to relive the notes made of the outside world. When plants began to grow, bear fruit then die back. When various wildlife visited the garden and what the weather was like. I am tempted to say this past year was unusual but only because we seemed to have the right weather for the time of year. Wet, bright spring, windy in March ('in like a lion...'). Mild, then a warm summer. Autumn that almost forgot to happen until late October when the colours were glorious and the fungi amazing. Then snow, not Christmas, but Boxing Day, when everyone was leaving after a fun, family day. 
The daffodils are springing up around the garden and the honeysuckle has buds - there will be a few more frosts before spring pushes winter out of the way, but in the meantime, here are some reminders of autumn.

 

 

 

 

(these are butterflies, not fungi!)

 

 

And when we got home, I found these (earthstars, I think) sprouting up under the salvias......

(made me think of cabbagepatch kids, remember those....?)