The Twelve Days of Christmas

9 years ago

Okay, this is such a crazy/busy season, and I don't really have time for foolishness right now. But this brand new, big dinnerplate dahlia just made me stop in my tracks and remember what life is all about. So I'm challenging myself to take a picture every day for the next 12 days of Christmas (or to dig back and find old photos if need be) to celebrate the season.

I hope this will be a gift for those of you who are snowbound, and I invite and challenge all of you to help me put together The Twelve Days of Christmas:

On the First Day of Christmas
Our Garden Gave To Us
This Dahlia in Asparagus

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Comments (28)

catsrose
9 years ago
Great post. Can't wait to see tomorrow.
seil zone 6b MI
9 years ago
Pretty dahlia! I like the soft color of it.

Merry Christmas!
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Drema, what a fun time there! I grew up in Gladwyne, PA and Santa came around every Christmas eve on one of our fire engines. The guys handed out candy canes, oranges and apples to everyone and dog biscuits, too. It was great. Our neighborhood always had a huge turnout and even when we were grown, we all came back with our kids every year. Everyone arrived at the designated corner at least fifteen minutes early so we could catch up with each other a little. I miss that now that my parents are gone and there is no place to return to for Christmas. It was the most fun! Love the picture of the kids with the horses-everyone always wants to stroke them! Love the elf, too! I'll bet he had the best time! Your tree and decorations look lovely. I didn't even dare a partially decorated tree inside, so ours has only lights and is on the deck outside the dining room and living room. Maybe next year. Thanks for the pics. Merry, merry!
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Is it this one by X's and O's? You can buy it directly from them. Mary Here is a link that might be useful: tree skirt
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I hosted a large-ish family group yesterday and also kept life low key today. Went to Pilates this morning, then came home and after a nice long chat with my daughter we put away most of the dishes and serving pieces from yesterday. Snacked on some leftovers, finished the last 2 episodes of Orange is the New Black which I just discovered, then more leftovers for dinner, and now off to read a bit then early to bed. No shopping, no maniacal clean up, not much except relaxing! I won't say I resent it, because I do it every year, but sometimes I do think that since in my family there are only 2 of us (stepmother and me) who always put on these major holiday gatherings-boy, does everyone else get off easy! I had about 20 family members here yesterday and although I did appreciate several of the guests who pitched in to help, as hostess it was just an incredibly busy and hectic and intense experience to manage it all. In a debriefing call tonight, my stepmother, who is a retired professor of occupational therapy and thus very tuned in to effective work systems, commented that in a sense, hosting these parties is almost like turning your home into a restaurant...except there isn't a staff! Since I always think that somehow if I planned things right I would be able to effortlessly run these shindigs, this perspective really made me feel better about how exhausting it always is. After all, if I had a hostess to get everyone greeted and seated, and chefs to get all the food prepped, cooked and plated, and waiters to help take out and bring back the food and beverages, and dishwashers to clean it all up,...life would be ever so much easier wouldn't it?! Ah well, it was a very nice gathering and I've still got tomorrow and all of next week for me time. Which I *will* be taking, thankyouverymuch. Might go see The Wolf of Wall Street tomorrow and American Hustle is on the agenda too. Some shopping once the stores calm down a bit. Some reading, some relaxing, can't wait for my holiday to really kick in! Ann
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Might be easier if we list the next course to be posted. :) OK, so we need a veggie. How about the Cauliflower dish Trudy posted from Food and Wine? Roasted Cauliflower with Green Olives and Pine Nuts ACTIVE TIME: 10 MIN TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN SERVES: 4 Roasting cauliflower caramelizes the florets, making them supersweet. Tossed with crunchy pine nuts and salty olives and capers, this dish is perfect with roasted chicken or steamed fish. Ingredients 1 pound cauliflower, cut into 1-inch florets 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil Salt and freshly ground pepper 2 tablespoons pine nuts 1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley 1 tablespoon drained capers Directions 1. Preheat the oven to 425Â°. In a shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dish, toss the cauliflower with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is lightly browned in spots. Add the pine nuts, olives, parsley and capers, toss and roast for about 10 minutes longer, until the pine nuts are lightly toasted. Serve warm or at room temperature. Source: Food and Wine (posted by Trudy on CF) Next vegetable, please?
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rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
9 years ago
OK Sow what, I'll supply the second day:

On the Second Day of Christmas
Our Garden Gave To Us
Two Cup Shaped Rose Blooms...

Merry Christmas Everyone!

Rick
canadian_rose
9 years ago
On the Third Day of Christmas our Gardens gave to us....
THREE!!! striped roses
Two Cup-shaped Rose Blooms and a
Dahlia in asparagus!!!

BTW - the roses are Julio Iglesias
Sow_what? Southern California Inland
Original Author
9 years ago
And a Dahlia Growing in Asparagus

Rick, not only are your roses incredibly beautiful, you also saved the day (or at least the rhythm for the 12 days) since I was incapacitated yesterday from an injury. Which roses are those gorgeous, fat cups?

You too, canadian_rose! I'm trying to type while flat on my back; enjoying your festive blooms. They're eyecatchers, like our dahlias!

jannike
rideauroselad OkanaganBC6a
9 years ago
Sorry to hear you are injured Janike, best wishes for a speedy recovery.

The two cup shaped rose blooms are the Austin rose Geoff Hamilton. Little scent to my nose, grows tall and a bit stingy with repeat, but when it blooms, there is no other rose quite like it, so it sits in the middle of a bed with the better bloomers surrounding it.

PS, Glad to hear you Californians are finally getting some rain, though perhaps you would prefer it to be more gentle and prolonged, but never the less its rain. Going to be a White Christmas here.

Cheers, Rick
seil zone 6b MI
9 years ago
I hope you feel better soon!

No one posted for day four so I will do both four and five here to catch us up!

Four Baby Blankets
{{gwi:2121948}}

and...wait for it...Five Golden Celebrations!
sara_ann-z6bok
9 years ago
Enjoying this thread, some beautiful pics everyone!
dublinbay z6 (KS)
9 years ago
Six Ladies of Shalott

{{gwi:232521}}

Kate
Alana8aSC
9 years ago
7 Rose du Roi!
canadian_rose
9 years ago
I'm loving this!!!
Carol
dublinbay z6 (KS)
9 years ago
No candidates for #8?

This pic of 8 Cora Stubbs peonies is the best I can do, so I'll offer it up.

Eight pink peonies. (I'm not sure where we are on the melody, so if "eight Cora Stubbs peonies" works better rhythmically, go with that.)
{{gwi:228927}}

Carry on--but if we stall at #9, I should warn you that I have another pic of Cora Stubbs with 9 blooms--if needed!

: )

Kate

This post was edited by dublinbay on Wed, Dec 17, 14 at 16:27
redwolfdoc_z5
9 years ago
Love this post!
canadian_rose
9 years ago
On the Ninth Day of Christmas our Gardens gave to us....
Nine Paradise Founds,
Eight Pink Peonies
Seven Rose du Roi,
Six Ladies of Shallot,
FIVE GOOOOLDEN CELEBRATIONS!
Four Baby Blankets
Three striped roses
Two Cup-shaped Rose Blooms and a
Dahlia in asparagus!!!

Yay!!
Carol
redwolfdoc_z5
9 years ago
Best. Post. Ever!
jo_pyeweed (z9 SF Bay Area)
9 years ago
On the Tenth Day of Christmas our Gardens gave to us....

Ten Blue Girls Gleaming
Nine Paradise Founds
Eight Pink Peonies
Seven Rose du Roi
Six Ladies of Shallot
Five Golden Celebrations
Four Baby Blankets
Three striped roses
Two Cup-shaped Rose Blooms and a
Dahlia in Asparagus!!

(I may have spoiled the rhythm with "Ten Blue Girls Gleaming, but "Ten Blue Girls" sounded worse!)

This thread is so enjoyable !

Jo
dublinbay z6 (KS)
9 years ago
"Gleaming" is just right! Perfect addition.

And lovely rose bush.

Kate
canadian_rose
9 years ago
I agree!! Gleaming is perfect - and what a wonderful rose bush! So many flowers, and all the way up and down. Well done!!
Carol
catsrose
9 years ago
Eleven lilies leaping
dublinbay z6 (KS)
9 years ago
On the Twelfth Day of Christmas our Gardens gave to us....

{{gwi:328591}}

Twelve Edens climbing
Eleven lilies leaping
Ten Blue Girls Gleaming
Nine Paradise Founds
Eight Pink Peonies
Seven Rose du Roi
Six Ladies of Shallot
FIVE GOOOOLDEN CELEBRATIONS!
Four Baby Blankets
Three striped roses
Two Cup-shaped Rose Blooms and a
Dahlia in Asparagus!!

Merry Christmas everyone. : )

Kate
canadian_rose
9 years ago
Yes, Merry Christmas everyone!!
Carol
User
9 years ago
lovely post everyone!
KarenPA_6b
9 years ago
What a wonderful Holiday spirit! And such beauitful show of flowers to accompany the song. I love it.

Merry Christmas to all!
redwolfdoc_z5
9 years ago
Merry Christmas!
kentucky_rose zone 6
9 years ago
Great posts....Merry Christmas!
ingrid_vc so. CA zone 9
9 years ago
Lovely pictures, and thank you to everyone who participated.
Happy Holidays!

Ingrid
Sow_what? Southern California Inland
Original Author
9 years ago
Wow -- this came out fantastic -- great job! What a treat to make it back on and see this all put together with such beautiful gifts from our gardens. Thanks everyone and Merry Christmas!

jannike
dove_song
9 years ago
Wonderful!!! Merry CHRISTmas you all. Peace on earth, and goodwill to all men, women and children. :)

This post was edited by dove_song on Tue, Dec 23, 14 at 17:14

The Twelve Days of Christmas

Comments (28)

catsrose

seil zone 6b MI

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The Twelve Days of Christmas

Comments (28)

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Sow_what? Southern California InlandOriginal Author

Sow_what? Southern California InlandOriginal Author

COMPANY

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Sow_what? Southern California Inland
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