Monday, February 25, 2008

Signs of spring

I am cold. I have dreams of a wood-burning stove sometime in my future. I love wood-burning stoves. I love fires. With the sky-rocketing cost of fuel here in the UK, I think that having a method of heating at least a part of my home, which is not dependent on either gas or electricity, is a wise thought. (I was going to say "investment", but then realised that "thought" was more apt, given the lack of minor details like money to use as an investment!) Seriously, though, the cost of fuel is unbelievable. Switzerland is cheaper. A lot cheaper, and this is odd, given that Switzerland is supposed to be expensive, isn't it. Hmmmm. Then there is the fascinating announcement that British Gas has just declared record profits. I know. I am contributing to them. And to the directors' Caribbean holidays, no doubt. There is to be an investigation. Good.

Today was expensive. I paid the electricity bill, which comes quarterly, and the road tax, which is an annual cost. Fuel related nasty things. They tend to focus the mind on frugal alternatives. And I started to think about using candles. But then I remembered the computer. And my hair straightners. They need electricity. Maybe I need a windmill thingy on the roof. And a bicycle. The one thing we do have is a multitude of blankets, thanks to mother and her crochet hook, not to mention the pile of quilts I have made. We will not freeze.

Enough of cold and irritating things. I do have chocolate. It is the small things which make a difference!

This weekend, it will be March, and I will get out the Easter decorations, and construct our Easter tree. Until my sister moved to Switzerland, I had never heard of Easter trees, but we always have one now, and they are becoming much more common here in England. It is a lovely tradition. The shops in Switzerland are full of Easter decorations, and I also saw bunches of forsythia for sale. Apparently, in water, the dead looking sticks slowly blossom, and after they blossom, the leaves come out, even though they are cut.

I looked at the garden this afternoon, and I have 5 daffodils blooming at the moment, with lots more growing. Oh, how I love the thought of spring! It is the season of rebirth. Hope. New life. Brightness and light. The days are getting longer now, and it makes such a difference to go to work with the sun shining, and not in the dark.

And now it is dark. Late at night. And I need sleep. But I will be back.

5 comments:

Susan said...

The thought of purchasing a wood burning stove has become a discussion around my house, too, as of late. We are all going to have to make adjustment in how we live it appears.
Susan

meggie said...

I think you need to move to New Zealand or Switzerland! You would love the looong nights in the South Island. Our children were so reluctant to go to bed at 9.30pm. Those long twilights were what our Yorkshire Grandmother told us about, & I confess, .. I loved them!

Needled Mom said...

Yes, I do not think that we could survive without our power these days. Life has become much too complicated for that, hasn't it?

I can't wait to see a picture of your spring tree. I'll know what a real one is suppose to look like!!

Yeah to the coming spring.

someone else said...

And with the approaching spring, the month of May will arrive and so will I. Oh wow!

Vee said...

I'll just enjoy your spring until I get one of my own.

I have several forsythia bushes and it is just as you describe. The flowers bloom first and then the leaves come. I would force some branches, but I'd have to climb over snowbanks so high that I'd be in danger of getting buried.