Christmas, a Boxing Day walk and an art exhibition

December now feels like December doesn't it? I hope you all had a nice Christmas Day with people you love. I had a great time. Everything went so smoothly with the dinner it was amazing. We had one extra - sporty son's girlfriend. She had never experienced an English Christmas before (she's from Korea) and was keen to taste the food. Her big wish was to see the Christmas Pudding lit up. So hubby had to go scrabbling about in the under stairs cupboard to find the bottle of Martell. She enjoyed the food and the crackers and yes we set fire to the pudding, much to her delight. She even joined in our family ritual of jigsaw puzzling!

Only the white pieces left to do! Three days work

We all sat down to watch Frozen (except techie son who had worked over 50 hours leading up the Christmas and went to bed!). I have to say it was one of the best Christmases.

On Boxing Day me and techie son went for a walk along a local brook. It seems a lot of people had the same idea. The path was very muddy in places but the walk was beautiful. The sun was out and I was in awe of the trees.

Beverley Brook Walk

Mud, mud, glorious mud!

I love this week between Christmas and New Year. I do things I don't have time for any other time and take advantage of everyone's mad dash to the shops for the sales and visit places or go walking. Today I went to the Paul Nash Exhibition at Tate Britain. It was quiet as I expected. I asked one the assistants where I could buy my ticket for the exhibition. He said he'd take me to the stairs himself as it would give him something to do and he actually thanked me for coming!

I've seen a few Paul Nash exhibitions, or a combination of his an others as part of WWI artists but there was a lot I'd not seen before in this exhibition. I knew about his surrealist paintings and one of my favouites was on show (Landscape from a dream). There were also some letters and photos and illustrations he did for books. In the beginning he was influenced by William Blake and Rossetti and later he founded The Unit, a collection of artists, sculptors and the like which included Henry Moore, Barbara Hepworth and Ben Nicholson.

I knew this time I would not be leaving the gift shop empty handed!

And there's my favourite painting by Paul Nash on the front of the book

The contrast in the sky today was interesting around London. Enjoy the photos, some from yesterday and some from today.

Vauhall looking ghostly

Looking towards the City of London (taken from Vauxhall Bridge)

Cranes ghost the skyline

Finally, I was given a few books for Christmas and I am so happy!


So, tomorrow's agenda...ironing (sigh) and then a visit to my local library (yippee!)