Here's to a happy, healthy and creative new year 2010!

Welcome back to snowy Boxwood Cottage dear blogging friends and readers! I hope your holidays were filled with wonders and magic!

Riley and I send you our best wishes for a wonderful New Year 2010!

The little mieshief made himself comfortable in the middle of my winter decorations pushing my glittery putz village away, but he looks so cute in there that I just couldn't be mad at him lol

I don't know about you, but I for one love the Winter season especially when it is cold and white outside and so cosy in the cottage and I keep decorating my home with wintery scenes like this white glittered branch I found last week for 50 % off and the gorgeous silver glass pine cones were 50% off the original price as well. I decided to go and shop for Winter/Christmas decor after Christmas every year from now on, it was so much more fun with everything costing just half of the original price.

Doesn't it look pretty against the white outside?

We still have lots of snow here and got even more yesterday and it is very cold for North Germany, a freezing - 8 degrees celsius.

Although I love gardening and my flowers, I think the winter season is so beautiful and relaxing. There is more time for visiting with family and friends and more time to create. I feel more and more that I'm a true Winter child, being born at the end of January. My daughter is born in January too, her birthday is coming up next Saturday already.Yesterday my mum and I had a wonderful walk through the freshly fallen snow, this was so refreshing and beautiful. Well don't get me wrong, of course I'm also looking forward to spring, when nature awakes again, but I totally enjoy this season too. One thing I love doing at this time of the year is watching the birdies outside the window.

I took the photo of the geese above through my sisters cottage's window on Christmas day. The two cuties are called Hans & Anne (Hans is the white one) and my sister rescued them this last fall from becoming Christmas meals. She has to bring them in their shed every day before twilight sets in, so that they are safe from the beautiful red fox which is strolling around their cottage. Did you know that geese can get 40 to 60 years old? I wish for a long and happy life for Hans and Anne!

These next pictures I took yesterday through my parents home's living room window. Above on the rusty crown sits a common self-heal (called "Braunelle" in German language) which just enjoyed some of the food my mum lovingly prepaired for her little garden friends consisting of whole grain oat flakes, chopped nuts and raisins and some oil.

At first glance you may not see our little feathered friends, but if you are patient and wait a while and watch closely you'll suddenly spot them everywhere.

like my favorite birdie of all the European Red Robin

or the Great tit(mice)

as well as the cute Blue tit

There is enough to eat for every garden bird in mums garden, they can find it in little houses and feeders all around her home.

Of course the bigger birds although get their fair share of sunflower seeds and peanuts, but their feeders are a bit away from the ones of the small birds so my pictures of them where to blury to show. Can you imagine how wonderful it is to just sit in the warmth of your cottage and watch your feathered friends enjoying themselves?

I'll go out in the garden now to fill the feeders so they'll find enough food to keep them warm from the freezing cold.

Happy New Year my friends, stay warm and cosy and enjoy the Winter season!

xoxo Carola ~*~*~