The right time to bring a Christmas Tree inside for Christmas

We normally go into Christmas mode after December 7th, but this year we're slightly earlier here at the cottage. The bear has an elf suit. A small green felted and lined jacket that is older than the bear by about 40 years. Slightly too tight for him around his middle, (too many cookies bear) but it's warm in here so don't think he is going to get cold even in the snow. He also has some new elf boots..

A cute and easy little pattern, the pattern has endless idea's. Mary Ann suggested that candles would look great in them. I thought candles, why candles ?  I never actually had my glasses on... CANDIES..........  not candles..........Mary Ann has some great links to other inspiring makes on her blog, you can find them     JUST HERE......... Thanks Mary Ann.... make sure you make a note and leave a comment for mousie or he will never forgive you. Mousie is the little guy who works hard, plays hard, you will see him.

I'm coming to the bit about Christmas Tree's....... This little tree has been  planted in our garden for about four years. It lives quite happily surrounded by mint in the Summer. It's been left to get on with growing, without any feeding, shaping or digging up again for yet another Christmas. It looked a bit sad last year but has suddenly picked up.  It's a shame to dig it up when he looks happy enough. He's not left entirely alone though, as he is decorated with birdie food during hard Winters.

This potted guy has been fed all year, shaped, re potted, he looks good enough to be placed in our window seat again.  Every year since we have lived at Soggibottom we always have a real tree. Apart from one year we brought an artificial tree, it had one night on the window seat and we both decided the cottage needed something real at Christmas. We always buy a tree with roots, one to last more than just a few days... Nothing wrong with this tree, except this year we can't put a tree in the window at doggie height... for obvious reasons...  much better to be safe than sorry, maybe we are being over protective, but if you love your dog, you protect the love of your life.

This little tree is such a  pup attraction already...

You might like this pic of the tree better, messing around with camera setting isn't a bad thing, but then you realise some of the pics you take can't be reproduced again with clarity.
So here is our Christmas tree for this year, a table top (PUP PROOF we hope where she can't test it out) little spruce. Should smell great too. So When is the right time to bring in a Christmas Tree into your house... ?

Tradition says on Christmas Eve, what do you think Freya ?
Big yawn, she would rather be at the beach , or maybe she's getting in some choir practise for Silent Night............ Catflap Cavalier......

READ ON,.............
Here I would normally stop at a blog post so hope on this occasion you'll read on.....might be a long post :-) ... over the last few days soggibottom posts have been rather thin on the ground to say the least... trying to make it up for my lack of activity I have two more links to give you.

I hope they will make you smile at the generosity of people and at the same time sadden your heart..... to make you generous and help if you can. Here is a link to Debbie and Dixie. Debbie has a heart of gold with her campaign for Fabric for SUE .

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It also gives me a very selfish chance to show you a pic from a visit to the beach this week.

The next link is to Judith.

Judith can tell you Sam and Gizzy's story.....I am sure their story has only just started...  Judith can tell you so much better than I can. There is one thing that Judith doesn't say in her post. Gizzy is having pups...........

Happy Thanksgiving to all our American Friends.....  

Don't forget about your Christmas Tree, if it's living and has roots, you might like to make it last a bit longer by not bringing it into a warm house too soon......... Artificial tree's are fine... but do they really smell of CHRISTMAS  ?

Last but one photo, this time one taken by me with our old camera.
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Frank's turn..... he doesn't and never will wear boots !

Soggibottom's birthday Giveaway 2011

They say the older you get the quicker birthday's come along..... the year seems to have gone by so quickly !

Here is Soggibottom's birthday giveaway. A little 3 inch guy that comes with his own scarf and hat. 


He is willing to travel anywhere in the world.  Soggibottom's past giveaway Birthday bears are lucky little travellers and have gone far and wide.  As usual, only three things qualify to enter. 

A COMMENT MADE ON THIS POST

YOU HAVE TO BE A SOGGIBOTTOM FOLLOWER...although your quite welcome to follow at any time..

IT'S GOOD TO SHARE   - a side bar link or post on your blog about the giveaway........... I will check..... ::-) 

We moved into Soggibottom Cottage on my birthday, the cottage is 343 years old this year..... I've a way to go to catch up with her.

I like to share on December 7th. The giveaway will end at 12 noon GMT... 


To all our beautiful Cottage followers, thank you for another year of making us smile, laugh and cry with all your personal, creative and fantastic blogs and comments. Every comment is read, although it's not always possible to get back to everyone via email to say thank you...... THANK YOU TO EVERYONE....Also to everyone I know who reads Soggibottom.... Hi guys.... always great to know your out there...........


Midge, Tony, Frankie de tabby and Freya Rose Blossom  :-)  X X X


Freya is, as always over at her own blog, Cat Flap Cavalier............

11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month

Freya at Catflap Cavalier is still here.

Pumpkin Tree grown at Soggibottom

The pumpkin was grown at Soggibottom Cottage, art work by Karina.Where ever Karina gets her skill from it's not us.

Soggibottom Cottage isn't that great in the art of pumpkin carving. The usual face on a pumpkin is as far as our talent goes. This year,  the bear is dressed and standing in the cottage window, there are certain items which have been  left out. Anything with a stick is slightly too tempting for a young pup.  He is however having a fair amount of admiring glances as usual when people pass the window.

The bear does have his own black cat. 

End of October already,

some are still paddling in the sea.

Only the brave ones. 

Some just look on.

Freya Rose Blossom can be found over at the  CAT FLAP CAVALIER.

Where ever you are and what ever your doing tonight have a Happy Halloween.

Wet and Windy, when to pick up shellfish on Dawlish Beach

 The South West had a weekend of storms

Back to our normal wet and windy October weather.

Except this morning it was a clear, calm morning, too good not to go for a walk along the beach.

It also gave us a chance to try out our new camera.
Freya gives a whole new meaning of burying your head in the sand.

There were more things to keep her occupied than digging this morning. The storm brought in various shell fish, all littered along the tide line.

Some still alive and hanging in there waiting for the tide to turn.

Some were lucky, some not.

The gulls ate a hearty breakfast.

In fact the shell fish seemed to be disappearing at an alarming rate.

Seems there is such a thing as a free lunch after all.

At least until the tide came back in.

Word of warning about shell fish, only pick up the unopened ones, if the seagulls have got there before you, it's best to leave well alone.
Mussels are best from October to March.

But why ask me, I'm not the Soggibottom cook.

You can see Freya over on CATFLAP CAVALIER gibbering  about her toys.You can also see her in her first ever video appearance.  How to pick up a stone with no hands.

Or how bemused am I ...................

Port Wrinkle, horse hair and lime plaster walls.

Port Wrinkle is a place name.

I'm sure it looks more inviting during the Summer months..

Even  the small boats in the harbour were out of the water, tucked away for the Winter.

We have been up to other things than walking Freya along the coast this week.
The cottage is having a wall repaired.

A Cob specialist has been hard at work for weeks. Horse hair and lime plaster for the first coat, then a long wait until the second coat was applied. We are on the third coat now and have to wait at least fourteen days for it to dry before a final coat of lime wash will be applied. Living in such a beautiful old cottage has it's advantages, sometimes it's disadvantages as cob cottages have to be looked after properly, using the right tools and building materials. The dry weather isn't going to last for fourteen days, the wall will be fine even when it rains.....  although we will feel happier when the final coat of lime wash goes on.

Mr weatherman forecasts rain tomorrow.

At least the wall is almost finished, this is when it was stripped back a few weeks ago.

The sound of knitting needles clicking away can be heard during the evening. A sure sign that cold weather is around again.

This little flower is an easy make to decorate a dainty cardy. I know not everyone knits, but this is beginners stuff, I can't go wrong.

A pair of gloves.

You know the kind that are half gloves.

 Then turn out to be mitts after all.

We had to say bye bye to an old friend this week. Not to Freya but to our camera. It's still working, it hasn't gone to the great camera shop in the sky, It doesn't pick up views and distance very well, so we have upgraded to a higher pixel camera.All the photo's you have ever seen on Soggibottom's blog have been from a small pink 10.5 pixel camera. Happy snap stuff. Happy snap stuff is fine by us. There is a mix of old and new camera photo's on this post, wonder if you can tell  which one's were taken with our old camera?....

The new camera has a quicker shutter speed, good enough to show you Freya's teeth which are rounding off nicely. She's not picking up everything she comes across as she used to.Visitors are now leaving the cottage with the same amount of fingers that they came in with.

She will however have a good chew at some things when in a playful mood...

NO ONE TOUCHES Frank's tail,

not even Freya.

Freya is now five months old. Doesn't time go fast when your having fun ?

Freya as usual can be found on her own blog  CATFLAP CAVALIER 
Best not to tell her the tide is coming in.....