“Nature’s first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leafs a flower, but only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf, so Eden sank to grief. So dawn goes down to day, nothing gold can stay” Robert Frost

November nights are drawing in. It is icy cold outside and dark by 4pm. Its officially ‘life by candle light’ time of year.

My favourite.

Don’t you think candle light makes everything look and feel so much more beautiful; magical even. It creates a lovely ambience

[ It drives the BF mental, plays on his chest apparently – an ailment that appears to effect a lot of men …. mmmm]

In a few weeks it will be joined by the glow of the Christmas tree, an angel and a single string of fairy lights that will dance around the fireplace.

Late afternoon everyday on Channel 5 its Christmas movie-time. When I can, I make sure everything’s completed before I settle down with my coffee [ preferably loaded with Baileys / or Bally Castle the Aldi cheaper dupe ] and lose myself for an hour or so.

The living room descends into darkness, the flicker of candles and smell of coffee fills the air.

I melt into the arm chair, into pure escapism. I’m temporarily transported back. I’m a young, carefree girl and I believe. I believe in the magic of Christmas, I believe in Santa.

Gold.

I absolutely love Christmas; but this year I’m not running at it with my usual gusto. The usual excited anticipation has been replaced with a sense of the unexpected, dread even. Mums not here for the first time in my 46 years and the thought terrifies me.

I’m fading

tarnished…

I am however in my usual up-beat way going to try and enjoy the moments. Ok last week I had a major melt-down. Last week was a bastard. Last week reality hit me like a tonne of bricks and it hurt. A lot.

This is a new week.

A new mind-set.

My heart might not be in it but I intend to decorate the house, write the cards , eat the mince pies. Like I keep quoting … ‘stay gold’

If your not familiar with the film ‘Outsiders’, firstly why the hell not? it’s a great film.

‘Nothing Gold can Stay‘ is a poem that’s referenced in the film. It’s something that stood out for me a long time after the film had finished … the romantic in me devoured it, felt it.

To stay gold is a metaphor for youth . To stay gold is to be young and innocent. To enjoy child like things.

Nothing gold can stay is in reference to growing up … but why shouldn’t we stay gold even if its in our thoughts alone?

I still love a beautiful sunset, marsh mallows dipped in my milky hot chocolate, card games, watching Big Ben count in the a new year … gold moments.

It’s what Mum would want ; for us to capture those moments and relish in them. If gold was a physical being it would have been Peggy Herring.

Mum had such wonderful child like qualities about her; pulling faces at inappropriate moments , giggling at silly jokes. Always the first one to sport the cracker hat , always wrapped in a mountain of tinsel, or sporting a daft wig.

Happy, with a mischievous twinkle in her eye.

Mum was ‘Christmas’, she absolutely adored it – time spent with the family. Memories of Christmas past are filled with memories of her… she might not be with us physically but she’ll always be there in spirit.

How could she not be?

Gold…

Today I just thought I’d share some photos of ‘things ‘ I’m really enjoying at the moment inter-mingled with some of my personal Christmas family photos.

Some of these items would make ideal stocking fillers,the other photos might just give you that ‘Friday’ or rather ‘Christmas Feeling’

Leave you feeling gold …

Succulents from Sainsbury’s

Earrings £35.00 // HERE

Daughter of the Soil Shea Body Butter £32.00 // HERE

Black Orchid Candle …

Laughter – priceless

Fabulous friends – priceless

Baileys on ice, Baileys in coffee …

Retinol Resurfacing Treatment £35.50 // HERE

Fabulously crackers … fabulously mine

Embrace your inner child.

See the magic.

It’s there, and its beautiful.

Stay gold…

Tracey x

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