Decs Spec, See You There, Let There Be Light & Cross Mouse Time

Taken from Lynne’s weekly column ‘Green Scene’ for the Western Mail
7^th December 2024

Decs Spec

It is only now that we are in December that I start writing about Christmas. Last weekend was the time that most people put their Christmas tree and decorations up although I’m told that some were up as soon as the Halloween decorations were down.

Each year there seems to be more and more ‘alternative’ Christmas trees to choose from.  As well as the traditional ‘real’ trees, cut or potted, you can choose from wooden trees, hanging trees, half trees (that fit flush against a wall to save space), felt trees, even feather trees and of course trees in every different colour imaginable.

According to a posh interior design forum, the trends for Christmas decorations this year include ‘lots of’ fairy lights, frozen Wonderland themes, bows and ribbons and vintage inspired decorations.  If you want to be bang on trend with your Christmas tree, then go ‘maximalistic’ and choose tinsel trees in dark and moody colours like black and burgundy and lift the mood with neutral decorations.

I’ve just typed all that whilst slowly shaking my head, if I’m honest.  The same forum offers the services of numerous ‘Christmas Decoration Dressers’, to ensure your home is ‘perfectly dressed for the festive season’.

To be brutally honest, my cottage is always in a sort of feral state of undress and will remain that way for the festive season and the foreseeable future – with various seasonal additional adornments added according to energy and enthusiasm levels.  And that’s the way I like it.

I am a fan of ‘homemade Christmases’ and getting creative rather than ‘consumerable’.

You could make your own ‘alternative’ Christmas tree with a selection of bare branches – twisted willow branches are great for that – or long thin logs decreasing in length in a triangle shape held with string and that hangs on the wall.

As that description is so poor, I’ve included a photo. Or how about an old wooden (or metal, I suppose) step ladder that is positioned in a ‘Christmas tree’ shape and festooned in lights and decorations – that would be a brilliant idea on site!

‘It’s beginning to cost a lot like Christmas’, isn’t necessarily the case.

See You There

To share more ideas, on Saturday 14^th I will be giving a talk at the Little Mill Village Hall, between Usk and Pontypool (NP4 0HJ), for the Hardy Plant Society (Monmouthshire Group).

They are a lovely friendly bunch who describe themselves as being, ‘For people who love plants and gardening and enjoy sharing their enthusiasm with other like-minded gardeners. We are part of a network of 45 local groups throughout the UK registered with the national Hardy Plant Society. Our Group is also an Affiliated Society of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and an Affiliated Group of the Tender Shoots Garden Club Network.  Our talks, given by a variety of interesting speakers, are held monthly between Sept and May Our annual programme also includes gardening discussion lunches/dinners, garden visits and plant sales.”

I will be taking and talking about ‘A few of my favourite things …’, all of which are gardening related and include tools, clothing, books and other bits and bobs – and none of which yield me a commission.  As always it will be a friendly and interactive session and do please feel free to bring something relatable that you want to share the merits of too. I am reliably told that there will also be savoury bites, mince pies and mulled wine/alcohol free drinks.

Doors open at 2.00pm for a 2.30pm start, and the cost is £4 for members, £6 for non-members. For more details please email monmouthshirehps@gmail.com

I look forward to seeing you there.

Let There Be Light

I am also a big fan of outdoor lighting so if you are splashing out on decorative outdoor Christmas lights, why not make sure they are suitable for leaving outside after Christmas too – or just some of them maybe.

I try to go for a run in the early evenings and whereas one of my favourite things has always been seeing lights on in people’s homes (they look so cosy), I really enjoy seeing the festive lights that are decorating gardens now.  One person on my favourite route has threaded bright white rope lights through a wrought iron fence and over an archway, which looks stunning in the dark.  It’s a great way to outline things.

That has just randomly reminded me that I put up four outdoor sensor security lights last weekend and not one of them was straight, prompting my brother to say, “You want to ask Father Christmas for a spirit level.” Don’t worry, I’ve got him some batteries for Christmas with a note saying, “Present not included.”

I also like putting a creative twist on what I’ve already got in the garden, hence letting Father Christmas use my giraffe when his reindeers are resting. A stone cherub statue in a client’s garden always gets a Santa hat put on for Christmas, as does a life size metal deer statue in another garden.  It’s creative-time.

Cross Mouse Time

And currently, instead of having a Happy Christmas, I have an Unhappy Cross-mouse. Or several to be precise.  Since the weather got colder I have had the usual rush of mice coming into the cottage to keep warm.  As always, I catch them in a humane trap and then drive them 2 miles up to the mountain to let them go, as research has proven they are able to find their way back from just over a mile away.

I read a fabulous article last week which updated the research first released 5 years ago, and which claimed that, given the opportunity, mice actually enjoy driving ‘cars’.

Researchers in Virginia first made global headlines in 2019 when they succeeded in training rats to drive small cars made out of plastic cereal containers, powered by grasping a small wire acting like an acceleration pedal, in exchange for Fruit Loops cereal.

But now the researchers say their rodent students have in turn taught them a ‘profound’ and unexpected lesson of their own. They’ve discovered that mice also seem to genuinely enjoy – and eagerly anticipate – getting behind the wheel and will do so when there are no treats involved.  One professor involved with the experiment explained, “Unexpectedly, we found that the mice had an intense motivation for their driving training, often jumping into the car and revving the ‘lever engine’ before their vehicle hit the road. When I walk into the lab now, the three driving-trained mice eagerly run to the side of the cage, jumping up like my dog does when asked if he wants to take a walk, displaying excitement and anticipation.”

Based on this new information, I am considering letting ‘my’ mice drive themselves up to the mountain to be released.