Guilty pleasure, birch again and the homecoming.

This week I've been astonished to see the hit counter on the 3BT podcast creeping up -- thanks for listening, everyone.

I've added Outré and It's a Long Way Home to the Roll of Honour -- thank you James and Cathy.

Becoming Human and Whitney at Glimpses of Grace and Louisa Parry have all been enjoying the company of small people -- I just hope Whitney's little'un managed to get herself out of the hatbox. Plutarch has seen daffodils braving the frost. Raymond Pert has put away a burger 'the size of a buffalo's head'. Merope discovers Marks and Sparks and salt 'n' vinegar crisps. And Eyebee is taking pleasure in Shredded Wheat.

1. My aunt says: "Do you want to go to Hobbycraft?" as if she is suggesting a guilty pleasure to us.

2. More birch trees -- their top branches have been smeared by an artist's finger covered in burgundy pastel across a landscape of fawn and khaki.

3. I come home to Nick, and we hug each other so tightly. It was our first night apart since the wedding.

To do, thaw and treatment.

Merry Midwinter, everyone. Today is the longest night here in the northern hemisphere, which means that the days are getting longer from now on.


I've published a few pictures in the last few days, and it's made me take extra special notice of the photo 3BTers this week.  

• This Home Sweet Home emailed me to let me about her beautiful things post in the the form of pictures. 
• Lori Delozier is another photographic 3BTer. She has managed to find beauty in her husband falling into an old septic tank, which put a gleeful smirk on my face. 
• Plutarch writes about his notebooks, in which he collects beautiful things. He says his notes are often decorated with sketches of pig snouts, reindeer heads and other diverse items that catch his eye, including a 20-second goose, in whose goosiness he takes some pride.

I'm always interested in 3BT stories -- even if your beautiful things are not for public consumption, it's great to hear about your experiences. Please let me know how you're recording the things that delight and amuse you.

1. "What shall we do after lunch?" Nick wonders. I tell him: "We're going to look at our wedding pictures again, and you're going to like it."

2. The snow has melted and frozen again so that each twig is cased in glassy ice.


3. My arms and back are dotted with crimson welts -- they look like mosquito bites and itch like crazy. Nick tenderly applies antihistimine cream to each one and tells me not to scratch.

Long light, jam turnover and soda.

Three Beautiful Things weekly round-up

• Two posts about first snow: A Journal of Days and Glimpses of Grace; while Louisa meets a lady at the chip shop who must content herself with a snow substitute.
• Aisha eats a pomegranate unadorned for the first time.
• Plutarch opens up a whole new world of perfumes, and is unable to resist buying a second apple.
  
• Mary Loves appears to be raising a junior 3BTer with a good eye for sunsets.
  

If you 3BT regularly, please let me know -- I love reading other people's beautiful things.

1. In the middle of the morning, I go out to the bins, and stand astonished (rubbish in my hand) at the golden winter light and long shadows.

2. He makes a jam turnover with the leftover pastry and marks it with our initials. At teatime, I get ticked off for picking the wrong half.

3. Last thing at night, to pour some soda crystals down the sink to keep the drains sweet. I like to break up the lumps in the powder through the plastic bag.