So quiet and subtle is the beauty of December that escapes the notice of many people their whole lives through. Colour gives way to form: every branch distinct, in a delicate tracery against the sky. New vistas, obscured all Summer by leafage, now open up.
Flora Thompson
December in London this year has delivered frost, a touch of snow, but also mild and damp weather; a little bit of everything. Of course it has also brought Christmas lights and decorations.
We were at home for most of the month, then travelled north to spend New Year in Newcastle. My photos for the month capture a day out in Hampstead with friends and several outings in central London, as well as a few shots closer to home and a final couple up in Newcastle. The final shot is included specifically for those of you who were curious to see the Sage music venue in Gateshead in colour after I recently shared a gallery of black and white images. And of course I couldnβt let December pass without including a Christmas decoration! So the header photo is of a bauble on our tree.
Technical notes
All these shots were taken with my phone or with my compact point and shoot Lumix. My new Panasonic Lumix FZ330 bridge camera didnβt get any outings this month. The black and white and sepia shots were edited with Nik Silver Efex, the others with Photoshop Elements and/or Nik Color Efex.
As always I am linking my selection to Ju-Lynβs and Brianβs Changing Seasons challenge.
As I’m posting this on the first day of 2023 I want to take the opportunity to wish everyone who kindly follows my blog, and especially those of you who comment and interact, the very best for the coming year. May we all have a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.
56 Comments
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Ju-lyn
Itβs taking me a while to catch up in this space – I so loved looking and reading your post this morning β¦ it is a grey, cool morning in Singapore which make me appreciate & miss my London family even more (we spoke to them a couple of days ago and they said itβs freezing).
Hoping your January is going well and that you are off to a great year!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Ju-Lyn, always nice to hear from you and the ‘when’ is never an issue! Yes, it’s been freezing over here and i can’t wait for spring! Our year has started pleasantly but quietly, as you’ll see in my January post, but next month we’re off travelling again for a bit and I’m looking forward to a more adventurous and warmer February in Colombia!
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equinoxio21
Newcastle now? It always amazes me that some actually know that – or other places in the UK -. To me they’re… sorto of magical names on a map. I really must devote some time to visit the UK, beyond London’s limits…
Happy New Year et Bonne AnnΓ©e.
Sarah Wilkie
Bonne AnnΓ©e π₯ Yes, Newcastle is almost my second home thanks to my husband’s connection to the city. And you’d be surprised how many tourists do visit that region these days π
equinoxio21
Oh, I wouldn’t be surprised. I’m sure there are a lot of people visiting. It’s just my own feeling of weird. I’m a Franco-Brit, totally bilingual, half of my cousins are English (My grandmother was English) I know London like the back of my hand, but that’s it. Liverpool is just the place where four guys were born and changed music. π
I mean, I know Italy much better than the UK. Which is strange.
So I really would like to find the time to travel several weeks in the UK. One day…
Cheers Sarah.
Mike and Kellye Hefner
I love them all, Sarah. I hope 2023 brings you and yours happiness, health, and great travels.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Kellye, and for all your support for my efforts during the year. I just realised that WP was no longer sending me alerts for your posts so I’ve tried re-subscribing – hopefully that will work!
Mike and Kellye Hefner
Oh WP… (sighing heavily)
Sarah Wilkie
And now I can’t see the comment I left you and even though I’ve been notified that you ‘liked’ it, I can’t see if you replied. Please be assured I’m not ignoring you π
Mike and Kellye Hefner
I’m assured, Sarah. Thank you for your support of our site and for being a friend!
Sarah Wilkie
But are you seeing my comments? The same has happened with your Mammoth Caves post. I commented and have a notification you liked it, but the comment isn’t anywhere to be seen!
Alli Templeton
A superb selection of photos to round off 2022. It seems odd to see snow in London as I know the white stuff rarely puts in an appearance in the capital, but you’ve captured it beautifully for posterity. Love the frosted leaves and Regents canal, and you can’t beat a squirrel for a good winter shot! And the picture in the cafe in Ealing is so evocative it seems to tell a story all of its own. Wonderful stuff! Happy New Year, Sarah, and I wish you all the very best for 2023. π
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Alli π Happy New Year to you and your family, and I look forward to hearing more from your new home in Wales!
lisaonthebeach
Oh, I love your photos, Sarah! What a beautiful December! I hope every month in 2023 is as lovely! π
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much Lisa π That’s a lovely wish, and I wish the same for you!
grandmisadventures
Beautiful pictures to finish off the year π
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you π
Monkey's Tale
A beautiful month in pictures, Happy New Year Sarah, Maggie
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Maggie, and a Happy New Year to you both too!
Heyjude
The canal shot is lovely. I hadn’t realised that you had snow in London. And thank you for the colour shot of the Sage, though it isn’t much different than in black and white! Happy New Year Sarah. I look forward to seeing where your lens(es) take us this year.
rosalieann37
It’s hard for me to remember that London share a latitude with Canada. Their weather is milder because of the Gulf Stream. But sometimes the cold and snow breaks through. π The red and green narrowboats are probably rentals – at least the one we rented was painted those colors.
Sarah Wilkie
There are some rental narrowboats on the Regents Canal Rosalie but also many that are permanent homes. I’m not sure which these are.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Jude π The snow only lasted a day on the ground, thankfully (London doesn’t cope well with snow!) The Sage looks better on a bright day but I had to work with what I had. I took a few more today in bright sunshine which will probably find their way into a future post:)
margaret21
A fun slideshow which declined to play on my phone last night. But it’s fine and in glorious technicolor (and b/w) here on the laptop!
Sarah Wilkie
Glad you got it to work Margaret – thank you for persisting!
Leela Gopinath
Lovely pictures! Wishing you a very Happy New Year…
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Leela and Happy New Year!
Forestwood
Were you surprised by the snow? Is that normal for your area? Happy New year, Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
It’s slightly unusual to have snow in central London but not unheard-of – however to get it in December is rare, it usually waits till after Christmas! Happy New Year Amanda!
the eternal traveller
Best wishes to you for 2023, Sarah.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you, and a Happy New Year to you too!
sustainabilitea
A beautiful seasonal selection, Sarah. I love seeing the snow. We started the year with a day of rain which, in the drought-stricken Southwest US, is a true blessing. A most happy 2023.
janet
Sarah Wilkie
Thank Janet, and I’m glad you’re getting the rain you need. You can have the snow too if you’d like it – I’m not a fan!
Christie
Happy New Year, Sarah! Have a kind and happy 2023π₯°
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Christie, Happy New Year to you too!
Anna
Lovely photos! Happy new year Sarah! X
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anna, and Happy New Year to you too π
thehungrytravellers.blog
Love the Regents Canal shotβ¦..itβs actually quite a long time now since I saw snow back home in Blighty and thereβs kind of a nostalgia for me in that photograph. Happy New Year again, Sarahβ¦..and hereβs betting you were at the frustrating 0-0 draw with Leedsβ¦..
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks so much π That snow was actually a bit of a pain, as I was meeting two friends for lunch there and one had to cancel as she lives some distance out of London and the roads were too dodgy for her to get to the station π And no, we weren’t at the match despite being in Newcastle – tickets at SJP are like gold dust these days!
thehungrytravellers.blog
Ah yes I suppose they would be
Tanja
Happy New Year Sarah! great photos as usually:)
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Tanja, and Happy New Year!
Anne Sandler
Once again you’ve shown us beautiful images. Happy New Year Sarah!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Anne, and Happy New Year to you too!
Rose
The vintage treatment of the flowers sent by your sister bring sweet feelings of nostalgia. Lovely shots. Have a happy, healthy, peaceful new year!
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Rose π Nik Color Efex has a good selection of these vintage filters which work particularly well with flowers I feel. Best wishes to you too for a happy 2023!
Nemorino
I’ve always wanted to see the inside of the Keats house in Hampstead. (“Always” = ever since we saw the outside on Colin’s tour in 2015.)
Sarah Wilkie
It’s well worth visiting if you get the chance. I went in many many years ago but the contents have been developed a lot since then, while remaining very true to how it was in his time. I was there with Colin again and with Josephine who’d never visited either inside or out.
bushboy
A wonderful collection Sarah. You had me at the first B&W of the window sill and vase.Squirrels always win out on the cute scale. I bet it would be cold on the long boats on the Thames over winter.
Thanks for joining in π π
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Brian π That’s just a canal by the way, not the River Thames! And the narrow boats can be made pretty cosy I believe, although I’ve no idea whether the ones in my photo have been properly converted for modern living, as many have π
Easymalc
Some great images as always Sarah, and I hope you’ll be taking many more in 2023 π
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Malcolm π I’m sure I’ll be taking loads of photos this year too – in fact, I started today!
Yvonne Dumsday
Thankyou for your good wishes Sarah. I certainly reciprocate those sentiments. (Unfortunately my computer will only allow me to see the first picture)
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Yvonne π Can you not see and click on the small arrow to the right of the photo, to move through the slideshow?