Thursday, 2 January 2025

THE NEW YEAR

 Hello everyone, although 2024 was uneventful in many ways, it was filled with love from family and friends and I count my blessings. If I am as blessed in 2025 I will be a very happy and enriched old lady. I wonder what you all did on New Years Eve! I spent it alone, enjoying doing a jigsaw puzzle my daughter Eva had given me at Christmas.I heard the rockets and fireworks go off at midnight and ate 12 sultanas which is a customary Portuguese tradition to bring good luck and prosperity in the New year.

The finished puzzle

The weather has been fine and sunny for several weeks.temperatures of 10 degrees reaching 15 degrees in the afternoon. On Christmas morning and also on New Year afternoon when I went outside to feed the birds, I saw a bee on the flowers of my Crassula  ovata plant. It was such a surprise and  an unusual sighting in these low temperatures. I wondered how long it would survive when flowers and pollen are not so readily available. Has anyone else seen one in December and January? I didn't have my camera with me, so no photos I'm afraid, but I just wanted to share this phenomenal occurrence. 




I would also like to share the book my Grandson Pedro gave me at Christmas. I have started reading it and found exploring the wonders of animal navigation engaging from the very first pages.



Back to my balcony and the Green finch in the sun.












Guzzling  Sunflower seeds.

This is it for the first week of the New Year, I did not make any New Year's resolutions and have no plans for this year, but I will be doing what makes me happy,and sharing it with you. All the best.

22 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello Sonjia,
Your butterfly puzzle is really pretty. I would enjoy the book, I love anything nature related. Your Greenfinch is a beautiful bird. Great collection of photos. Happy New Year, I wish you all a happy and healthy 2025. Take care, have a wonderful day!

DeniseinVA said...

Greetings Sonjia! I have never seen a bee at this time of the year. What a delightful little visitor, as was your sweet bird. Beautiful gifts and very thoughtful ones from your dear family. A very quiet New Year’s Eve here. We heard fireworks in the distance but it was raining hard. A lovely post, thank you so much! I would also like to wish you A Very Happy and Healthy New Year :))) You take care and have a wonderful day too :)))

Marit said...

Dear Sonjia :)
Your puzzle is very nice. I got a puzzle too for Christmas. It's so difficult, but I need to finish it! It looks like a very nice book. Your photos of the Greenfinch is very beautiful. I have not seen them here for a long time. I enjoy all your photos!
Many warm hugs to you dear Sonjia.
Marit

roentare said...

The finch is well photographed. So nice it pops into your balcony to say hi.

Insect behaviour can sometimes be surprising, and it’s possible that this bee found a brief moment of warmth and some available nectar from your Crassula ovata plant. Even without a photo, your story is a wonderful reminder of the unexpected wonders of nature.

Jenn Jilks said...

That is a greqat puzzle!

Angie's Recipes said...

wow what a unique puzzle! You have photographed the finch beautifully.

Irma said...

Dear Sonjia,
What beautiful pictures of the birds in your garden.
I was just in bed on time on New Year's Eve, here it is like war with so many fireworks and many fires, cars are set on fire and the police, fire brigade and ambulance personnel are being attacked by groups of young people, it is really not fun anymore, it is time for a general fireworks ban here in the Netherlands.
You have made a beautiful puzzle.
I wish you and all your loved ones a happy but above all a healthy 2025.
Greetings Irma

Irma said...

Dear Sonjia,
What beautiful pictures of the birds in your garden.
I was just in bed on time on New Year's Eve, here it is like war with so many fireworks and many fires, cars are set on fire and the police, fire brigade and ambulance personnel are being attacked by groups of young people, it is really not fun anymore, it is time for a general fireworks ban here in the Netherlands.
You have made a beautiful puzzle.
I wish you and all your loved ones a happy but above all a healthy 2025.
Greetings Irma

MadSnapper said...

that green finch is gorgeous and cute and is yellow not green,. ha ha, love it and that butterfly needs to be framed and hung. wow is that beautiful. I spent New years even with a very I'll dog, and was thankful the local neighbors/idiots that make a racket with fire works only did a few and did not do there 12 hours of booms. Beau is doing well, and I wish you a Happy Healthy and Joy filled 2025

David M. Gascoigne, said...

We count our blessing too, Sonjia, chief among them is that we get to hang out with you in blogger world, and share your balcony and all its fascinating visitors. That looks like a wonderful book that your grandson gave you. He obviously knows what your interests are. This whole topic of animal migration, especially birds, is filled with mystery and wonder, and even though we continually learn more about the myriad ways in which it happens, the sense of incredulity remains - and that, for me at least, will never go away. Everything in life does not need to be reduced to science. The jigsaw puzzle you completed looks phenomenal. I bet it was a challenge to complete that one. With my absolute best wishes for 2025, with peace, love and good health. I am looking forward to sharing it with you. Hugs and kisses - David

Jeanie said...

Your New Year's Eve sounds much like ours -- a quiet night at home (much of which was spent prepping our NYDay dinner, which had to sit overnight.) That book sounds wonderful and oh, your bird shots are exquisite. Sending all wonderful wishes for a happy new year!

sami niilola said...

Great puzzle. Happiness and peace for this year.

LoveT. said...


The greenfinch is extremely pretty.
I wish you good health and joy in the new year!

Rostrose said...

Dear Sonija, I'm back from my blog break (even though it will probably take a while until I'm back in my old blogging rhythm...) Thank you for the kind wishes you left in my blog. Your New Year sounds good and your puzzle turned out wonderful. The sultana tradition sounds funny, I hadn't heard of that before. We weren't quite so traditional here. On New Year's Eve, Austrian TV always shows cabaret highlights from the previous year and we watched them - and toasted with sangria 😉🥰 Then we waited until the fireworks were over and went to bed at about half past one.
Wonderful Green Finch photos and a book that looks quite interesting!
I wish you and everyone who is important to you a healthy, peaceful and happy New Year with many wonderful moments!
✨🍀🐞🍀❣️🌟❣️🍀🐞🍀✨
Best wishes, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2025/01/ruckblick-2024-teil-1-weihnachten-und-2.html

Michelle said...

Interesting that you spotted a bee during this time of year. I love the look of the puzzle.

Veronica Lee said...

Your butterfly puzzle is beautiful.
The bird is such a charming guest.

Wishing you lots of happiness and special moments in 2025!

eileeninmd said...

Hello Sonjia,
We had a quiet New Year's Eve here, I am not really a party type.
It was raining too which I am sure put a damper on the locals and their fireworks. I would be a happy bird to see the lovely Greenfinch in my garden. It is a lovely visitor and your photos are beautiful. The butterfly puzzle is pretty and I would enjoy the book. I hope your first weekend of the year is wonderful.
Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great day and a happy weekend. PS, thank you for leaving me a comment.

Penelope Notes said...

Happy and healthy New Year to you and your loved ones! The puzzle looks incredibly beautiful and the type of challenge that keeps the mind strong. :)

Bob Bushell said...

Hi Sonjia
The puzzle of Butterfly, Greenfinch beautiful photos. Happy new year to you.

Mae Travels said...

Puzzles that don’t have a straight edge look even more difficult than traditional ones with huge numbers of pieces. Impressive job finishing it!
Have a good year in 2025… mae at maefood.blogspot.com

~Lavender Dreamer~ said...

I agree with you and look forward to the coming year...whatever it brings. Love that beautiful book and your pretty Finches! Happy new year!

Calendula said...

Congratulations on this gorgeous puzzle! I don't know if I'd have had the patience.
Wonderful pictures of the greenfinch!

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