The Twelve Days of Christmas

Last year I wrote daily posts for the 12 Days OF Christmas. I used my ‘write a loaf then cut off slices’ method of blogging and the words poured out. Then I scheduled the posts. This year I will link back to the original posts for new readers, but have locked the comments there. It was a blog experiment. More posts equal more visitors, but only up to a point. It taught me two posts a week is right for me, and my readers. Since I write longer posts, daily is not worth the extra effort, my readership averaged out to the usual. Last year the 12 Days drew 52 daily visitors. This year I have gained a few more readers, we'll see. 

On the 12th, 11th, 10th, 9th Day of Christmas

Strange how in blogland looking back a year is a bit like remembering people you went to school with. Some have slipped away, and vanished without a trace. We miss you, and hope you are well, happy and busy with good things.

Last year I was joined on

Day 1 by Yard Art – a chicken in a maple  (her latest post, is Christmas in July…

Day 5 by Carolyn’s Shade Gardens – five native red oaks (wonder how they've grown?) And Barbara in Mannheim – who read five non-gardening books in winter (she too was last seen harvesting tomatoes in August …

Day 7 – Yard Art returned - Snow White and the seven ...

Day 9 – I had 9 snowdrops and a quote from Carolyn in my post.

Day 12 – Adrian from the Chicago Wilderness is now quieter on the blog, as she walks the walk on the wild side – 12 gardening sites from EcologicalGardening ending with Mr Brown Thumb (garden page) on G+,  who is now Ramon Gonsalez IRL on G+.
And to close Carolyn sent me a bunch of 12 Christmas roses!

On the 8th, 7th, 6th, 5th Day of Christmas

Just in case this is new to you – the 12 Days OF Christmas. We are now in Advent, which leads up to Christmas. The only day where I have a tenuous link to Christmas is the third, for which I chose faith, hope and love. A brass anchor, a Celtic knotted cross and a heart-shaped leaf. You may choose three of anything!

I invite you to join me. My theme is simply to play with the numbers from one to twelve. Just one day or as many as you like. You are welcome to (write a new post or) trawl your archives for that post YOU love, that never got the exposure it deserved. A photo, WITH title/caption/words. Or ONLY words for a change? I'm going with blogging lite - a photo, a link, a few words. You will always be welcome to come back some time in the future and join in. As I plot this in November, my old 12 Days posts are drawing visits ahead of Advent. 

On the 4th, 3rd, 2nd, First Day of Christmas

To begin – for the 26th of December, we choose our bird in a tree. The partridge in a pear tree familiar from Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and the song! Sung here by the Muppets. Or Bing Crosby and the Andrew Sisters. Neither partridges nor pear trees in my garden – so I choose Our Lil Cuss in the karee tree - his son, as I write, is rounding up and seeing off the sparrows who DARE to eat at Spirulino’s! 

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PS My words/lyrics for the Twelve Days last year.
PPS If you have an archived post (Bernie?) leave a link in a comment, and I will add you to my post for that day.
PPPS Lesson Learnt in the Last year. 1. If you start a meme, send an invitation ahead, so bloggers have TIME to join in. Thank you for playing along with me!

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In South Africa ...
Christine at  The Gardening Blog has risen to the challenge. All 12 days and her new lyrics!
Barbie (also) at The Gardening Blog has a unique Fifth Day!
In the USA ...
Lea in Mississippi at Lea's menagerie shares my Garden for Wildlife!
New Hampshire Garden Notes has captured 4 bees sharing a single flower!

Pictures by Diana and Jurg,
words by Diana of  Elephant's Eye 

- wildlife gardening in Porterville, near Cape Town in South Africa

(If you mouse over brown text, it turns shriek pink. Those are my links.)