fresh new year

I don't do New Year resolutions and I don't do New Year diets so I'm left with very little to read in the newspapers this week. But I do like the feeling of freshness that comes with a clean calendar and an abstinence from shopping.

I also like the fresh smell of the hyacinths that are growing in hyacinth jars and jam jars around the house. It's quite miraculous how the shoot, then leaves, and finally a huge bloom all emerge from the fat bulb with no more sustenance than a drink of water. We have watched the roots curl round the glass jars and marvelled at the cleverness of nature.

And, in defiance of the New Year Diet Police, Alice and Phoebe have been conjuring up some baked delights and icing them in fresh pinks and blues.

This is Phoebe's Diet Cake.

Please don't tell The Times. We may find ourselves condemned to eat celery for the rest of 2007, and that would be taking freshness too far.

Comments

[knitannie]

Thankyou. Your blog is the most inspiring thing to read. I LOVE your photographs, your words, your stories. It's all just lovely.

[Jan]

Oh Jane, that plate of cupcakes shot sets a high standard for photos in this new year!
What a breath of fresh air...a guiltless new year's post!

[crumpet]

That cupcake is extremely awesome.

[Isabelle]

Love those hyacinths in glass jars - so pretty. I want one too now!

[littlejennywren]

I'm with you on the pleasure of a clean calendar, one of my secret pleasures is writing on my calendar for the first time.

[Valerie]

I love the colours in you photographs, especially the food colours that your family comes up with for all sorts of yummies. Phoebe's diet cake looks much like mine would... so your secret is safe with me.

[kelly]

the clean calendar terrifies me a bit, trying to find things to do with four young children for 364 more, currently unstructured, days...

but I love your hyacinths and cakes. Such beautiful colors... thanks for the reminder that 2007 will contain beauty as well.

[Rebecca]

I am so pleased to see someone else flying in the face of the diet police. I started the day off by browsing my baking recipes and in spite of the fact that I'm still eating Christmas cake something lemony seemed in order.

[mesclun]

A couple of years ago, one of my friends told me that at the top of his daughter's new years resolution list was "eat more candy." That's the kind of resolution that I can get behind. I actually do make a list this time of year and it always concentrates on putting more joy and friendship into my life. Sad to say, that when I have a lot of deadlines looming, I can easily forget to make time for fun. My little list reminds me that there's more to life than today's crisis.

[hPNY Knits]

do you guys actually eat these works of art?
another great way to bake without the calories is sell your goodies!

[Amy]

I love the diet cake! Tell Phoebe I want one.

[Dorothy B]

I'll have one of those diet cakes too, please. They look delicious.

Your Hyacinths look beautiful. That reminds me, I have a box of crocus bulbs in the fridge. I think it may be time to plant them.

[Amber]

Hahaha LOVE the diet cake.

[Nonnie]

I love the diet cake. Brilliant! I don't do diets or resolutions either. Just like the new feeling a new Year brings.
Love the hyacinths too. I need to go out and get some spring flowers to replace the Christmas decorations with. Much nicer.

[Elizabeth]

No resolutions for me, either. And my daughter announced that we are out of cookies and this is considered something of an emergency around here.
The gloom over the British Isles provides such nice lighting for your photos.

[Elizabeth]

Those cakes look fab and I am absolutely in love with the pink wall in your 3rd photo.

[Erin B]

Thank you for the yarn suggestion in Paris. Le Bon Marche was wonderful and we even managed to pick up a mini yule log at the Grand epicurie. Thanks for the pointer. Oh yeah I came back with a variegated purple sock yarn....

[claire]

Haha, your children are delightful! G made a resolution to help the family by eating all of the Quality Street that nobody else wanted - such a good child!

[Bee]

Dieting is so 2006.
I just love the hyacinth pics.

[Marie]

I love that diet cake, and how it defies the greyness and guilt of January! It would be the perfect January photo in a calendar!

[mathea]

Seems like a great diet :-D I see what you mean about the newspapers. It seemed to be the same with the TV yesterday too - losing weight the hypnotic Paul McKenna way, fat-camps, lean cuisine, you name it. Those TV executives have no imagination. We defied them and got a sugar rush by watching "Chocolate" and "Love Actually" instead - don't tell on us either ;-)
Happy New Year to all you sweet Brockets!

[Kat with a K]

Lovely flowers and cupcakes! Happy New Year.

[Alicia P.]

Bulbous marshmallows seems like the things to ring in the new year, to me. xo

[Kelli]

Diet cakes are my kind of sweet!!

[filambulle]

Dear Jane,
I must thank you for all the inspiration and bright colours you brought in my life in 2006. Guess what? My sweetheart offered me a big box of assorted Jelly Belly for Christmas. And I was enchanted! They are nicely arranged in bright colours, and their taste is unique. the whole family has pleasure in choosing the most common or bizarre flavours.
Meilleurs voeux pour l'annŽe 2007 ˆ toute la famille.
Bises
Manuele