It may seem far too early, but cut me some slack: I’ve decided this blog needs some festive cheer. Not the cheer-on-a-loop designed to sell things, but pure, just-for-the-fun-of-it cheer. In this post, I’ll be putting up some festive blornaments (= blog ornaments; see definition at the foot of this post). Alternative ones.
For my first blornaments, stars, I’ve chosen the annuals pictured above, which I found tumbling from a hanging basket at The Southport Flower Show and preserved in pixels to brighten a moment. To my way of thinking, if the flowers featuring the stars are miniature trumpets, so much the better.
Next I’m adding the natural red and green baubles of Tomato ‘Red Currant’, from the same show. These little orbs are as shiny as can be, and as my sweetheart says “when you’re tired of looking at them, you can eat them”. The real ones, that is, not the blornament version.
For bells, I offer you the wild harebells we found waving on wiry stems near my favourite pond in Lancashire. Though lavender-blue, I can imagine them making the same pure silvery notes as the sleigh bells that ring when Father Christmas arrives (the sound always brings back memories of reluctantly going up to bed on Christmas Eve after setting out his glass of milk and mince pie).
Then I’m adding a garland – English ivy will do the trick. If coleus and heuchera bring their colour to the party, the more, the merrier. And we need tassels. It’s the rule. Campanula ‘Pink Octopus’ – your moment has arrived!
For tinsel and lights, you’ll have to work with me a little. If I had firefly pictures, it would have been a cinch but as it is…
…tiarella flower spikes will be my lights, the tiny pink buds clustering at the top of each spike adding a warm, festive glow…
… and painted ferns will be my tinsel. Ok, it’s a stretch, but who said that tinsel ought to be long, thin strips? Everyone? Are you sure?
My sweetheart (seeing this and being less appreciative of the painted fern tinsel than I might have hoped) suggested his Spanish Moss would make better tinsel, with nandina berries as lagniappe. I’ll let you be the judge.
Finally, (you were afraid this was never going to end, weren’t you?) a fairy for the blog equivalent of the top of the tree. There are plenty to go around, so you can pick out any fairy you like, provided she’s pink. They’re not the plastic kind, so don’t forget to put her in a glass of water, or she’ll wilt.
Definition
Blornament
Blor-na-mentnoun
Small thing used to decorate a blog that has no practical purpose other than to make it attractive.plural noun: blornaments
verb: to blornament
Susan Rushton 
Blornament! Brilliant! I particularly love the verb form! This is inspired, from petunia star to tiarella light, and I hope blornamenting catches on. It truly captures the spirit of the season, which, I fear, gets away from me too easily. And, besides blornament, another new word for me: lagniappe! Thank you!
You can’t help feeling blornamental at this time of the year.
You might have heard me on this one: LOL, as the young folks say.
How very clever and so much nicer than man-made fakery. I love your idea of Christmas decorations and I love the painted fern! Three cheers for blornaments – hip hip hooray!!
I did wonder as I was writing it whether I was going to take anyone along with me on this one, so your enthusiastic, getting-into-the-spirit of it response was especially welcome.
❤ your creativity! Thank you for this fun post. Now I want to see the tree, all put together. I can imagine it, but I know it would even be more beautiful than what's in my imagination.
I second the motion. Being a visual person, I would like to see the finished tree. Any chance to behold your creation, Susan?
Sorry! Blornaments aren’t governed by physics – they only exist in cyberspace. Even Doctor Who couldn’t bring them down to earth.
Bummer
My pleasure – I’m so glad you’re with me on this!
A delightful post! And milk and mince pie? In the U.S., it’s milk and cookies.
I asked my sweetheart if there were no mince pies in America and he said ‘We have them but we don’t really like them’.
Exactly so!
A splendid post. (Your Safari/Preferences/untick tip has done the trick)
Glad to hear that. You inspired me to write the post about it. I didn’t really want to, but I figured if it helped one more person, it would be worth it.
It certainly was
Ha!
Nature has the decorations up all year round!
I Ike it!
Thanks, Carol.
Lovely bit of colour for a dismal day
I hope it’s just been the weather that’s been dismal.
You very clever person, you!
🙂