December began with a grey drizzly day with no brightness, but very mild. December 2nd started in the same vein but a brief sunny respite enabled me to nip out and take a few photos, before the clouds returned and temperatures dropped. 
There are still many coloured leaves around the garden and immediate landscape, and a smattering of early snowdrops, as well as 2 daffodil flowers.
We had a fabulous sunrise on the morning of the 6th, which I stood, watched and photographed for nearly 90 minutes.
We had little idea of what was bout to hit us – at this stage we knew a storm was coming in overnight very early Saturday morning. Late in the day Fiona (and all in Wales with Smartphones) were sent a unique warning via text message to stay indoors due to very strong winds.
Storm Darragh hit, and around midday we lost power, and began to notice trees blown over around the property.
Winds were due to ease in the afternoon, instead gusts worsened, and although our property’s buildings all escaped, damage in the surrounding immediate landscape was dramatic. But 5 days with no power at the darkest time of the year wasn’t much fun.
Locals who’ve lived here their whole lives confirmed it was the worst storm in living memory.
We were without power for 5 and a bit days, lost all communications for several days and weeks later still had no functioning land line or EE internet. We threw in the towel and along with several neighbours installed a Starlink system which was simple and has so far proved far better and more consistent than the old system.
Days after the storm I discovered one of the bee colonies had been blown over and lost its roof.
Miraculously the bees survived and with lots of snowdrop and Daphne bholua flowers open on Christmas Eve and bees visiting them, this colony was helped out with honey covered old frames which had had the comb removed a few weeks earlier.
We had 5 daffodil flowers open and masses of primroses in bloom on the bank of peril.
Lots of overflying starling flocks this year ( from East to West at dusk, and regularly at least 7 woodcock flying in at dusk, though often from over the house this year.
In an unprecedented warm spell over Christmas we ate outside on more than one occasion under wonderful blue skies, before more grey skies, mizzle and still conditions took us towards the end of the year.
We ended December with no days of frost, 5 dry days, and typically poor light levels. Though the PV inverter was a little reduced by the 5 day power outage!
Previous December weather readings are shown below, with maximum/minimum levels highlighted:
2014: 183.5mm, 6 dry days, No PV or frost records
2015: 534.5mm (our monthly record), no dry days, no frosts, PV- 22.3 KWH
2016: 124.2mm 10 dry days, no frost record 46.79 PV- KWH
2017: 222.5mm (some heavy snow) 3 dry days, no frost records, PV- 40.79 KWH
2018: 238.6 mm, 3 dry days, 1 frost record, PV- 31.85KWH
2019: 226.6mm, (light snow flurries) 8 dry days, 2 frost records PV – 51.46 KWH
2020: 346 mm (some snow) 2 dry days 2 frosts PV – 40.24 KWH
2021: 219mm, 7 dry days, 1 frost PV – 39.7 KWH
2022: 240.7mm, 12 dry days Many hard frosts to minus 10 – No snow PV – 41.94 KWH
2023: 309.7 mm, 2 dry days 2 frosts no snow PV – 36.6 KWH
2024: 230.51 mm 5 dry days, no frosts, no snow PV – Unavailable due to 5 day power outage).
The annual rainfall total of 2108.71 mm was the highest total (just pipping 2015) that I’ve recorded over the last 11 years, when I started. The PV inverter record also shows how it’s been one of the gloomier years since our system was installed. 
