It was my intention to regularly sketch the development of this little amaryllis as it grew from nought but a bulb to full flower, but it has outwitted me with the speed of its growth and the ruthless manipulation of my festive indolence. However, I did manage to get a couple of sketches in before it started flowering.

This is the first, made on 18^th December in pencil on cartridge paper, depicting the first shoots. The bottle-shaped shadow cast by the amaryllis was possibly a portent of the mulled wine to come over the coming week or two.