~{nilheadimage~=142786~} 
So we're into Advent now, and Christmas is very much upon us:

~{nilimage~=142781~;dir~=V~;alt~=tree&spire~}
~{nilimage~=142782~;dir~=H~;alt~=tree&loggia~}
~{nilimage~=142784~;dir~=H~;alt~=lightsatdawn~}
~{nilimage~=142785~;dir~=V~;alt~=starreflection~}
~{nilimage~=142787~;dir~=H~;alt~=market~}
The weather has turned much more wintry. We've had no snow in Newark, but we've had frosts and cold winds.

~{nilimage~=142773~;dir~=H~;alt~=puddle1~;caption~=Icy puddles~}
~{nilimage~=142774~;dir~=H~;alt~=puddle2~}
~{nilimage~=142795~;dir~=V~;alt~=robin~;caption~=Cute winter robin~}
~{nilimage~=142796~;dir~=H~;alt~=toad~;caption~=An incomparable winter warm-up dish: my mum-in-law's toad-in-the-hole~}
Aside from the run-up to Christmas, September to March is the time when sugar beet is ~{link~= https://www.countrysideonline.co.uk/food-and-farming/feeding-the-nation/sugar/ ~;text~=lifted~;target~=sugarharvest~}. So Newark's beet factory is working full tilt.

It turned ~{link~= https://www.newarkadvertiser.co.uk/news/one-of-newarks-largest-employers-marks-100th-anniversary-9223691/ ~;text~=100~;target~=beetfactory~} this month, and was featured on TV:

~{nilimage~=142800~;dir~=H~;alt~=factorynews~}
Newark's is one of four such plants run by ~{link~= https://www.britishsugar.co.uk/about-sugar/processing ~;text~=British Sugar~;target~=britishsugar~}. As well as producing 1.2 million tonnes of sugar every year, they also supply 0.5 million tonnes of animal feed, and export enough electricity from their combined heat and power plants to keep 120,000 homes running. Amazing, huh? And that's before you even get to the cool, caramelly smell...

~{nilimage~=142779~;dir~=H~;alt~=factory~;caption~=The sugar beet factory seen from Cromwell Lock~}