Peace On Earth Goodwill Toward Men

I've so enjoyed our visits back and forth throughout the year, all the sweet comments wriitten  and well-wishes when a word of encouragement was needed.

We truly wish each and every one of you, friends and family, near and far, all the blessings of a Joyous and Merry Christmas.

 

May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;

The spirit of Christmas which is peace;

The heart of Christmas which is love."

 

~Ada V. Hendicks

 

 

When Christmas bells are swinging above the fields of snow,

We hear sweet voices ringing from lands of long ago,

And etched on vacant places

Are half-forgotten faces

Of friends we used to cherish,

And loves we used to know.

 

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Plodding Along Nicely

We've been spoiled up until this point, with warmer than usual days, many not requiring the wearing of a jacket.
This past week in particular, our daytime temperatures  have felt more like  Summer Days.

I'm busy gathering Christmas gifts and checking my list twice.
Only ten more days to go, time to get a move-on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“The leaves fall, the wind blows, and the farm country slowly changes from the summer cottons into its winter wools.”

~ Henry Beston : Northern Farm

'Til They're Clean And Sparkly

When Christmas holidays roll around, the copper pots get an extra cleaning.

I was raised in a generation, when kitchens proudly displayed their gleaming wares. 

My grandma had lots of copper, silver and brass, it was my job to keep them shiny and bright.

The unmistakable smell of Brasso lingered in the air on Friday evenings, after my weekly chore was done.

The manufacturers changed the formula of Brasso cleaning solution several years ago, the new and improved version is not so much. Thankfully I've found another product that works incredibly well, wipe on, rinse off with water, and voila !

I'm pretty sure the younger generation has no desire to polish these timeless treasures, myself, I'm happy to hold on to the memories. 

 

 

 

 

I've used the silver cleaner for years, with excellent results, but didn't know they made copper cleaner until I ran across this on Amazon.

Wipe it on with the little sponge included, and rinse off.
Magical.

 

The Turning Of The Leaf

Finally, a little Autumn color has crept in.
Just in time for a blustery wind, to blanket the ground with Autumn brilliance.
Raking leaves sits at the top of the "to-do" list.
And a portly kitty spends her days chasing them.

 

 

  

 

 

 

The turning of a leaf
dancing in an autumn sun,
and brilliant shades of crimson
glowing when a day is done...

~Hazelmarie "Mattie" Elliott, "

Soup's On

When the leaves are beginning to change, and the temperatures start to fall, my thoughts turn to comfort food.

A favorite simple soup is homemade mushroom soup, earthy-goodness, silky smooth and comforting on cool Autumn nights.
Serve with a crusty loaf of French bread, light a candle or two and enjoy.

Cream of Mushroom Soup.

6Tbsp. butter
1 med. onion
3/4 lb. mushrooms
3 Tbsp. flour.
1 clove of garlic ( very finely chopped )
1 tbsp. fresh thyme chopped or 1 tsp. dried
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
dash of nutmeg
1 Knorr Swiss vegetable cube
3 cups of chicken broth
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 large bay leaf
fresh ground pepper to taste.
fresh parsley or chives for garnish

               ********

Melt the butter and add the chopped onion and garlic. Cook until onion is transparent at medium.
Add mushrooms and continue to cook for about 5 min.
Add the flour and the vegetable cube and stir in. Immediately add the chicken broth and water, incorporating slowly.
Add bay leaf and pepper, cover and bring to a boil.
Add Worcestershire sauce , thyme and dash of nutmeg.
Turn heat down immediately and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove bay leaf and add cream.
If desired, top with fresh croutons or crackers.
Garnish with parsley or chives.

The Nesting Season

The ground is soaked from a day of rain. Much needed rain, for which we are grateful.
I've been busy running errands today, ticking off my to-do list.
Hearty soups have now become the meal of choice.
Nights are noticeably cooler, and darkness falls before the clock strikes six.
Candlelight glows.
The nesting season begins.

                                                     

Trick Or Treat

 We'll leave the light on for you.

 

" By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes,
Open, locks,
Whoever knocks ".
 
Shakespeare / Macbeth 1606

 

 

 

 

Foggy Start

Our day started with a thick, soupy fog, and much cooler weather than we have had in several weeks.
Rain is falling, and predicted for the next couple of days.

Of all days, I had appointments to keep, and putting them on hold wasn't an option.
The shopkeepers down on Main Street are displaying their Fall wares and decorations, Oktoberfest is in full swing.

 

Batten Down The Hatches

 

Our days seem to have reverted back to Summer temperatures, warm and breezy.
Later this evening thunderstorms are to move in, not my favorite type of weather, especially when tornadoes are in the prediction.

Walking about the garden tidying up any potential objects that may become hazardous in 60 mph winds, I noticed the Clematis vine is once again in bloom, the third time this year !
Such a gentle, giving vine, sharing her beauty for one last smile.

Autumn Silence

Enjoying a day of quiet time . The trees are changing color, and Autumn leaves are making a show, finally.
Some days it's good to do nothing. No deadlines to meet, no chores to complete, no lists to check twice.
Bliss.

Let's Eat Pie

Almost as popular as traditional Pecan Pie, this delicious Japanese Fruit Pie graces many dinner tables here in the South.

The combination of pecans, raisins, and coconut suspended in a chess-pie type of filling is wonderfully rich and toothsome.

 

Japanese Fruit Pie
 

Ingredients

1 deep dish 9 inch unbaked pie shell

1 stick of melted butter ( 1/2 cup )

1 1/2 cups of white sugar

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

1tsp. vanilla extract

3 large eggs ( slightly beaten )

1/2 cup each of raisins, shredded coconut, (I like a little more) chopped pecan pieces.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a medium mixing bowl combine eggs, butter, sugar, vinegar and vanilla extract.

Beat until smooth. Stir in pecans, coconut, and raisins.

Pour mixture into pastry shell.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. Cool before serving.

Serve topped with vanilla ice cream or whipped fresh cream.
 

Season Of Mists

 Autumn morning mists came calling.

The grass is wet with a heavy dew, taking most of the afternoon before it is dry to the touch.

Down on main street, shopkeepers display their pumpkins and Autumn fayre.

Orange and yellows are now the colors of the season.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
 

"Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,

Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;

Conspiring with him how to load and bless

With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;

To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,

And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;

To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells

With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,

And still more, later flowers for the bees,

Until they think warm days will never cease,

For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells."

~ John Keats
 

Long-Awaited

Our trusty weatherman has predicted we'll be finally experiencing some Fall-like weather this week.
No more of the ninety degree days, but temperatures much cooler, and  seasonal.
I can't wait to open the windows at night, enjoy the crisp air, and fall asleep to the sound of the screech owl calling.
*ahhh*

Penelope Keith's Hidden Villages - Full-screen

                       A little weekend viewing, exploring the quintessential,  timeless villages of Great Britain.

So very dear to my heart.

                                                          💓

                         

Time For Tea

When you are raised in a culture of hot tea-drinkers, from the time you are old enough to enjoy a  milked-down version in your baby bottle, through infancy and youth and young adulthood, continuing throughout your life into senior days, you rarely pay any attention to your daily habits until someone points them out.

The first thing that most English people do when people stop by the house, is to put the kettle on. Tea mostly, or coffee if you prefer, it's embedded in our DNA.
We were watching re-runs of Downton Abbey today, I couldn't help but smile as I watched the offer of "tea ?" being suggested at every twist and turn. 

When a visitor drops by, when good news is received, after bad news is received, when a helping hand is needed, or a little encouragement is welcomed.

 

Tea drinking in many cultures is the centuries-old tradition and universal language of civility, and social nurturing, a little more partaking these days would be a good thing.

"THE CUP FOR ME.

"Let others sing the praise of wine,

Let others deem its joys divine,

Its fleeting bliss shall ne'er be mine,

Give me a cup of tea!

The cup that soothes each aching pain,

Restores the sick to health again,

Steals not from heart, steals not from brain,

A friend when others flee.

"When sorrow frowns, what power can cheer,

Or chase away the falling tear

Without the vile effects of beer,

Like Pekoe or Bohea?

What makes the old man young and strong,

Like Hyson, Congou, or Souchong,

Which leave the burthen of his song

A welcome cup of tea.

"Then hail the grave Celestial band,

With planning mind, and planting hand,

And let us bless that golden land

So far across the sea;

Whose hills and vales give fertile birth

To that fair shrub of priceless worth,

Which yields each son of mother earth

A fragrant cup of tea."