Wintering

I'm beginning to get cabin fever, and just as slightly warmer temperatures arrive, an entire new weather system is headed our way.

More snow, and sadly combined with frozen precipitation.
The school children have been afforded  extra days  off school,  and yet their presence outside has been scarce.
Back when my daughter was young she would spend an entire afternoon outside with her neighborhood friends, sledding and building snowmen, only returning to the warmth of  home for a change of gloves, and some hot chocolate. Nowadays, it seems like the children stay inside and play computer games or watch TV.
Times have changed.

Soup's On

Cold winter days seem to go on forever.

Even when the sun shines brightly, the wind is still bone-chillingly bitter..
It's the perfect time to warm up with a hearty bowl of homemade soup.
Today's choice is White Bean and Ham soup.
Enjoy 💗

Navy or Northern Beans
Cabbage
Onions
Carrots
Celery
Ham Hock
Smoked sausage or Kielbasa sliced
Chicken Stock
Bay Leaf

Basil
Garlic powder 
Salt and Pepper

Soak beans overnight, discard water, add chicken stock, ham hock, smoked sausage, herbs, and seasoning, bring to the boil and then simmer for one hour. 

Add chopped cabbage, onions, carrots, celery, continue to simmer for an additional hour and a half.
Add water if needed.

Serve with buttermilk cornbread, or your favorite loaf of crusty bread.
Yum !

Nesting

We have had the strangest warm weather these past few weeks.

Here it is, the middle of winter, and the temperatures have reached a balmy 71 degrees,  folks are running around town, in shorts and flip-flops !
The Iris shoots are popping up out of the ground, twelve inches tall already.

Today....all change.
We are in for a true taste of winter, temperatures down in the thirties and  nightly freezes are in the forecast.

A good excuse to stay home,  indulge in a nice pot of tea and left-over Christmas cake, and some rather lovely reading material.

Hope all is well and cozy in your little corner of the world.

  

                                                                                 🏡            

Winter Days

A damp and sunless morning.

There is a list of  chores as long as my arm waiting for attention, but my motivation seems to be running on empty.

I've been gathering Christmas decorations  here and there, and today marks Epiphany  but not quite ready to devoid the tree of its ornaments or remove the twinkling lights in the kitchen.

Sparkly encouragement is welcomed.

Winter Days

A damp and sunless morning.

The school bus went by when it was barely daylight, those little children have such early starts to their busy days.
I have a list of  chores as long as my arm waiting for attention, but my motivation seems to be running on empty.
The last of the Christmas decorations were returned to their boxes yesterday, although I felt the need to leave a set of  twinkling lights in the kitchen.
Sparkly encouragement is welcomed.

Nesting

I am well and truly in the 'nesting' phase of winter.

Is it even decent to allow the days to just roll on by, without a sense of accomplishment, or the tick of a list.

The Christmas decorations are taken down at least, although I tend to leave the table decorated for a few more weeks of color.

 

 

There are whispers of the "S" word  in the grapevine, so I'll leave the winter dishes in place.

 

 

 

The house looks so bare without all the Christmas excess, it's funny how you get used to all the baubles and lights.
It's a candle-lighting, book-reading, tea-drinking kind of night.
Enjoy yours !

Contentment

 

"Home, the spot of earth supremely blest,

A dearer, sweeter spot than all the rest. "

~ Robert Montgomery

 

 

 

Soup's On

As with much of the nation we are experiencing a blast of cold wintry weather.
It's predicted for much of the coming week, with no more of the fifty degree weather we have been enjoying these past few days.
Such is the pleasure of living in the American South, one day wearing flip-flops, the next furry Ugg boots.

 

 

I've made a hearty fifteen bean soup today, chocked full of country ham, celery, onions, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, rosemary and chili spice.

Served with a slice of buttermilk cornbread, it's the ideal comfort food, on a Winter's day.
Come join us for a bowl.

 

 

 

 

We'll leave the light on for you ! 

 

 

 

 

If you feel like making your own pot, here's the original recipe.

I also add sausage meat,  ( of your choice) or country ham pieces 

Fresh Rosemary (1tablesoon) crushed

Two chicken stock cubes

Two sliced carrots

Two stalks of celery

Three cubed potatoes

One bay leaf

 Original 15 Bean Soup® recipe Hurst Beans

Tea Time

 

A Cup of Tea

When the world is all at odds
And the mind is all at sea
Then cease the useless tedium
And brew a cup of tea.

There is magic in its' fragrance,
There is solace in its' taste;
And then laden moments vanish
Somehow into space.

And the world becomes a lovely thing!
There's beauty as you'll see;
All because you briefly stopped
To brew a cup of tea.

(J. Jonker, Amsterdam, c.1670

 

 

Winter Days

I'm beginning to get cabin fever.
Today the sun shone brightly  and warmed my face, it felt renewing.
I spent time cleaning the potting shed, and organizing the last boxes of Christmas decorations, all neatly tucked away for another year.

Wiping away winter dust.

Dried winter roses saved for wreath making.


"Winter is the time of promise because there is so little to do - or because you can now and then permit yourself the luxury of thinking so."

~Stanley Crawford