Apple Crisp

 Comfort with another twist... food! This is probably one of the surest ways of giving comfort in my home from the eldest to the youngest.  Desserts have become a Sunday only fare in my home for the most part, so I really enjoy trying to find a little extra time to bake a dessert to be served at our Sunday dinner.

Since I was planning on baking with apples, a crisp seemed to stir my fancy. But I was pondering what I could add to the crisp topping to raise it from the "norm" and decrease the sugar amounts which gives some crisps too much sweetness. My pantry supplied a bag of ginger snaps. Perfect to give needed sweetness and provide extra spice too. 

5 apples, peeled and sliced.( I used Gala and Granny Smiths with this crisp- I prefer using at least a variety of two apples).

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/3 cup water

1 cup ginger snaps ground in the food processor

3/4 cup oatmeal

1/3 c flour

pinch of salt

7 tablespoons butter, softened

Prepare apples and place in 13x9 casserole dish. After mixing the cinnamon,vanilla and water together,  sprinkle on sliced apples.

Mix dry ingredients and add softened butter with pastry cutter. Or you can use your hands to disperse the butter throughout the dry ingredients.

Place on top of apples. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. 

Some of us like it served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but then some of us like a scoop of ice cream on about every dessert it seems!

cherry blessings

Loneliness. It is not an issue when your name is on the Hospice roles. Visitors and phone calls five days a week all willing to provide succor, care, concern, and support.

Many said it would be hard.

It is.

But they did not say it would have a wondrous red cherry on top.

mercy walk

 I bundled up to take a walk this afternoon just as the sun was hitting the point I like to familiarly call sinking fast.  I stuffed my wool hand-knitted socks into my *Merrells*, pulled a wool hat over my head, covered my hands with fingerless mitts and a pair of red gloves, and without hesitation decided my long black coat would not be a hindrance but would, in fact, be perfect to preserve body heat on this cold  Saturday in January.

My spirit became somewhat pin-pricked this afternoon, therefore, praying and walking was my remedy to restore contentment and peace. Singing songs of praise as I walked, meditating and praying His Word. Like a blanket, a magnitude of peace and grace came floating down from above and landed on me, tears of comfort welled up in my eyes. I could not think of any better place I wanted to be at that time....smack dab in His will.

the winter of my content

Summer is placed at a high level in my life. I love the months of summer, always have and always will. But I must equally note every season holds inimitable fascination for me.

Years ago, I am talking years ago, I read John Steinbeck's The Winter of Our Discontent. I can not really tell you much about the plot of this novel now, I am thinking I was probably in a mode of reading John Steinbeck novels at the time and this just happened to be one on the list.

The title stuck, possibly an overthrow with the quote from Shakespeare's play. Whatever, every winter those words pop into my head. Goes to show how much sticking power the written word has for us. I happen to like the way words sound and how certain ones roll off the tongue with charming effects.

These days I choose to feed myself on truth. The sort that soothes and strengthens and takes me to the places I need to be at any given point in my life.  Words that I desire to pop into my mind and transform me to His image. "... for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances."  Philippians 4:11

And since I mentioned the reading of novels, I have just began a new novel that I think I will find wonderfully satisfying. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte. I appreciate the Bronte sisters' use of words. Upon revisiting Jane Eyre this year, I have moved it to one of my most favorite books. I  hope this one by Anne Bronte proves to be excellent reading as well.

scintillas

One morning while folding a load of laundry that was covering my bed, I glanced outside my bedroom window and saw a sight that riveted my full attention. Shall I say hundreds of drops of moisture were ornamenting my Japanese Maple tree?  

Scintillas of winter's sweetness suspended and creating visual pleasure.

the sitting room

The "Morning Room"  where sunlight abounds.  I begin my morning here, even while it is still dark.  I am enjoying filling it with happy things, hence the rug. It is like a net, it catches you. But unlike usual forms of captivity, it makes you oblivious to being caught in its clutches. You want to abide there indefinitely.

 Later in the day, refuge is sought there too. Then the sitting room takes on another type of magic altogether.

"...her sitting room was a room which, as part of the house was called the 'breakfast room'. Now breakfast rooms are all right in the morning when the sun streams in on the toast and marmalade, but by afternoon they seem to vanish a little and to fill with a strange silvery light, their own twilight; there is a kind of sadness in them then, but as a child it was a sadness Kate liked. She would creep in to Mrs. May just before tea-time and Mrs. May would teach her to crochet."

The Borrowers

Mary Norton

A few more images  of where you will find me at any given time during the day. From boisterously bright to silvery shadowed, I love every inch of it.

serving lunch

                                                  Two napkins, one for under the chin,

                                                   a bowl of cream of tomato soup with croutons,

                                                   grilled cheese sandwich cut into four triangles,

                                                   a bowl of mandarin oranges with juice,

                                                    and requested glass of lemonade and water, with ice.

past and present vision

Some time was spent in segments throughout the past two days working on a blog post for the new year. Things accomplished, thoughts for the new year, memories of the past year etc,.

 But I think this song, in a nutshell, is my prayer for the New Year and probably says it best for now. Desires of the heart regarding spiritual matters never truly change through the year...they only get infinitely sweeter. And to sing these words is pure worship, in spirit and in truth.

 So take a moment, close your eyes, and worship along with me