knitting and reading and...

...Yarn along...ing.

Several months back I was reading Gigi's blog and I ran across two things that interest me immensely, knitting and reading. I had toyed with the idea of officially joining this group even though I do not usually do these sort of things.

Today was the day. You may join up too,  here.

A grape shrug for Charlotte, it feels like a hush. If anything could ever feel a hush that is. Actually, I completed knitting this shrug recently but I am considering knitting her another one using cotton yarn for the springtime.

Have you ever read D.E. Stevenson? If not, please allow me to introduce her to you. She is a British writer who wrote mainly in the 1930's through the 1960's. She writes the most enjoyable stories. Check your library shelves or stacks, several of her books, thankfully, still remain on my local library's shelves.  A good rummage through some old book stores would be nice to see if I can stumble upon any of her treasures.

a stash of chocolate

A bug bit me sometime around the first of the year. This bug demanded the cleaning, the straightening and the putting aright of several closets and cupboards.

An assortment of chocolate was found on the top shelf of the kitchen cupboard, a stash was also discovered in a bedside table drawer, and an entire unwrapped bar was hiding on a closet shelf!

Now the chocolate has the temporary venue of an antique egg basket.

No more hide and seek, though willpower might need to be unleashed in greater measure. 

sunny porridge

A most auspicious breakfast, cooked porridge drizzled with maple syrup and given a plenteous topping of fresh blueberries.

If I was a champion I would put my face on a box of oatmeal and give credence to its glories.

puzzling

A day or so before New Years Eve we go out and purchase a new jigsaw puzzle. Then we spend hours each day making it all come together with the hope it will be completed sometime around the time of New Years Day. I am not one that likes to have a puzzle just always laying around, here a piece there a piece is not my style, I prefer marathon puzzle events. That is why we make no excuses and allow a teeny bit of justification for the expending of countless hours until its completion, thus the after Christmas holiday activity.

Barnes and Noble had a fairly good selection for us to choose from this year.  It was hitting midnight and I was all alone, everyone else had taken to their beds, my eyes were droopy and my shoulders were aching with fatigue, but I was driven with a persistent mood to finish  the puzzle Monday night.

It laid there until this morning when Charlotte was commissioned to tear it apart and restore it to its original condition.

winter whites

Tea is served in shades of winter in mid afternoon. It nourishes between lunch and supper.

"Winter is the time for comfort,

 for good food and warmth, 

for the touch of a friendly hand,

and for a talk besides the fire:

it is the time for home."

                           ~Edith Sitwell~

the day old man winter blew in

I am sitting at my kitchen table; I am warm through and through. But winter has made a definite stop with sudden bursts of cold wind and lower, chilling temperatures.

Today we started our first school day of the semester, a full morning under our belts. But CC does not begin until next Tuesday so there is still quite a bit of breathing room left for the time being. I managed to put a pot of soup on which is presently simmering. Smells so good!   And while I was at it I decided to take the carcass and make stock for future winter soups. We eat large amounts of soups in the winter and having bags of ready-made stock in the freezer is handy.

Near my house there is large patch of woods, graced with a running creek, rocks of all sizes, and lofty trees. It is a marvelous place to take a winter hike. We bundled up against the cool wind and set off after lunch.

Then we returned home to freshly baked cranberry scones. These are delicious. Sift together two cups of flour, six tablespoons of sugar, one tablespoon of baking powder, and one-half teaspoon of salt.  With a pastry blender cut into the dry ingredients six tablespoons of chilled, unsalted butter which has been cut into small pieces. Stir in two-third cups of half-and-half just until moistened and then gently fold in one-half cup of chopped cranberries. The cranberries just need to be halved. Gently knead on a floured surface and pat and form into a one-inch-thick circle. Cut into eight wedges and place on baking sheet. Brush the tops with a little half-and-half. Bake at 425 degrees until golden brown, about twelve minutes.

Beat one-half cup of heavy cream with one to two tablespoons of powdered sugar to be served with them.

Side note: Scones are best eaten on the day they are made.  So feed at least eight people, or maybe there are four at your table so you can each have two, or maybe....you get the picture.

Rose gave a finishing comment,  "I love the taste of the sweet cream and the tartness of the cranberries all at once".

 It does put them on my highly recommended list.

My gift to you

Another Christmas has come and gone. There resides a few forlorn presents underneath the Christmas tree, the tree that comes down tomorrow.  Bits of tissue paper are scattered in various places throughout my house, red and gold ribbons are showing signs of limpness, the once shiny colored balls are dull and are showing signs of misplacement. Even though its time to pack up all Christmasy things until next year, still we are feeling the signs of sadness now that Christmas is finally over.

 How marvelous the New Year has  arrived with its arrival of multifarious expectations, like a mass of confetti floating wildly around us!

But I have one last gift to give. A list of blogging friends garnered that have touched my life in some way. 

(The order is entirely random).

Hill Upon Hill
A Different Drum
Wayside Wanderer
Gladsome Lights
Stitching Under the Oaks
Ribbons of Light
Gypsy Slow Down
Firefly Cottage
By the Sea
the Buttr'y and Bookr'y
No Spring Chicken
Pieces of Sunshine
The Gracious Gourmand

(There are a few others that no longer blog not listed obviously, but I do miss them.)  So on this new year, situate yourself comfortable-like, grab a mug of hot tea or cocoa, and visit  some of these lovely sites and get to know these woman. They are each a gift to me and I desired to share them with you.

And because what is a post without a photo I may ask?

The "photographer" was set upon a litte shelf on the wall and set on auto.

baby alpaca knited scarf

Charlotte at eight years of age indistinctly knows fine yarn. While at the yarn shop she indubitably selects one of the better yarns. She loves to touch and scrunch the different fibers and her tastes are impeccable. A chunky baby alpaca yarn of pink and cream was knitted into a lovely scarf.

And Rose just happens to possess the exceptional flair for modeling the scarf.

sunkissed

Maybe because I woke up to the sound of steady rain this morning when even the cardinals that breakfasted from my feeder seemed hampered.

Or maybe it was the huge deluge of rain around lunch time heard outside while Rose and I were contentedly bringing order to my ribbon supply.

 Eureka! When the sun finally burst forth later during the afternoon I beheld this sight as I was coming down the stairs on my way to fix a cup of freshly brewed coffee for my husband. Their glowing faces gave such pleasure I could not help smiling.

Christmas Eve

"The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
     on those living in the land
     of the shadow of death
     a light has dawned."
                                  Isaiah 9:2

See me in the background?

Today was a bustle with last minute preparations, so tonight a buffet was set with a smorgasbord of food consisting of: ham biscuits, raw cauliflower and broccoli florets, bacon horseradish dip, crackers and an assortment of cheeses, my most favorite being the cheddar with blue cheese.

Merry Christmas to all!

On the twenty-third of December...


          ...I traveled by car for 2 and 1/2 hours to attend the funeral of a family member. 

Bagpipes were played and a bell was struck fifteen times in honor of this firefighter.  A wonderful commendation displaying the brotherhood shared by all firefighters, a tribute containing great taste and respect for the deceased and his chosen profession.

Before I got into my car for the drive home, I embraced my cousin and we agreed it was not good to be only meeting at funerals.