Charles Dickens' 'A Christmas Carol

I added the text to this illustration by Jessie Willcox Smith. 

Bluebirds are Back at My Cottage Again

It rained all day yesterday and most of the night so all of my bird baths are full. Today the bluebirds can drink and pose for me. I love the mirror image and the blue sky reflecting in the water.
Click photos to enlarge.

My photos. Have a great weekend.

Apple Pie in Progress

I hope there is pie in my weekend and yours too!

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Webster has a Weekend Guest

Webster's friend Henry is spending the weekend with us and the Wonder Dog is thrilled to have some company. Webster is a great host who doesn't mind sharing. It rained most of the day but we managed to get in several walks. We'll take the last one in the dark after the evening news. Have a great weekend.

The Cycle of Life

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Give Credit where Credit is Due

I couldn't wait until Easter to post this.

The disgruntled Easter Chicken via

The Loyalty of A Dog: 1888

Briton Rivière, Requiescat, 1888, detail

Loyal to The End. How very touching. via This really brings tears to my eyes.

Requiescat -- Click to enlarge

Dog Sledding -- Literally

Hilarious. Found here. There is a video of these crazy dogs sledding here. They look like they are having so much fun.

An Architectural Pineapple in Scotland

The Pineapple at Dunmore Park, Scotland -- I've never heard of this, have you. I've never seen another photo either. Is this a well-kept secret? via What an amazing architectural feat.

Perfect Room for A Christmas Tree

I love the tree and the wreaths hanging inside the beautiful tall windows. It's perfection, isn't it? via

Wreath on Front Door of My Cottage

I put my wreath on the front door recently.

Tabitha likes it.

Webster doesn't care.

Here's the identical first photo with an in-camera filter called cross process done while the photo was still in the iPhone. I like them both.

Good Night All

Everything went well today. Time for everyone to go to bed now. This pair of friends looks very cozy, don't they? via

Blue Spruce at My Cottage

I planted this towering tree as a seedling about 20 years ago. When I moved here I had a tree company bring a grove of "my" trees and transplant them. They all made it and now they shield my cottage from the road.

First Christmas in A New House

I would like to see the back of this house to make sure it has lots of big windows looking out on the mountain view. I put up my wreath yesterday with the white bow like last year in memory of my mother. I have to attend a home inspection today with my buyers and thankfully it's a nice mild day. I hope it goes well so they can proceed with wrapping everything up so they can move in. I'll leave the TV on for Webster since I'll be gone all afternoon. I usually turn off the TV at 9am and switch on NPR on the radio. I've always been that way -- I like background noise. He prefers talk shows to all music and the voices of men rather than women. My mother used to listen to books on tape and he would stick around and listen with her if the reader was a man. image source

Sad, But True--About Trees

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A Few Favorites

Honey Crisp Apples are my favorite variety. They have the perfect combination of taste and crispness. They snap when you bite them and explode into a taste sensation like no other apple.

Webster, in all his handsomeness, enjoying a beautiful day on Saturday. He's my favorite lawn ornament.

My current food obsession is grated raw beets. I peel them with a potato peeler, cut them into smallish cubes that will fit in the Cuisinart tube, and then I push them through with the shredding attachment in place. They are so good in my daily green salad. 

A frozen leaf in a puddle on a recent cold day.

Winter is the time for Home

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December Bluebirds at My Cottage

This photo is very grainy because I was so far away. I was thrilled when I looked out my kitchen window and saw quite a few bluebirds flying around the bluebird house. I grabbed my Nikon and clicked away but I forgot I had it on a manual setting. Anyway, here is the best photo cropped quite a bit for you to see.

Cornless Cornbread Muffins

I know several people who are allergic to corn.

They LOOK like cornbread muffins.

Makes 6-8 Muffins
(Double recipe if desired)
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup coconut oil, butter or real lard, liquified
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 Tbs. unsweetened applesauce or, and this is really yummy, 100% pure apple butter
1 Tbs. raw honey
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350. Line 6 muffin cups with unbleached liners. Mix together the coconut flour and oil until smooth, then beat in the eggs until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.

Divide between the prepared cups and bake about 20 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.

Read more about these Paleo Cornbread muffins here.

Dogs at Rest

What a pair. I don't wear an eye mask at night but if I did, I'd be thinking about putting it on sometime soon. Sleep tight when you tuck in and have a great rest of the weekend. xo Image from Google Images.