Singing Kitten on the Keys

This is the most wonderful kitten photo ever, isn't it? via

Goodnight. Have a great rest of the weekend. See you tomorrow.

Elephant Christmas Tree Recycling

At the Berlin Zoo in Germany, this is how they recycle their Christmas trees. They feed their elephants discarded Christmas trees thrown away by residents as well as unsold trees from vendors. I don't think I've ever seen an animal eat a whole tree, have you? It's a great idea. American zoos should try this too. Found here.

Baby Elephant Bath

Hold me tight Mom! via Is there anything cuter than a baby elephant? I think not. See more of my elephant posts here.

Breakfast Wish Cake

Yum. AKA Apple Cinnamon Cake. This would be great for Sunday Morning breakfast tomorrow. Recipe here. Have a great weekend!

Great Media Room / Library

I love this room. It's perfect for reading and watching tv, agreed? via

Watercolor Cookies [Video]

This is a beautiful video with music with a cookie artist illustrating the lyrics using royal icing as her canvas. Click here if you can't see the video. You will love it. Music: What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.

Books, Cats, and Antiques

Rachael Hale Trust, photographer

Cats have always fascinated me the way they can weave around prized possessions and almost never break anything. Enjoy the day after Thanksgiving known as Black Friday by the retailers. Eat leftovers all day too. That's the big downside to not cooking at home. 

Best Turkey Ever

The turkey at my friends' house was beautiful and the best I've ever eaten as was everything else. I had a great time and didn't have to travel far. Hope your day was wonderful too.

Giving Thanks - Jessie Willcox Smith

I love this illustration by Jessie Willcox Smith of a brother and sister giving thanks for their daily bread before breakfast. I like to think this was painted to illustrate Thanksgiving morning. via

Roast Turkey Recipe by Beatrix Potter

"Pluck the bird carefully and singe all over with a piece of white paper; then wipe it with a clean cloth; draw in and keep the liver and gizard.

Wash the inside well and wipe it thoroughly dry with a cloth.

Cut the neck off close to the back but leave enough of the crop skin to turn over; break the leg bone close below the knee; draw out the sinews from the thighs and flatten the breast bone to make it look plump.

Fasten the neck with a skewer over to the back; run a skewer through the pinion and thigh on the other side and press the legs as much as possible between the breast and side bones.”

A turkey of ten pounds will take about 2.5 hours to cook - a larger one three hours or more.

A never seen before 161 recipe book by Beatrix Potter has been discovered and is up for auction. 

The recipes, which are believed to have been handed down over generations, include sponge cake, roast turkey and curry. The earliest entry is dated 1851 and the hand written cookbook was updated regularly over many years. Read the entire article HERE.

Beatrix Potter's recipe for Ginger Bread

Ingredients:
3.5 lb wheat meal
3.5 lb treacle
12 oz sugar
12 oz butter
2 oz ground ginger
1 oz pounded allspice
1 pint of ale

Add two thirds of the ale to the other ingredients and beat them well for some time then dissolve 1oz of common washing soda in the rest of the ale and add it just before you put it into the oven.

It requires a slow oven - (let all the ingredients except the flour and soda be put before the fire to dissolve for an hour or two.)

Have a Wonderful Thanksgiving Day

This vintage Thanksgiving postcard was mailed in 1910 back in the day when all turkeys were free range. I hope all of your dishes come out of the oven and make it to the table and sideboard looking and tasting just the way you hoped they would. Enjoy this day of thanks with family and friends and eat all you want. Thanksgiving is such a wonderful holiday. Enjoy! via

Home for the Holiday

Will you spend Thanksgiving at home or will you travel to be with family and friends? Enjoy the day and be safe on the road.

Glad Thanksgiving Greetings

Be safe if you are traveling over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house for a family Thanksgiving celebration. I thought this vintage postcard was unusual and perfect for the vegetarian/vegans out there who will be passing on the turkey but enjoying all the trimmings.

Winter Reflection

Isn't this a spectacular photo to start (or finish) your day? via

Ikea Rocks

via I haven't been to Ikea is ages. I really like the duvet cover with the alphabet. They have such interesting things. Maybe I'll go next year after the holiday rush. They have great stylists too.

Wickford Rhode Island House

I love an entrance on the gable end plus the mixture of clapboards and shingles. Photo by Howie Guja

Snowy Woodland Path

With no footprints. How nice to be the first one to walk this delightful path through the woods. via

Nice Staircase

I love the blue painted steps ending with a twist. The built-in book is nice at the foot of the stairs. I love the feel of this warm looking home. via

Stone Cottage in Beckfoot England

Photographed by Sue Langford

Beautiful Pumpkin Dessert

You know you want this on your Thanksgiving dessert table! The recipe is in Polish but Google Translate did a great job of converting it to English. Not sure what this means though: "Not breaking hammer mix one egg and mix until combined." It's called Pumpkin Pie with Cream but it looks more like a cake to me. Anyway, it's nice to see what people in other countries cook that would be great for our American Holiday.

Recipe: Kitchen Love Story

Sun Filtered Through The Pines

This is a beautiful photo, isn't it? The pines and other conifers were especially hard hit by Hurricane Sandy in my area. Their shallow roots and soft wood could not stand up to the high winds. I love walking in pine forests with or without snow. The smell is wonderful. via

Shared Bedroom with Privacy

Clever small bedroom for two with privacy for each person. Each one has a window too. I think you have to get IN the bed to change the sheets on the left one. via

Shift Rotation: Webster's On Duty Now

Tabitha's shift is over and Attending Physician Webster just took over. He's keeping an eye on my mother and the cat too. He loves to sneak her food and maybe he'll have a chance while she's not looking. 

Greetings from the Infirmary

On Duty: Nurse Tabitha

This is the proper way to monitor the vitals. If you sleep on top of them, all of those wires are not necessary. Tabitha says she can feel everything this way.

Great Laundry Room

This is a wonderful laundry room, isn't it? The cabinets are wonderful and I really like the white porcelain farm sink. I can only imagine how fabulous the rest of the room must be. via

Thanksgiving Defined

I can't believe Thanksgiving is next week. We are on the BRAT diet here at the cottage so my mother's intestinal tract can get back to normal. Bananas, Rice, Applesauce and (white) Toast. These are all binding foods. I got rice milk and rice cereal too and some saltine crackers and chicken broth. So far, so good. Webster thinks it's all delicious.

Webster was a good house sitter.

But he's so glad we are back. Being home alone was no fun and a huge responsibility. He is trying to understand what happened but can't quite grasp the hospital situation. Anyway, Webster is glad we are returning to normal and he can go back to being a pet instead of a security guard. 

Cozy reading nook

I like this room with the cubbies for books and the chair beside the fireplace and the stone floor. My mother said it was so good to be home and know that everything you touch is yours. We both slept like logs last night and woke up to bright sunshine. Webster slept with me and Nurse Tabitha slept with Anna. The pets are happy to have us back.  Mother had a good appetite for breakfast and she feels good.
See more reading nooks here and have a great weekend.