More of My Christmas Decor

I decorated my dish towel dryer with ornaments.

I did this last year and liked it.

Two favorite ornaments.

This is shows my fireplace blocked by the flat screen tv I bought last summer. I enjoy my tv much more than a few open fires and my house is much warmer since the heat doesn't go up the chimney. I cut a piece of pink rigid insulation to fit the opening and put an antique storm shutter in old blue paint to cover everything. I draped some cranberry beads and hung two stockings and I'm ready for Santa.

I saved this Christmas Card box lid from a partial box I purchased years ago at a tag sale. It never fails to make me smile. 

My kitchen windowsill at night.

With the last one I shall say goodnight to all.

See you tomorrow.

xo

Bird with Perfect Camouflage

This bird give new meaning to "blending in" with its perfect camouflage. Found on Instagram @birds_perfection. 

Willow Ptarmigan(lagopus lagopus)  

Photograph By:©Anthony Madden

xo

A Little Christmas Decorating Happened

I put a stool for books and a floor lamp beside my sofa a couple of days ago because the lamp on the other side isn't good for reading and I am really enjoying it. It overlaps the opening to my hallway but I think it looks nice. I put my wooden cranberry strands around a lot of my artwork too.

It's not much, but it's a start.

I have straightened this painting since taking this photo. I can remembering stringing popcorn and real cranberries with my mother for Christmas trees in my youth. She loved these wooden ones!

Happy decorating and wrapping.

It's almost here.

xo

Sunday Morning around My Cottage

Filtered sun streaming in my windows.

Try as I may and try as I might, I simply cannot stop myself from piling things on my farmtable. This half is opposite my vestibule which is unheated. I always take of my shoes and start dumping at this end.😂

I took this photo late Saturday just before sundown. I liked the way my kitchen polished chrome sink faucet shines but nothing else shows.

My birds keep me busy refilling their feeder. All perches are occupied and a little chickadee patiently waits his turn.

Enjoy your Sunday.

xo

An Owl in His Element

A snowy owl in the snow!

What could be more perfect?

via

Just.Wonderful

Night shadows in the snow are the best, aren't they?

Photo found here.

There are no decorations but it looks like Christmas.

Nature provides the best natural ones!

xo

Best Christmas Tree

It's very old fashioned, isn't it? The candle lights look almost real candles and there aren't many ornaments. Most of them are probably handmade. I see a box of ornaments on the floor and some red ball fringe so I suppose there will be more decorations. I wish I could see it after they finish. I think it looks perfect just the way it is right now.

Photo found here.

xo

Amazing Photo of Clouds

I am a big fan of cloud photos and this one is amazing.

Found here.

I had a productive day today.

Hope you can say the same.

xo

A Few of The Books I Collect

I collect antiquarian books with fine leather bindings.

This set is my favorite with the sporting motif.

I love the red ones too.

Another favorite set. Now you know why I liked that bookshop window about book collecting.

xo

Blackberry Pies with Cornmeal Crust - Recipe

Don't these look divine? I bought two cartons of big fat blackberries a few days ago and they were delicious. I think they are my favorite berries since I grew up picking them in the wild. 

The recipe looks very simple and so does the cornmeal crust.

The website is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Enjoy viewing it and dreaming of blackberries.

Click HERE.

xo

Book Collecting Quote

This made me smile. 

Only a book collector will understand.

Photo found here.

I hS rain today mixed off and on with snow that didn't stick.

xo

Late Saturday Afternoon Pictures

I was standing close to the stump and finally got a bird and the leaping deer in the same frame. The birds absolutely love this feeder and it's working just exactly the way I planned it. The sun was low and was shining where the bird is standing.

The sky was a lovely blue late Saturday afternoon an hour before sunset. Have a great weekend.

xo

 

Portraits: Tabby Cat & A Fox in the Snow

He's absolutely gorgeous, isn't he? He looks happy and warm even though he's posing on a snow mound. Tabby cats are the best! I love his coloring, a mixture of orange and gray with black stripes. Photo found here.

This fox must be waiting for something to pounce upon without having to jump so high. What a great portrait! Photo found here. I am not ready for snow but I still love to look at snowy photographs. 

xo

Two for Thursday Morning

The morning sky from my kitchen window.

My amaryllis bloomed in the fall and I really should put it downstairs to winter over but haven't yet. This is a view looking toward my kitchen. Enjoy your Thursday, 

xo

She Did Not Change

I love this so much and miss her.

Click for photo source

xo

Cat of Hearts

Aren't this cat's markings amazing?

She's beautiful and proud.

The Cat of Hearts, for sure.

Photo found here.

Rained most of the day here but promises to stop by 6am.

I'm watching Hetty Wainthropp Investigates on BritBox and am absolutely loving it. Instead of spending her golden years lying down, the indomitable Hetty Wainthropp found her calling late in life. Combining common sense, her husband, and her pocketbook, this senior sleuth takes on all the cases the police deem too minor. There are 4 seasons.

Have you seen it? I promise you will love it.

xo

More Camera Experiments

This photo makes me feel as if I had eyes in the back of my head. When I was getting ready to lower my Roman shade I noticed this reflection.

This night view was taken from my balcony.

This is the only "candy" I ever have in the house. It's made of glass and I love the way it looks in this green dish.

Here they are loose spread out on a cutting board. Two on bottom left have broken tails. I have one tail that might be able to be glued back. They remind me of ribbon candy. 

I took this golden hour photo yesterday and it's a new view for me since the large tree was taken down. The sky view is much larger and my birds and a few squirrels are delighted with the stump feeding station.

Happy Monday. Hope you have a great week.

xo

2x Chocolate Muffins Twice as Delicious

Don't these look delicious?

There's no icing but none is needed.

Photo found here.

It led me to the recipe here.

Question: Are there fewer calories if you call them muffins rather than cupcakes? I'm calling them mini chocolate cakes.

xo

Welcome December

La Belle Jardiniere – December by Eugène Grasset, 1896

delightful image found here

Eugène Samuel Grasset was a Swiss decorative artist who worked in Paris, France in a variety of creative design fields during the Belle Époque. He is considered a pioneer in Art Nouveau design.

I'm having a cold, rainy Saturday but I'm planning to enjoy it.

I feel this way too about fall and winter.

Andrew Wyeth quote found on Pinterest.

xo

Goodbye Peacock

This peafowl photo is a repeat. The peacock lived on a farm nearby but is no more. He and some other animals were killed and eaten by a bear recently and I just learned about the attack. Another friend lost a pet goat the same way last year during the summer. I forgot to bring my hanging bird feeder inside last night but it was okay this morning. This is a note to self not to forget again! Have a great weekend. xo

Simple Life Quote

I couldn't have said it better.

"It is no

bad thing

to celebrate

a simple

life."

~~~

J.R.R. Tolkien

via

xo

Black Basalt Teapot + My Neti Pot

There is an unintentional selfie in the mirror. The spout of this black basalt teapot looks as if it has dust on the spout but in person it doesn't. This photo was taken in my kitchen Wednesday after dark without a flash. My teapot is quite small and I've always liked it. I have been doctoring myself with lots of liquids since late Sunday night when I felt a sore throat coming on. I started right away with the Neti Pot and gargling with diluted Bragg's Apple Cider Vinegar and I can report success today. I am almost cured. I think you can nip a cold in the bud if you start treating it right away. Green tea with mint was my favorite hot drink followed by hot apple cider. 

It's time to say goodbye to November and hello to December tomorrow. It rained all day and I was so happy to hear all of my gutters running nicely down all the downspouts. I put on my rain slicker and went outside to check them all. I am so happy my handyman thought to clean them yesterday. It was the perfect time, not too cold, and all the leaves are off all the trees. So my gutters are all set until a spring cleaning. 

I finished The Last Detective and I am now watching 

Season Two of HOPE STREET on BritBox.

See you tomorrow. xo

UPDATE: Here is a photo of my neti pot and salt.

The plastic neti pot was from CVS and the Himalayan Institute salt and measuring spoon set was purchased at Whole Foods years ago.

To see a YouTube video demonstration, click HERE. Worked for me. My sore throat that turned into a runny nose was nipped in the bud before it moved to my chest.

xo

A Video of Birds Feeding on The Stump

 I made a video of the birds feeding here and posted it as a Reel on Instagram. I think it's on a loop and keeps repeating itself but I'm not sure. It starts out like the photo above, zooms in in the middle, and ends with a long view like you see in the still photo above. Watch it HERE.

My handyman stopped by today to clean my gutters just in time for tomorrow's 90% chance of rain and big wind. He's the one that flattened the rod and screwed the weathervane on the stump. He was very pleased the birds liked his handiwork. My tree man liked the video too.

xo

Silver Tray with Engraved Coat of Arms

This tray is old English Silver Plate, called Old Sheffield Plate, that is very different from dipped silver plate. The silver is actually rolled on over a copper base. I bought it years ago even though the left handle was broken off because I loved the large hand engraved armorial crest in the center.

It must have had an important owner at one time.

I went to google translate for the inscription.

fide et spe

"The faith, and the hope of."

Now I love it even more.

If these old things could only talk!

xo

Miniature Arrow Back Rocking Chair + Sweet Potato Recipes

I picked up this little handmade painted rocker years and years ago at a garage sale. The lady didn't know anything about it and sold it to me for a song.

Side view.

Rocker next to a miniature picture frame. Rocker is 6-1/4" high. Frame is 2-7/8" high. Unknown gentleman in frame reminds me of my grandfather. 

I bought a mesh bag full of sweet potatoes on Wednesday. I scrubbed six of them and put them in a cold oven and turned it on 350° and set the timer for 90 minutes. I used my downstairs electric oven because it has a more even heat. I usually cook these for one hour at 400° but they were much better cooked slower and longer. I ate two for lunch and they were soft and sweet and really delicious. Butter wasn't required but I put a dab on each for good measure and sprinkled on a light shake of pink himalayan salt. I'll never bake them any other way from this day forward. This was a perfect lunch for a Sunday that turned out to be a rainy one. My kitchen range has a gas cooktop and a gas oven as well but the oven has uneven heat. I'm glad I have the choice of both. xo

UPDATE -- TRY THIS RECIPE TOO

Slow Roasted Sweet Potatoes from Smitten Kitchen

Read the article and get the recipe HERE. 

She cooks hers at 275° for 2-1/2 hours!!!

Enjoy. Sweet potatoes are very plentiful right now.

xo