Friday, November 17, 2017

Rambling On



Friday morning. The end of a busy couple of weeks. Report cards were due this week and there is a huge sigh of relief when the grades and comments are finally submitted. Done! 

Another thing that's done is most of the autumn colour. Those glowing red maple leaves are sparse on the trees and soon the last one will fall, whirled away by the howling wind and lashing rain we've been experiencing. 



This paler version of leaves in the woods is now more dominant. With all the dreary weather, I've been feeling paler, too. One morning sunshine streamed in the windows to lift my energy. I seem to accomplish much more when there is sunshine, do you?



Christmas is not far away. I'm in favour of a slow run-up to celebrating the season. Anticipation and soul preparation are enhanced, for me, by waiting a little. So I watch what goes on around me, and I stand back, thinking, hoping, planning. 

Last night I finished up two soft and pretty flannel nightgowns for two grand girls. A pair of cozy pajamas is on my worktable for the grand boy. What fun it is to prepare in this way. 


Our new fireplace is taking shape. Tim framed it in, applied cement board, then stone to the surround, and drywall above. For the past two weeks there hasn't been much point in dusting, so I didn't. That will need to be done now that the primer coat is on, and the wall will be painted this weekend. He's working on a mantel, too, a live edge piece of maple. I think it will be lovely.



I signed up for an online course (free) from Future Learn, called "The History of Royal Food and Feasting" from the University of Reading in the UK. The first week was all about Tudor times, focusing on Henry VIII. This past week looked at Queen Elizabeth I's reign. I'm finding the course extremely interesting. Recipes are provided for participants to try. Above is a photo of my attempt at a Tudor "Tarte Owt of Lente." 


The "Tart out of Lent" is so-named because it contains many of those ingredients forbidden during Lent - butter, cheese, cream, eggs. Another participant mentioned that she makes these tarts frequently as part of her job at an historic site. She suggested that some onion marmalade or mustard adds to the deliciousness of the cheese and cream. So I added a layer of onion jam to the crust before putting in the cheese mixture. It's not really like a quiche because the tart is lidded, and because it's not eggy at all, but very cheesy. And delicious. It didn't last very long around here. 



This is the book I'm currently reading. Victoria's Castles - a bit of local history. I'm out of fiction just now, although I just re-read The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, one of my favourite books. Do you re-read books? I find them comforting. In spite of knowing the end of the story, I still delight in the characters' thoughts and actions.

I'll leave my ramblings here, for now. The sun is shining in the desperately-needs-washing window and I have a pair of little boy pajamas I'd like to make progress on before going to teach my afternoon classes. 

Are you beginning Christmas preparations? I'd love to hear. 

23 comments:

  1. Phew report cards are done! You must feel pleased!
    Our DIL and I took a wreath making class at Garden works last evening and we were both pleased with the results...we each have a festive front door this morning! I am volunteering at a craft fair this weekend and hope to find some homemade goodies for gifts.

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  2. That course sounds very interesting! Those flannel gowns are sweet. The fireplace is looking great!

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  3. What a lovely ramble, Lorrie. How beautiful those maple leaves are, and how sad to see them fall. Colour like that is hard to come by in Winter.
    You have just re-read one of my favourite books, kindly sent to me many years ago by Mary, (A breath of Fresh Air)from Devon but living in USA. I get so much pleasure from re-reading and quite often find something that I had not noticed in a previous read.

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  4. No Christmas preparations here at all, as we'll be out of the country for three weeks either side of it. I wonder what that will be like. . . .
    My mom used to make flannelette pjs for all her grandkids as well. This Nana hasn't yet, but I suppose there's time enough in the future. . . yours are inspiring!

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  5. Anonymous5:22 PM

    Lorrie, what darling nighties! They will be so delighted! Your online course sounds so interesting. I've never had a meat pie before. I've seen them on English baking shows and they do look tempting!

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  6. I like your HOliday thoughts and watching !! Your fireplace looks so beautiful . The ledge will be perfection!
    We did put lights out on three evergreens yesterday. Im so glad because it is only getting colder and more raw out. They look lovely as they turn on at 4 which is nearly dark now. I do much better on sunny days myself. I'd rather have bitter cold and sun, than warmer rain.... and cloud cover

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  7. I am admiring the little flannel night gowns. They will be like a warm hug from you on a winter's night! When Bekah was a small girl, I made her a gown from pink gingham flannel, very much like the ones you made for your grandgirls. It was passed on to my oldest granddaughter and I am not sure if it went further. I'd love to make pajamas for all of my grands, but it would take quite some time. I have ten grands, and I am not as accomplished a seamstress as you are, but the idea appeals to me.

    Your "Tarte Owt of Lente" looks fit for a king!

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  8. Such sweet little nightgowns! I feel unprepared for Christmas coming so quickly this year. I just finished a good novel called "A Memory of Violets" by Hazel Gaynor --very touching story. Your tart looked delicious!

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  9. Your interest in actively learning about the past is admirable. In my opinion, onion marmalade makes anything that much better. Sweet little nightgowns. I fondly remember my flannel nightgowns worn from the age of 6 to about 12. I don't get caught up in any holiday frenzy. My boys are coming home and last year they said I could have made things a little more festive around here so perhaps I should do that before their arrival. I've kept things simple over the past few years because it just didn't seem worth the effort to incorporate more into an already jampacked apartment. We shall see. I started the Guernsey book some years ago that a friend highly recommended but never finished it. I should start it again. I'm currently reading The Forest Unseen.

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  10. Sun makes the day so much better. No sun for us today, just rain, and it’s laundry day so no hanging it outside. That sounds like an interesting course you are taking and your Out of Lent pie looks really good. It’s comfort food season so leek and potato soup will be made today. Enjoy the weekend,

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  11. The course on historical food sounds wonderful, I'd really enjoy doing that. I really enjoyed 'The Guernsy Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society' and yes, I do re-read certain books my favourite book 'A Month in the Country' by J L Carr gets re-read quite often as does 'An Enchanted April' by Elizabeth von Arnim:)

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  12. Love the sound of that course. Will have to check out the link. Your fireplace will be fabulous when finished particularly with a mantle. I remember that wonderful feeling of finishing the last report. Often a time to celebrate with a glass of wine. Bet you’ll be glad when you no longer have to do them. I know I am. Have a lovely weekend. B x

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  13. The red maple leaves are stunning - a bright red flash in a darkened corner - keep on enjoying before they fall.

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  14. Hello! I love to reread my Gladys Taber books. She is such an incredible writer. And yes, I am already doing my Christmas planning. I just love getting all my ducks in a row. :) Kit

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  15. The tart looks sooooooo good. We have had a very colorful fall this year and there is still some color, but soon it will also be gone. I don't make much for Christmas anymore, but did visit my friends glass studio and made one thing for my sister. Love the fireplace. Re-reading books doesn't happen often, but on occasion.

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  16. Lorrie - hand-made gifts for Christmas are special. To me, they evoke the spirit of Christmas - a gift of our time, creativity and love, and the surprise when the gift is opened because it is not something that anyone else has seen! I can almost smell that tart from here - no wonder it didn't last long! I don't tend to re-read books just because there are so many new ones to read. The only Christmas prep is a little bit of shopping. I'm with you; I like to savor the season!

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  17. We don't decorate for Christmas until after Thanksgiving but this year we did. Our two sons won't be able to come at Christmas, so we are having a Christmas tree and the fixings early. Lorrie, you've been so busy -- report cards and handmade pajamas and a lovely tart. It looks delicious. And yes, I love to reread my favorite books too. It's comforting, like revisiting old friends. xo Deborah

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  18. Those leaves are just gorgeous. I am sure you will be sad to see Autumn go. Good for you getting a tough time at school over. Report card time must be stressful for the teachers not to mention the parents that read the reports. I have just started Christmas shopping. I will decorate the day after Thanksgiving because frankly h=that will be the only day I have to do it! Hugs.

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  19. Oh your fireplace will be wonderful...it already is. What fun you’ll have with Christmas decor this year. I have been planning and preparing for Christmas. Hope that I remember where everything is tucked. Those nightgowns are adorable!

    Funny you should mention energy levels compared to weather...rainy here and I’ve done zip all morning...

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  20. Love those sweet nightgowns. The stone around the fireplace is so nice. That mantel sounds so pretty. Love the idea behind that great looking tart out of Lent! Hope your weekend ends well.

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  21. The fireplace looks fantastic, Lorrie. I'm also intrigued by your Tudor tart. Yum!

    I put up my Christmas decorations today so that I can maximize my enjoyment of them. My holiday decor is actually pretty minimal, but my tree always seems to take forever to put up because it takes longer to take out the well-wrapped fragile ornaments. When my dad saw all the ornaments on the table, he was like, "Will all that fit on your tree?!?"...Yes, they did! Hee.

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  22. Love the gowns!!! I could make those! They are lovely. And your new fireplace will be great. We have to rebuild our's. Is that ledger stone? That is what we are planning to use to do our's. Our's will be more tan. Love it.

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  23. What a precious gift to your grandkids with new nightgowns and pajamas! Your new fireplace looks wonderful, your husband's hard work will be wonderfully enjoyed this winter! I imagine it is such a relief to get the grades done! Your English meat pie looks delicious. Indeed it seems as if fall has been whisked away by winter...

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