We had snow again this week. So unusual. But since it comes so seldom and stays for so short a time, we might as well enjoy it. I know that I did. My hyacinths were almost ready for the compost heap, but I posed them on the snow for a chilly blue and white photo.
I try to read every day. I don't count reading on line. I like to sink into a book and lose myself, for even a little bit of time. Reading is as good as taking a nap for refreshment.
I've read all of P.D. James' detective novels (I think). She died over two years ago, but in 1999, she published a "fragment of autobiography"; a diary she kept for one year. I found it fascinating. What broad experiences she had - a BBC Governor, a member of the House of Lords, time with the National Health Service, and work with the police.
Some things are best written with pencils, freshly sharpened. I like writing lists with pencils, and planning things such as parties, gardens, designs, etc. Things that require organizing seem to suit pencils best. Writing letters or journal entries are done with pens.
We have a very, very old pencil sharpener that sharpens pencils better than any of the electric or manual ones at school. I bring my pencils home and sharpen them here to take to work.
Do you prefer pens or pencils? Or do you like them both, for specific tasks?
This book arrived in the mail this week. It's my blog for 2016, in print. I've had fun looking it over and remembering the events. Really, it's a cross between a scrapbook and a diary of sorts. The margins are wide and I plan to add a few notes (in pen) alongside, for clarity.
A cup of tea and some cookies are a little pick-me-up that's very enjoyable. This week I baked Peanut Butter Cookies. My mother is not a fan of peanut butter and we rarely had peanut butter cookies while growing up. But I like them, although I don't make them very often.
These are a gluten-free variety, a good recipe to have for those with gluten intolerance (and they seem to be everywhere lately). The sprinkling of sea salt on them adds a wonderful bit of layered flavour. I think they would be good with a drizzle of chocolate, or some chocolate chips in them.
Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies
1 cup natural peanut butter (no added sugar)
1 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
sea salt, for sprinkling
Mix together the peanut butter and sugar, stir in the egg and vanilla. Combine well.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drop the cookie dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle with coarse sea salt. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Cool on rack - they will be soft, but firm when cool.
Five little things that make me happy - how about you? What little things bring you delight?
Linking to Five on Friday, hosted by Amy of Love Made My Home (for a couple more weeks).
I love the idea of putting your posts into a book to look back on how lovely. I think your snow looks like cotton wool it is a really pretty picture. I have to admit I am like you certain tasks need pen and others pencil. I like to write Uni notes in pencil and letters in pen.
ReplyDeleteDear Lorrie,
ReplyDeleteoh my ... you had your blog put in print? That is amazing. Where did you get it done? I would love to do that with Todolwen. I always love your photographs, they are so beautiful!
Many hugs,
Karen B. ~ Todolwen
I love the Buscaglia quote! I hope I'm always excited about the little things and I know you have that gift. I'd like to read the James' journal and It's wonderful for you to be able to hold your posts in your hand. I print my posts out as done and put them in a 3 ring notebook but I bet they'll get thrown away someday--no guilt kids!
ReplyDeleteThese are all good things!
ReplyDeleteI love a good pencil - it is hard to find a good sharpener these days - but I also use pens.
I love peanut butter cookies and the flourless ones are so delicious!
I've only read one of PD James' books - Death Comes To Pemberley.
You've had more snow than we have had this year!
Have a great weekend!
Great little things this week. I do love a sharp pencil for writing in the calendar and for making my lists. I like pens when I am jotting down thoughts and writing in cards. Your cookies look delicious. Happy weekend to you!
ReplyDeleteI looked into the blog post books a couple of times - it seemed overwhelming I think because I wanted to pick certain ones to publish, not do the whole year's worth. And at this point, I have written so many... where to start? I like Dewena's idea, and most of mine I did at least put into Word files in case I lose my blog site somehow.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any advice for those of us with no experience in this blog book-making? Have you tried more than one publisher?
I love the idea of turning your blog into print too. Did you print all your photos as well? Maybe there's an easy way to do it! Great five.
ReplyDeleteWhat a stunning idea to have your blog in print, dearest Lorrie !
ReplyDeleteSending blessings of joy on your weekend ahead,
I'm thinking of you with so much love
XOXO Dany
What a great five. Hyacinths in the snow; beautiful. I'm a great lover of sharp pencils, must be the teacher in me. Still use them but my sharpener is not as awesome as yours. Not a great lover of peanut butter but your cookies look tempting. I'm off to look up that p.d. James autobiography. Sounds like a fascinating read. Have a great weekend. B x
ReplyDeleteOh the joy of a freshly sharpened pencil! I get on with them much better than pens and for some reason my handwriting is neater!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you don't mind I'll join you in one of those cookies. I LOVE peanut butter.
Lovely photos, especially the one of the pencils! Thanks for mentioning the book, I shall look out for it, I always find other people's lives fascinating.
ReplyDeleteThe biscuits look divine however I cant possibly bake them or I know I will eat them all!
Found you via Five on Friday, and I will be back :)
Jill
I like the choice of cover for your blog book. I've printed mine almost every year and have quite a collection. Your idea of writing comments in the margins is a good one. I use pens rather than pencils but I have a friend who does everything in pencil. I think she carries those mechanical pencils. My problem is I can't see pencil writing as well, and pencils dull easily. Somehow we lost track of our old pencil sharpener when we moved years ago and our electric one does not do a good job. I searched a long time to get a small manual one to use with my colored pencils.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to have your blog in a book! I mainly keep my blog as a diary of sorts so that would be great. Didn't even know it was possible. The hyacinths are really beautiful, such a vibrant colour. We have snow here today.
ReplyDeleteI love pens. All kinds of pens. I must admit to having a large collection on them - different kinds, different colours. There is just something about them that calls to me. Probably because I like to write though a lot of it is done on the computer lately.
Happy Five on Friday
A great five. The hyacinths look beautiful against the snow. I keep sharpened pencils on my desk as I'm always jotting down notes when on the computer. They're short ones in a little pot and I find them practical to use. Otherwise it's a pen for other writing tasks. I've read most of P.D. James' books, but not her autobiography. Sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good idea to have your blog printed. So often we just forget to go back and re-read, but there are so many things that invoke super memories.
ReplyDeleteWe have a very similar attitude towards snow, it is almost a rare treat out here so when it does fall and stay a while the whole village comes out with their family to take photos and play in it, it is as if the real world stops existing for a small window in time and everyone is transported to a winter wonderland :)
ReplyDeleteGorgeous hyacinths! Lovely cup of tea and cookies. A very enjoyable post!
ReplyDeleteThe hyacinths against the snow look wonderful as do your cookies. I've read most of P D James's books too but I haven't seen the one you mention so must look it up. There is something special about a good pencil:)
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing better for writing than a freshly sharpened pencil. I mourn my favorite ones when I have sharpened them down to a nub and can no longer hold on to them. And you are so right about pencil sharpeners. Mine was my grandfather's and I remember it in his study in the early 60's. I'm sure it is older than I am. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoy your posts.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea of publishing your last year's blog into a book. It will be such a visual teasure of memories, thoughts and pictures for years to come.
ReplyDeleteLovely to see the deep, purple hyacinth's blooms. Hopefully,spring can't be to far behind.
I do enjoy that retirement has given me that perk of curling up with a good more often then not.
Will definately be trying your Peanut Butter cookie recipe.
We don't get a lot of snow so we enjoy it when it falls (now that we don't have to get to work). I like t sit with a good book as well and usually read for half an hour or so before going to sleep.
ReplyDeleteYour hyacinths are a lovely colour against the snow.
Have a lovely week,
Diana
I never thought of placing flowers on snow. Such a dramatic effect. I love it.
ReplyDeleteLorrie, how exciting to have your blog made into a book! Wherever did you order it from?
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely evening!
Your 5 items cover my favourite things: purple, books, tea and cookies!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea to print a book version of your blog! Please share how you did that. I'm a pen user, but I'm impressed by the sharpness of your pencils.
So after I saw your cute polkadot boots, I went down the Amazon rabbit hole searching for rain boots. A couple of days later, a pair of purple rain boots arrived at my door. This is all your fault, Lorrie! Hahaha!
Your five things make me happy as well. I miss Adam Dalgleish (and have ever since I finished reading the series, but even more so when I learned there would never be any more). I read the Obit about PD James and thus knew some of the information about her fascinating life, but I would still love to read this memoir.
ReplyDeleteOh this brought back fond memories of school days! I loved being chosen by the teacher when i was 7 to sharpen her tin of pencils for the next day! I loved using the sharpener and getting the points so sharp!
ReplyDeleteTHanks for the peanut butter cookie recipe !
Happy Saturday!
I wan't to have my blog printed too, but not all only the most interesting things. I thought that's something to read for my grandson, I will not see him as an adult, he is only 6 _
ReplyDeleteLorrie, what a brilliant idea to pose your hyacinths in the snow! I enjoy using freshly sharpened pencils and good pens and have rather nice handwriting, and it seems a shame that I rarely write letters by hand any more.
ReplyDeleteI like a good pencil too> I better find one.
ReplyDeleteI love those peanut butter cookies. we tried a gluten free recipe and my family preferred the taste to one with flour!
love your five things;
here are mine:
1. seeing 60 in a forecast
2. cute stitch markers make me smile
3. my knit slippers
4. seeing an abundance of birds and varieties in our woods
5. mail that isnt a bill
I agree, reading a book is the best. I never sit for long reads but read when having morning coffee and after lunch tea and afternoon tea and of course in bed!
ReplyDeleteYour cookies look great. I am fascinated Lorrie as to how you can get your blog made into a
book! I'm sure yours is very interesting with all the photos.
OK Lorrie - by now you know we're awaiting your next post as to where you get the 'blog post books' made, haha!
ReplyDeleteI used to print all my posts and put in 3-ring binders but had to stop when I realized just how much copy paper and ink I was using. So now, with the 10 year blogaversary just reached, I'm thinking perhaps I need to have someone else make books like yours - it sounds awesome.
Blue hyacinths - my favorite, I smell them from here! Love pencils - lead and colored!
Mary x
Hi Lorrie! Those hyacinths are stunning against the white like that - just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI think it's so cool that you had your blog in print like that! How did you do that? Did you use a certain company?
And thanks for a great GF recipe! My Aunt is GF, as well as one of my daughter's best buddies, so I'm always looking for good ones.
Blessings on your weekend. xoxo
Oh, I love the idea of having your blog made into a book. My husband loves peanut butter cookies and about once a year I make him some, yours look delicious.
ReplyDeleteI've made those gf peanut butter cookies for my grandsons--they ARE very good! We have not had much snow at all this winter but spring often brings snow so i'm hoping it will happen then so our summer will not begin too dry and be a fire hazard.
ReplyDeleteI hardly ever write with pencil any longer--I love fine point pens.
Lorrie, I LOVE this Five. Such a good idea to have your blog in physical form - I do like the physical nature of books, and my bookish aunt has always taught me that there is so much more to a book than just the actual text. What I like most about this post, however, is...the pencils, beautifully sharpened. I am so glad I am not the only person who likes to use pencil for specific tasks. Everyone I know thinks I am odd! Having said that, I have bought a scrapbook today for a specific project, and I am feeling a need to buy some pens! Hope you have had a good weekend. x
ReplyDeleteI love the quote and must note it down, preferably with a sharpened pencil! Pencils are my favoured tool but pen is better for some jobs. I like your recipe too as it is so much simpler than the one I have for peanut butter cookies.
ReplyDeleteI love the way that some flowers almost seem to look at their most beautiful just at the point we are getting rid of them, I am sure there is a wise lesson in that! Hope you enjoy your blog book!
ReplyDelete