Monday, January 08, 2024

8 January - A Good Day for Something Warming

 


No snow arrived, but there's been a lot of rain making the day rather dark and dreary. Fires inside, lots of tea, and a delicious bowl of warming chicken and vegetable stew with a hint of Middle Eastern flavour for dinner. It was hearty and warming, just the ticket for a wintry night. A bit of preserved lemon added a bit of zing, but that's easy to leave out should you wish. I've added the recipe to my recipe blog, found by clicking the link above. 

I spent the day mostly indoors, doing some rearranging and organizing. 


Just before Christmas I treated myself to this book - Nature Tales for Winter Nights. I love the art on the cover. The author, Nancy Campbell collected these tales at a time when she "wanted to nestle into the words of others. I would read to travel deep into winter without suffering its dearth." 

The first excerpt is from Anne Frank who wrote on the 24th of December 1943 "Whenever someone comes in from outside, with the wind in their clothes and the cold on their cheeks, I feel like burying my head under the blanket to keep from thinking, 'When will we be allowed to breathe fresh air again?'" She, hidden away for protection, did not have the luxury we have to go in and out as we please. I am very glad that I can go out into the cold and return to warmth. 

Looking at the table of contents, I see other selections from authors I know, such as Robert Louis Stevenson, Susan Fenimore Cooper, Vincent Van Gogh, along with many with whom I am not familiar, but look forward to getting to know. 

8 comments:

  1. Last night snow arrived! And cold weather from Scandinavia. I have read Anne Frank and visited were she was hidden in Amsterdam. I don’t go out much at the moment as I am not feeling too well but I am glad to stay cosy inside for the moment.
    Your recipe looks very good and I saw the buns on your other blog ( is the oven temperature in Fahrenheit or in Celsius ?) because I would love to bake some.

    ReplyDelete
  2. That looks like a book into which you can dip to find all sorts of surprises.

    ReplyDelete
  3. That book sounds great! Enjoy!

    ReplyDelete
  4. We had snow all day yesterday then drenching rain at night. It's blustery today and from time to time I hear a branch that was torn of the back hedge thrown against the house. Definitely winter weather.
    Your book looks very interesting and perfect winter reading.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Your stew looks delicious, Lorrie. And I am definitely drawn to that gorgeous book cover for Nature Tales for Winter Nights. Sounds like a lovely read.

    This morning it's snowing lazily. And it's gloomy out. Laundry on the go. Otherwise a quiet day here. Stay warm and toasty.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Looks like a great meal coming in from the cold.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Your lunch looks lovely and the book sounds like a little gem. I like that cover a lot, too!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Your chicken stew looks wonderful, I agree - nothing like a hearty stew during the cold days of winter! I'm intrigued by the book you are reading, it sounds quite interesting with all the different writers adding their tale to the mix. I love the quote of Anne, and want to remember to give thanks always for the things we take for granted. Many blessings to you Lorrie!

    ReplyDelete

Thank you for your comment. I read and value each one, cherishing the connections we can make although far apart. Usually, I visit your blog in return, although if you ask a question I try to contact you directly.

Checking In

  There are a few artists I follow on Instagram - Lucy Grossmith is one of them. I love her magical depictions of the natural world, full of...