November Quiet

 

Our unexpected snow is gone. Melted in a day. The cyclamen plant I received last weekend sits on the window ledge and stands in for soft white snowflakes. 

Sunday afternoon. Late. From my window I see pinky yellow skies on the distant horizon just above a hazy blue silhouette of the mountains across the strait. The air is still. We just returned from a walk on a new-to-us trail along a creek where poplar leaves glinted golden in the sunshine and brown grasses nodded gently. 

In one area we came across a considerable number of  Woolly Bear Caterpillars crossing the trail. The grandchild who was with us gathered up as many as she could to help them across the path so they would not be stepped upon. 

The tomatoes I harvested a couple of weeks ago are ripening nicely. This week I made Spicy Tomato Jam, a distant relative of ketchup in which ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and red pepper add lots of flavour. 

The result of some chopping and simmering is 7 jars of deliciousness to pair with cold meats, cheeses, and crackers. 

The recipe is from the cookbook Food in Jars, but it's also on line and can be found here. 

With darkness falling sooner, a flickering fire, glowing candles, and lights contribute to the sense of coziness and close comfort that we all crave at this time of year. Light. Warmth. I love this little breakfast nook where we eat when it's just the two of us. 

What adds to the sense of coziness for you? 

edited to add: Jan from Low Carb Diabetic mentioned that she had posted a comment but it didn't show up, so I investigated my spam folder and oh, my, there were lots of them there! I have now published them and will be checking it more regularly in future. 

October Daily 15: Cozy Pursuits

 

Soft rain has fallen intermittently throughout all the grey day. A good day for soup. This morning I halved and seeded a butternut squash, cut a peeled onion in two, drizzled olive oil over them, wrapped a goodly amount of garlic cloves in foil, and roasted the lot for just under an hour. 

This afternoon I separated the squash from its peel, squished the roasted garlic from its papers, added the onions and a bit of water, then simmered for 30 minutes before adding a can of coconut milk and blitzing the mixture. Stir in salt and pepper and a tablespoon of soy sauce. Serve with toasted pumpkin seeds and a slice of sourdough bread. 

Seedy crackers, grain-free, are from a recipe I got from my youngest daughter. I adapted it a little and like to keep a jar full of them to eat with soup, cheese, or a spread of peanut butter. I bought something similar at the store and looked at the ingredients and thought I could make them myself for a much more reasonable cost. We're quite happy with this version. 

I spent the morning in my sewing room, finishing up a couple of projects that have been languishing for far too long. One of them was a shirt for myself that needed only buttonholes and buttons. The card of buttons is vintage and I'm not quite sure where they came from, but it was time to use them. They are mother-of-pearl, and quite uneven. It felt good to get those projects finished!

A couple of weeks ago I stitched up two little owls for Iris and Cora. They have pockets and for Iris I put in a few stickers. They are soft and squishy, and made from old wool sweaters that I felted in the washing machine and scraps of lace. 

Cozy pursuits for a rainy day. What do you like to do when it rains?

January Comforts

During this rainy, dark month, I crave colour. I wear a bright scarf, perhaps pink or cobalt, and put bright oranges on a cheerful plate from Mexico. Rosemary survives the winters here, and I dash out between the raindrops to clip a sprig or two to throw into a roast chicken, or a warming beef stew.

Although it's only been a week since school started, I'm exhausted. A couple of days of filling in for another teacher turned into all week, and next as well. I came home on Thursday, completed knackered (don't you think that's a great word?), and felt the need for a little self-care. The cheese, orange, and tea were lovely, but as someone who saw the photo on FB said, "where's the chocolate?" Where, indeed? I was all out. That was remedied today!

We slept in today, then lingered over a bacon and egg breakfast. A bit of laundry, grocery shopping, and some house puttering filled the rest of the day. Puttering included repotting a couple of houseplants, and finding a home for this tiny succulent I bought. There's a hyacinth getting ready to bloom, as well. I've put it in the corner window where it will get the most of the pale, watery light.

I ventured out to the garden, too, and discovered bluebell shoots poking up through decaying leaves. There are snowdrops, tightly closed, but with pearly beads showing through translucent tissue that will soon burst. My heart filled with such joy at the life appearing in the garden. 

From my window I see the maple tree beaded with silver on every branch. The raindrops catch the faint light and softly sparkle. I couldn't catch the sparkle on my camera, but imagine every branch beaded as the one above.

This evening we're having shrimp tacos for dinner, and we'll watch a movie and/or read books. I'll light some candles and put the twinkle lights on. January is the time to practice coziness. How are you faring in this first month of the year?

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Maggie of Normandy Life. 

Drippy, Dreary November

It's one of those November days when you have to create your own cheer. Rain pelts down and the sky is dark. I taught today (Bible and Home Ec classes) and the students were great, but the school was chilly, chilly. Coming home, all I wanted was a cup of hot tea. So here I sit, with my tray to hand, a little candle burning, Earl Grey with a bit of milk, and the almonds and chocolate are gone. A hot rice bag sits at my back. I have about 45 minutes before I'll begin dinner prep. Ahhhh. Comfort.

Speaking of dinner - when someone in your household doesn't particularly like something, do you avoid cooking it even though you enjoy it? I like brussel sprouts but the man of the household does not. So I rarely pick them up at the market. However, I make granola for him and I don't eat it. Lately, I've been buying sprouts. I had them roasted up at Mater's place last month (cooked by Pater) and enjoyed them so much. 

Last night I cooked these - steamed them for a few minutes until mostly tender in a skillet, then added a little olive oil and sauteed them until the water evaporated and they browned a little. Then, a teaspoon or so of honey and some finely grated orange rind. Tim even tried some and declared them not bad at all.

What do you do for comfort on a dreary day? And do you cook things just for yourself, even if other members of the household don't eat them? 

Weekend Doings

They say Canadians talk an awful lot about the weather. We certainly have done so since Saturday. Oh, the rain. And the wind. The Great Wet has begun (as my daughter wrote.) But I ventured out, undeterred because ....

 One of these things is not like the others. The Mennonite Girls Who Cook were in town for a book signing at Ten Thousand Villages. What fun to meet 6 of them in person. Here's a photo of yours truly with Lovella, Judy, and Anneliese. Such a gracious group of ladies. I wish we could have visited longer. 

I met up with an aunt and uncle at the signing. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that my aunt (by marriage) is a cousin of Judy's. We're practically related. Judy also taught Sunday School to my nephews.

 

We spent two cozy evenings by the fire - the first of the season. I'm looking forward to more. There's nothing like a wood fire for ambiance.

Enjoying Late Winter

The wind rose around 4 am this morning with a gust that rattled the window and clanked the blinds. I got up to close the window (we always sleep with the window open at least a crack). After crawling back into my warm bed, I didn't go back to sleep right away, but listened to the gathering storm. Soon, rain hurled against the window, sounding like pebbles thrown in a fit of temper. 

The official start of spring is still more than three weeks away. Yet so many of us are impatient for sunny days, for an end to winter. Winter's lingering presence can create impatience which wears on a person until one feels ragged, much like those cattails in the photo. 

It occurred to me in the night that wishing away these late winter days denies the value of time, of the gift of each day. Rather than merely putting in the time until spring, I have decided to embrace, as well as I can, the last of winter. Here are some things I wrote down this morning: 

* Observe the slow tilt of the earth leaning towards the sun and revel in the fact that each 24-hour cycle adds a sliver of light to the lengthening days.
* Choose a couple of good novels for evening reading.
* Add fresh flavour to soups and stews with lots of fresh herbs, chopped and sprinkled on top. Garden shops are selling pots of herbs - set them on a windowsill and clip away.
* Open the windows (or a window) for a few minutes each day to let the clean, crisp air blow away mental cobwebs.
* Wear something bright. My winter wardrobe is mostly grey, black and cream. A soft, or bright, pink scarf makes me feel just a little bit perkier.
* Rearrange something, tidy a closet, or organize drawers.
* Make certain to use the frozen fruit and vegetables in my deep freeze. Blackberry cobbler, blueberry smoothies, rhubarb compote on pancakes - now is the time to enjoy the work of last summer.
* Go outdoors even in inclement weather. Bundle up well, turn my face into the wind and pretend I'm a Bronte character striding the moors. Then come in and enjoy a hot cup of tea or chocolate.
* Start a new project, or finish an old one. Both bring satisfaction.
* Indulge in fistfuls of tulips and daffodils purchased from the market.

What are you doing to add pleasure to late winter days? I'd love to know.

Some Down Time

I've not been teaching this week and have instead, used my time to run errands, work on some projects at home and stay satisfyingly busy. 

But just now, as I write, I'm tucked up on the couch with a heating pad at my back and warm rice bag on my shoulder. The skies outside are grey with the promise of rain. Wind is also in the forecast. A cup of tea to hand, and a square of dark chocolate add to the coziness. 

A physiotherapy treatment at noon eased my back pain but I'm always a little wiped out afterwards. No injury, just a fragile back that needs care once in awhile, due to mild scoliosis. A lot of walking and stretching exercises keep me mobile, but when the back spasms come, often in the night, a visit to my wonderful physiotherapist helps put me to rights.

Sarah Richardson, of HGTV fame (and a Canadian, to boot) posted this lovely video on her Facebook page. It's less than three minutes long. If you enjoy handwork, you'll love this. The accompanying music is lovely, too. I'm sure you'll find yourself relaxing as you watch.

 

On a Rainy Night

Heavy clouds and rain blocked the sun yesterday, resulting in a very dark afternoon. After coming home from shopping, I lit a candle to dispel the gloominess. What is it about a candle, or a flickering fire that is so comforting? I'm not going to ponder the psychology of it; I'll just enjoy it.
 

 

Comfort food, to go along with the candle, was on the menu last night. Butternut squash roasted with onion and rosemary - so good.

Is lighting candles on an ordinary evening something you do? Or do you save them for special occasions?

October Eve

On our hike on Sunday, I noticed this rock lying in the middle of the path. I put it in my pocket to add to my small, but growing collection of heart-shaped rocks. 

Thank you to each of you who sent birthday greetings. Each comment is treasured and read several times.  

On this rainy October eve, Tim built our first fire of the season. It's not all that cold, but the fire makes everything cozier. We enjoyed our tea and chocolate in front of the fire, then went for a walk, suited up appropriately for the weather. 

Tomorrow is my last day in the library. After that I'll be on the TOC list (Teacher on Call) again. While I would love to have a permanent position, that's not possible just now, so I'll take the work I can get. I have enjoyed knowing that I'm going to work each morning without waiting for a phone call.

Meanwhile, I have a number of projects on the go that I'm looking forward to tackling. Some house tasks need to be attended to, some sewing, and just running errands. And perhaps I'll have a little more time for blogging!

As we watch the devastation left in Sandy's wake, we continue to think of all those affected by the storm. I think of those who lost loved ones and cannot imagine their grief. Others lost their homes and suffered severe damage. I'm so thankful that the storm is weakening and that relatively few lives were lost. 

 

 

Sunday Afternoon Rain

Driving home each day I pass this maple tree. Vibrant colour glows, even on a grey day. The carpet of leaves underfoot grows thicker each day, in proportion to the growing visibility of the tree's skeleton. I know I need to be quick if I want any pictures. 

So today, in spite of a constant drizzle, we set out for our walk, camera in hand. Correction: camera in protective case. I snapped photos, admiring the pinkish red of the leaves, paler than I remember from other years, but still so beautiful. More reds along the bog pathway: bog cranberries and blackberry leaves.

As Faith Baldwin says, "Autumn burned brightly, a running flame through the mountains, a torch flung to the trees." 

In spite of the soggy weather, the trees did burn with colour. As we walked we could almost hear the slurping as trees, grass and ground drank in the much-needed water. 

Perhaps no one is happier for this wet weather than the ducks. The long dry spell left them without a pond to swim in. After a couple of days of rain, the bog pools are filling up. Ducks quack and paddle, utterly content in the rain.

As for us, we arrived home wet, to the savoury scent of roast chicken. Roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed tomatoes, and a gratin with the last of the garden zucchini made for a fine meal. Dessert was apple crisp with custard sauce. Ah, autumn food!

Linking to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at the Little Red House.

Autumn Love: Twenty Little Things

In blatant imitation of Vee's brilliance, I've created a mosaic from photos of Octobers past, along with a few from this September. There's much to love about autumn and it vies with summer as my favourite season. 

Melissa from The Inspired Room encouraged us to make a list about 20 things we love about fall. It wasn't hard to come up with such a list. Here's mine and I wonder how many things you love about the season, too.

1.  fog lying low against the Sooke Hills

2.  lighting candles in the evening to enjoy while reading or stitching

3.  soup for supper

4.  Thanksgiving (Canada)

5.  autumn poetry (which I hope to share)

6.  picking up my knitting needles

7. pulling on a sweater in the mornings

8.  scuffling my feet through crisp leaves

9.  sunlight slanting low through golden trees

10. cool air blowing across my face as I snuggle under the quilt at night

11. roasted vegetables

12. rain-scented earth

13. grass once again turning green

14. building a fire in the fireplace

15. neat stacks of firewood seen around town

16. wearing scarves

17. pumpkins, round and cheery

18. a pot of herbal tea with honey

19. apple crisp with custard sauce

20. my birthday!

A Little Bit of Autumn

This blossom, seen at Butchart Gardens on Monday, leaves no doubt that summer is hanging around. We've had no rain to speak of for two months now. The leaves are turning brown and crisp from lack of water, not autumn's mellow cooling. Still, the lovely sun lingers like a beloved guest and we're not wishing her away. 

Come evening we're glad to embrace autumn a little bit. There's a definite chill in the air once that sun slips below the horizon. A cup of tea and a cookie or two makes for a cozy treat. 

My paternal grandfather gave us the teapot for our wedding. I think of him each time I use it. It has an autumn look to me, as do these tea cups that Tim's mother received for her wedding and later gifted to me. 

Emily Dickinson has some words to say about this season of not quite summer, not yet autumn:

As Summer into Autumn Slips

As Summer into Autumn slips

And yet we sooner say

"The Summer" than "the Autumn," lest

We turn the sun away,

And almost count it an Affront

The presence to concede

Of one however lovely, not 

 The one that we have loved --

So we evade the charge of Years

On one attempting shy

The Circumvention of the Shaft

of Life's Declivity.

Joining in with Happy Hour at Craftberry Bush, a fun blog with lots of creative ideas.

Evening Candlelight: A Different Twist

Darkness falls earlier. Although the days are warm, there's a distinct chill when the sun slips behind the hills. It's time to think more about life indoors. Lighting candles in the evening while we sit and read or knit or stitch adds coziness to the scene. 

I have a collection of sea glass and often display it in containers in our home. Here's a way to combine a bit of summer and autumn together. 

You will need two votive/candle holders, one of them should nest inside the other, with room to spare. Some sea glass, small pebbles, or sea shells, and a tea light. 
 

One votive holder inside the other, with pieces of glass slipped between them. Easy. And oh, so pretty on a September evening. 

 
Make one, make three or four. Line them up on a mantel, down the center of a table or on a window sill. Enjoy cozy.

Linking to Tutorial Tuesday, hosted by Hope Studios.

Two years. And many adventures. Happy Anniversary, Owen and Ashley, and many more to come.

Honey, Lemon and Knitting

There have been copious amount of tea with honey and lemon consumed over the past week. Friday and Saturday were the worst of and things improved steadily afterwards. I'm better. Thank you for all the well wishes. 

It was a time to not do too much - I kept on with my studies, but took time for a little knitting and lounging on the couch.

And today, the wind has swept the sky clear of clouds and grey. The low slant of sun through my window is cheering. I'm looking forward to an afternoon autumn walk.

Someone asked me if I had returned to the group that made me feel so unwelcome. Yes, I did. And although I don't feel much more welcomed, I discovered some other new people there who also need friends. So I'm slowly developing relationships - going for the occasional coffee or walk together. It's good.