Looking Back, Looking Ahead

On Instagram, I've seen #bestnine posts where posters feature a collection of their most popular posts for the year. Instead, I chose one photo from each month and made a #favouritetwelve of my own. It was hard to choose - do I feature travel locations, local events, garden, food, flowers, or what? I guess I'm a rather scattered blogger, with little theme here. In the end, I restricted myself to photos taken here at home or in our garden. 

Like most years, 2018 has had its ups and downs. Mostly ups, with lots of level plateaus. I'm thankful for God's faithfulness and presence in my life. I don't write much about my faith, but it is very precious to me. Believing is not always easy, as some might assume. I've learned to embrace uncertainty in this life, thinking deeply about what I know to be true, and about the many questions I have about life and God. I've learned that I don't need to know everything or to have all the answers, and my faith continues to grow and evolve. I choose faith over unbelief, and hope over despair. I believe in a God who loves me immensely, and who is wise and kind and just. He's also unfathomable. 

And so we come to the end of one year and the beginning of another. Who knows what 2019 will bring? We step through the doorway into days of possibility. 

Thank you for reading my words over the past year, and for your many encouraging comments. I treasure them all. (Other than the spam that sneaks through) 

I wish you a most Happy New Year, filled with friends and family to love and laugh with in the good times and to ache and cry with in the not-so-good times. I wish you bravery to dream and to make dreams come true. I wish you time to be creative, time to restore yourself, and time in nature. 

Happy 2019! 

A Change in the Air

Last weekend's weather felt like a summer's day. Hot sunshine. Warm breezes. On my Sunday afternoon walk I picked up a few autumn leaves and brought them home to reside on the hall table. I pulled out the October quote by Anne of Green Gables, created by a friend for my birthday last year. And on the chalkboard I wrote, "Welcome Fall." 
 

Neighbourhood sights include this home with window boxes filled with red geraniums. I admire them each time I pass by.
 

Soon this old car will be tucked away, sheltered from the wind and rain. Autumn seems to have taken my welcome sign at face value for today there's a change in the air. Less warmth. The sun not quite so bright and a bite in the air. 
 

After school today I kicked my shoes off, made a cup of tea and sat down. I could have marked papers, but instead I played with Image Chef, making a mosaic including things I love about autumn. It could be an educational tool according to the website, so I don't feel bad at all. 

What do you love about autumn? Is there a change in the air out your way?

Beach Mosaic

A lovely, mellow weekend included a Sunday morning walk on the beach with our eldest daughter and her husband. Skies that shifted from cloud to sun accompanied a sharp wind, making us glad for hats, gloves and turned-up collars. 


Seagulls, Pacific Black Brant geese, and red-beaked Oystercatchers were our only company for most of the time. We studied shells, picked our way through rocks, traversed creeks, and enjoyed the brisk air. With the wind at our backs and faintly warm sunshine on our faces, we turned homeward, replete with the "solace of nature." 

I composed the first mosaic with the help of my computer. This second creation is that of the Creator himself, using the wind and waves; bits of flotsam and jetsam thrown together in a melange of texture and color. 


I'm linking once again to Mosaic Monday, hosted by Mary at the Little Red House. This week she has a giveaway - so pop on over, and be sure to click on at least a few of the mosaic links.

Hot Tea Month: January

Hot tea month is any month of the year, as far as I'm concerned. But someone, somewhere decided that January is officially hot tea month. It is a good month for sitting down with a cup of tea. A little cake alongside never hurt. And some good books to peruse while sipping. 

I used some of the blueberries I froze last summer for this oh, so tender and not-too-sweet Lemon Blueberry Cake, and glazed it with a lemon and icing sugar mixture. Scrumptious!

Lemon Blueberry Coffeecake

1 1/2 cups flour (the recipe suggested all-purpose, I used 100% whole wheat)

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

1/4 cup sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 Tablespoon lemon zest

1 1/2 cups blueberries

Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

In another bowl, (can use mixer, but I did it by hand), cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.

Stir in yogurt and lemon zest. 

Stir in dry ingredients just until mostly mixed.

Gently stir in blueberries (I used frozen berries and mixed them in frozen - they are less likely to turn the batter blue that way.)

Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch round cake pan. Scrape the batter into the pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes, or until cake springs back when touched in centre.

Cool for 5 minutes, then turn out of pan onto a serving plate. Drizzle with lemon glaze (1 cup icing sugar stirred with lemon juice until of desired consistency).

 Enjoy the last days of January!


Linking to Mosaic Monday at the Little Red House.

Monday Blues

Mondays are rarely blue in the moody sense for me. It's the start of a new week, with unknown potential. But I do love the colour blue, and here are some of my favourite blue shots. Flowers from my garden (last year), some stitching projects, a fanciful handpainted chest seen in a store in Roche Harbour, a chair from Marie Antoinette's Petit Trianon, and the blue, blue water and sky seen from East Sooke Park.

I'm linking to Little Red House for Mosaic Monday. Visiting Mary's blog will provide you with a whole list of wonderful mosaics.