Christmas Reading List and Some News

 

Shall we hear the news first? We welcomed a new little granddaughter into our family on Saturday. More details will follow, but everyone is well. We had Big Sister Iris (almost 18-months) stay with us for three days and had so much fun with her. However, having children is definitely for the younger set. 

Christmas decorating was set aside while I sang songs, played games, and cuddled with a sweet little one. I'll get back into it later this week.  

A few weeks ago I wrote about books and stories I like to read at Christmas time, and asked for your suggestions. I've compiled a list for your reading delight. I've not read everything on the list, but on your recommendation I found a copy of Christmas at Fairacre (includes No Holly for Miss Quinn, The Christmas Mouse, and another story), and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

Christmas at Fairacre - Miss Read

No Holly for Miss Quinn - Miss Read

Miss Read's Christmas - Miss Read

Shepherds Abiding - Jan Karon

Winter Solstice - Rosamunde Pilcher

Debbie MacComber - Angels books about Shirley, Goodness, Mercy

A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens

A Redbird Christmas - Fannie Flagg

Snowflake - Paul Gallico

Miracle in the Wilderness - Paul Gallico

The Night Before Christmas - Jan Brett

Home for Christmas: Stories for Young and Old - Plough Publishing House

Papa Panov's Special Day - based on a Tolstoy story

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever - Barbara Robinson

The Twenty-Four Days Before Christmas - Madeleine L'Engle

I Saw Three Ships - Elizabeth Goudge

God is in the Manger - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

An Irish Country Christmas - Patrick Read

A Christmas Memory - Truman Capote

A Star for Christmas - Trisha Romance

I Spy Christmas, A Book of Picture Riddles - Scholastic

A Pussycat's Christmas - Margaret Wise Brown and Anne Mortimer

Christmas with Anne and other Holiday Stories - L. M. Montgomery

Christmas in My Heart: A Timeless Treasury of Heartwarming Stories - Compiled by Joe Wheeler

Christmas Classics from the Modern Library - 1997 Random House

Christmas Not Just Once a Year - Heinrich Böll

Letters from Father Christmas - J. R. R. Tolkien

Hercule Poirot's Christmas - Agatha Christie

The Mistletoe Murder and other Stories - P. D. James

Skipping Christmas - John Grisham

The Christmas Chronicles - Nigel Slater

Linking to No Place Like Home, hosted by Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage. 

The Last Friday Five of November

 

1. Last Saturday Tim had an eye checkup downtown and while he was there (his eyes were dilated so he couldn't drive), I wandered around a bit. It was too early for stores to be open and there were few people around. The Cathedral looked very pretty in the grey light, especially those blue doors. I don't remember them being that colour before, but I haven't been in the area for awhile. 

Between the Cathedral and the graveyard runs a short street lined with tall trees and benches. A bit of colour remains in the photo above, but if those trees are anything like ours there are precious few leaves left. 

From the bedroom window on the second story I look down at the the circle of leaves that formed under the acer maple and it almost glows with vibrant colour. 

2. A noisy, scrappy flock of Pine Siskins showed up at our feeder. They are small but aggressive birds who don't like sharing with others. 

This Pine Siskin peers suspiciously around at the Dark-eyed Junco that just landed. We've seen Chestnut-backed Chickadees, Spotted Towhees, House Finches, Sparrows, and Nuthatches recently. 

3. I've noticed a few blooms on the large hydrangea bush turning a silvery purple colour that stands out against the burgundies and browns of the remainder of the fading blooms. 

 

4. Here we are at the end of November. One month until Christmas. It doesn't look promising for family get togethers so we are planning a festive time for two. 

I made a comment on another blog that received some attention and I thought I'd say the same thing here. 

Regarding the pandemic - Our Provincial Health Officer, Dr. Bonnie Henry is a wise and compassionate, and very qualified doctor to be in charge during this time. I am so very thankful that the pandemic has not become a political issue here as it has in other places. Dr. Henry says that restrictions are not intended to stop the virus, for that is impossible at this stage, but to protect the most vulnerable, and to protect our health care system. 

One way to gauge the effect of a pandemic is to look at the excess death rate. Death is part of life and every country has an anticipated number of deaths. However, excess deaths are just that - deaths in excess of the expected number. A simple online search reveals that the UK had 70,000 excess deaths this year, and the USA more than 200,000. All excess deaths are not attributed to the coronavirus - there may be deaths due to lack of seeking medical attention, or overdose deaths. In the earlier part of the year, until September, in Canada the death rate actually declined, likely due to people staying at home more and not engaging in risky behaviour. 

It's a complicated issue requiring complicated measures. I love Dr. Henry's constant urging to Be Kind, and to act together to combat this virus. 

5. If you are still reading, here's a beautiful bloom from my Christmas cactus. There are few blooms on it and I'm enjoying the ones there are. 

This weekend I'll be setting up the Advent calendar and wreath. I'm still sewing pajamas - I've procrastinated this week and did some other things. The vast majority of my shopping is done and I might begin baking. I did make the Christmas Fruitcake last week. 

I hope that your week has been a good one, and that the days ahead will be filled with anticipation. 

No Place Like Home

 

Jane Austen said it well, "There is nothing like staying at home for real comfort." I'm so thankful for our home - it is a place of rest and restoration, of laughter and tears, and certainly, of comfort. 

My American friends are thinking about Thanksgiving, but since we here in Canada celebrated last month, I'm thinking about Christmas. Most of my shopping is done, and making of gifts is well underway. 

I've not really begun decorating - I like to wait until Advent for that, but I did pull out my red dishes. Then I thought it looked a little bare, so I went out with my clippers and snipped some greenery. It will all have to be changed and freshened up a couple of times between now and Christmas. 

When I bring in greenery from my garden, I plunge it all into a sink (or tub) full of water with some white vinegar added, to clean it and get rid of any lurking bugs. 

I love the graceful shape of this teacup, purchased in Switzerland when I went on a tour with my mom and sister in 2009. 

Everywhere I look in my home, objects spark memories. There's the watercolour painting we bought while boating one year, and the store wrapped it up well because we had an open dinghy ride over choppy water before getting back to the boat. There are plants from friends, and furniture made by Tim, and it all adds layers of meaning to us. Homes are very personal places and should reflect the personalities of the people who live there. 

Yesterday I roasted a chicken for a midday dinner, and served it on the red plates. I'll use them regularly now. I served a sliced orange and avocado salad alongside. 

This weekend was Christmas Fruitcake time, too. I chopped and mixed all the fruit - dates, raisins, glace cherries, nuts, and cranberries with some liqueur and let it sit overnight before mixing up the batter and baking the cakes. This recipe is one I have not tried before and I don't think I'll make it again. It's okay, but has pineapple in it and we think the pineapple dominates the flavour too much. Still, it's quite edible. I'll be brushing them with rum over the next weeks, and some will be given away. 

Sandi, at Rose Chintz Cottage, is hosting a weekly "No Place Like Home" link up for a few weeks. She's a fellow Canadian, living on an Island on the opposite side of Canada from me. Blogging is a wonderful way to make connections. 

Are you thinking about Christmas yet? 

A Friday Five: Day by Day

 

1. When there is a sunny break on the weekend, we like to go for a walk. One recent stroll took us to Sidney-by-the-Sea where beautiful Mount Baker (in Washington State) dominates the view on a clear day. I waited to take the shot until the container ship crossed into the photo. Those things are massive!

2. Another day we walked around the Bog for different views. It's an ever-changing mix of water, foliage, and birds. 

Our Island has been mostly protected from the pandemic with very few cases, until this week. Numbers are still low, relatively speaking, but two long-term care homes have cases, which means my husband, who works in administration, is working long, long hours. In addition, our Provincial Health Officer mandated new restrictions and we are not to gather, indoors or out, with anyone other than our household, until December 7. Schools are still in session, with continued strict protocols that seem to be working. I enjoy visiting with my children via Skype or phone. Little Iris, 17 months old, walks over to the computer at her house and says, "Nana, Nana" when she wants to talk to me. In other week she will have a sibling and we are all looking forward to that. 

3. I am so very glad that we can go outside and walk and enjoy the beautiful world we live in. What does that tree above care about the pandemic? Not a whit. As social anxiety rises, I pray for calmness. Here are some other things I'm doing to maintain my health, mentally and physically.

     * I limit my exposure to the news. Once a day is just fine. 

     * Creativity - I read recently, just a snippet, that handwork like knitting or embroidery calms the mind and body. I've got sewing projects on the go and love to sit down with hand-sewing. I finished one pair of grandchild Christmas pajamas this week.

     * Reading - I'm still finding that I enjoy simple stories with happy endings, and nothing too challenging. I'm looking forward to beginning my Christmas reading soon.

     * Exercise and eating well. Last night, it was 8:30 before Tim finished going through his work e-mail. We bundled up and went out into the crisp night air. Clouds reflected light from the city, but in the patches of clear dark sky stars shone as they have done for millennia. As we walked along quiet streets and through the woods, we breathed in lovely fresh air. Walking helps me sleep better, too. 

     * Prayer. Knowing that God loves me helps me keep a good perspective on life. 

4. A nuthatch at the feeder. They are so agile, and seem to prefer feeding upsidedown. Such pretty birds with mostly soft colouring, and then the contrast of black and white, like a standout accent piece on a woman's outfit. 

5. I am thoroughly enjoying my mornings at home. I baked gingersnaps this week - deliciously crisp and spicy. One of my favourite cookies. 

Outside my window a bit of rain is falling. I see a few stalwart roses and feverfew flowers blooming, but most of the garden is fading and looking scraggly. I do most of the clean up in the spring, leaving stalks and foliage over the winter as homes for beneficial insects. 

How is your weekend shaping up? I'm looking forward to doing a variety of things around the house - regular household chores, sewing, soup-making, and perhaps a little bit of pre-Christmas faffing. Wishing you the joy of gentle pursuits today. 

A Slower Pace

 

Autumn in a teacup. This photo, taken last year, reflects the season - a few hardy roses still blooming, berries on shrubs, and coloured leaves falling fast. 

On Tuesday I completed an intensive 10 weeks of teaching full-time. It was a marathon and although I will miss my Spanish 11s, I'll be glad for a slower pace. Until the end of January I'll have just two 70-minutes classes, a Spanish 9 and a Spanish 10. I'm looking forward to slower mornings and time to actually finish my mug of tea before heading out the door. 

Yesterday was the Remembrance Day statutory holiday, so no school. I heard the planes fly overhead, and watched a bit of the ceremony commemorating fallen soldiers on television. We will remember them. 

Today and tomorrow are professional development days, and although there are sessions at the school today, my principal gave me the days to stay home. I have some marking to do, and reports, but doing these tasks at home, in front of the fire, with a cup of tea, makes them easier. 

For a cultural activity last week, my 11s made Beef Empanadas. I made some at home beforehand, so I could give them helpful advice. They freeze well and make a quick and easy lunch. I got the recipe from Laylita, an Ecuadorian living in the USA. Her website is fantastic if you like South American food, as we do. 

In a couple of years we are planning a major renovation of our kitchen and downstairs living spaces. In the meantime, Tim has done a few things, like putting in the big window next to the table in the photo above, and installing the gas fireplace. I was standing in the kitchen workspace to take this photo. The kitchen itself is fairly small and will be made a bit larger during the renovation. Meanwhile, we are enjoying this cozy and bright space where we eat most of our meals when it's just the two of us. The white ice cream parlor chairs will be replaced soon. 

While eating breakfast, we watch the birds at the feeder come and go, scrapping at times. House Finches, like the one seen above, are common, as are Dark-eyed Juncos. From time to time we see Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Bushtits. Spotted Towhees come by to pick up any seeds dropped by the other birds. This particular House Finch was awaiting his turn at the feeder. 

Today I am sewing pajamas and nightgowns for the grandchildren for Christmas. I didn't do it last year, and wasn't planning to this year, but my daughter-in-law told me that the almost 10-year-old said something along the lines of "It's almost Christmas - Nana nighty time!" Such encouragement got me going! Yesterday I cut all the fabric and today I'll begin sewing. 

Thank you for all the great Christmas reading suggestions. I plan to compile a list and post it soon. 

Oh yes, there will be some marking done in between times! 

How are you doing these days? Is your pace slower than normal? I know that there are more restrictions with the rising number of Covid19 cases. Schools, however, are staying open, so my job continues as per usual. 

Celebrating in the Woods

 

Regular readers might remember that we'd planned an outdoor Thanksgiving get together a couple of weeks ago that was rained out. Everyone had been so looking forward to it, so we planned a similar event to celebrate the three October/November birthdays in the family. 

Goldstream Park is nestled in a narrow valley at the head of the Saanich Inlet. The park is particularly popular in the autumn when the salmon spawn. Lots of cars filled the parking lot, but after arriving around 2:30, we had to wait just a few moments until someone left.

In the deeply shaded park little sun penetrated to warm us up, and we were very glad for layers of clothing including gloves and hats. 

In the river salmon swam upstream, laying their eggs where they themselves had once hatched. Gulls circled and watched for fish to weaken and die, pulling them onto sandy banks to feed on them. I didn't see bald eagles yesterday, but later they will come to gorge themselves on the dying salmon. It's an interesting and not-very-pretty part of the cycle of nature. 

A pair of Stellar's Jays flitted in the trees near our camp set up, perhaps looking for a treat to steal. They are notoriously greedy birds. 

Also very interested in our picnic was a curious squirrel. He finally decided there was too much commotion for him to steal a treat and scampered off elsewhere. 

Many of the trees here are cedar, but there are huge maple trees as well that carpet the forest floor with leaves, slowly decomposing to add nutrients to the soil. 

It was a casual gathering. People took off for little walks along the river while others stayed around the campfire. The two older grand girls became engrossed in a game that involved drying moss and bark against the fire ring. How easily they entertain themselves in nature. I love to see it. 

In that narrow valley darkness fell quickly. I happened to look up close to 4:30 and saw the last line of sunlight along the hill.

 Here are the birthday girls with cupcakes made by our youngest daughter. (In the photo our eldest daughter is in the middle and our daughter-in-law on the right.) Once darkness fell we packed up and headed home, smelling of campfire smoke and replete with a meal everyone contributed to. It was a fun time for everyone, and I'm so glad it worked out this time. Our wonderful Provincial Health Officer has encouraged us to limit time indoors with others and to be careful with how many people we associate with. For us it's just family at this point, other than school (for me) and work (for Tim). Our children are mostly working from home. 

Little Things, and a Question

 

After classes today, I had an errand to run that had me driving on a country road overhung by huge trees. I was utterly delighted by the occasional leaf that floated across the road, zigzagging to and fro until it landed on the sodden ground. I found myself smiling and watching out for more leaves to grace my way. 

If ever the world needs grace and beauty, it is now. So much is topsy-turvy and there seems to be a general feeling of unsettledness. It has struck me, not for the first time, that everyday pleasures and small moments of beauty mean more than the huge things like big trips or gifts or parties. 

Barbara Pym wrote "The small things of life were often so much bigger than the great things...the trivial pleasures like cooking, ones' home, little poems especially sad ones, solitary walks, funny things seen and overheard."

The amazing colour of Beauty Berries (Callicarpa) startles among the muted shades of fading autumn. 

When my mother-in-law passed away three years ago, the family divided up her jewelry, and I took these jade earrings for my daughters. They were clip on earrings, and my daughter had them altered for pierced ears. This photo was taken last fall, but it makes me happy to see the girls wear their grandmother's earrings.

Now that darkness falls so much earlier (is it really just one hour?) I find myself looking for the cozy in my home - bringing out the blanket throws, lighting candles, baking toothsome treats, and thinking about Christmas. I have some projects I'm working on, and have started my shopping. I've noticed that some in blog land have made their Christmas cakes. On cool and grey days thinking about the brightness of Christmas (whatever that may look like this year) is a small thing that fills my heart with happiness. 

On the weekend, while standing in line to enter a store, I looked up. A tree near me was filled with golden leaves, not unlike the ones in the photo above, and I immediately thought "pieces of gold". They were so bright against a brilliant blue sky that my breath caught. 

I hope that your days are sprinkled with moments that delight you and fill your soul with beauty. 

And now for a question - starting about now, I like to read Christmas stories, or stories set in winter. Some of my favourites, that I re-read each year, include:

Winter Solstice by Rosamunde Pilcher

Some of the Little House chapters that deal with Christmas, by Laura Ingalls Wilder

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon

I'm curious to know if you have any favourite Christmas-themed stories. Do let me know in the comments, and perhaps I'll compile a list for all of us to reference. 

When Memories Rise

 

Days alternate between sunshine and cloud, and just a few faint drizzles of rain this week. The pattern of the week varies little - at school by 8:00 where it's go, go, go until I walk out around 3:30, a little surprised at the world outside. I've stopped listening to the radio going to and from school, instead, I sing out loud. Old hymns, children's songs, whatever comes into my head. It's lovely and calming, and I don't feel like I've missed a thing. 

Less and less blooms grace the garden these days, but last weekend I made a wee bedside bouquet with a few pansies and snapdragons. 

A sudden drop in temperature meant a change to winter bedding - a duvet and blanket, with a light quilt at the end of the bed ready to pull up should one of us feel chilly in the night. Now the temperatures have moderated and we throw off the duvet, even with the window open. 

This week is my birthday. Do you find that on special days during the year, memories rise and you indulge in a little nostalgia? I've been thinking about the birthday parties my mother put on when I was young. One year, a party wasn't mentioned - I must have been 10 or 11. I left for school feeling a little let down, and even worse, when I arrived at school, my three best friends whispered secrets and rather ignored me. I felt sad and rejected. After school, I trudged home and practiced piano. My mother was preparing a special dinner for the family for my birthday. When the doorbell rang, she asked me to answer it and there stood my three school friends with big smiles on their faces. "Happy birthday," they cried out. I was very surprised, but I remember still feeling a little miffed for a few moments. Soon, however, that passed, and we had a wonderful time together. 

My mother frequently iced cakes with a 7-minute frosting that she beat on the stove to billowy soft and sweet peaks, almost like marshmallow. And candles. Always candles to blow out after the singing of Happy Birthday. Wonderful memories. 

Margie wanted to see my new Rockport rainboots - here they are. They are great for walking, even when it's not raining. 

During a rainy day last week, I watched the black-eyed juncos on the feeder. The rain didn't seem to bother them at all as they vied for space with house finches and a couple of goldfinches. No rainboots needed here!

On these quickly darkening evenings the string of lights on the mantel creates a cozy glow. I cut a few branches from the lilac bushes as I've been admiring their leaves from my kitchen window. How pretty they are. 

Tomorrow after school I'm going to have tea with my daughters for a little birthday celebration. Then, a quiet evening at home. I'm so looking forward to this weekend, especially the extra hour as we move the clocks back. I have no plans and that's quite a lovely thing. 

How about you? Any plans? 

An October Hike

 

Our unusually warm and sunny days of early October have turned into unusually cold and mostly sunny days of late October. Frosty mornings mean warm coats and gloves, and the occasional scraping of ice from the windshield. How beautiful the sunshine is, and how glorious the colours. 

One of my favourite autumn poems, by George Cooper, begins with 

"October gave a party

The leaves by hundreds came,

The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,

And leaves by every name."

It was a party out in the woods today. Crisp and cool, very cool in the shaded forest, but out on the rocky ridges where the sun shone boldly, there was warmth. 

We hiked up and down, but mostly up, until we reached Holmes Peak, overlooking the Saanich Inlet. Here on the ridge we enjoyed the view, and some dark chocolate. 

We came across a hand-carved swing, placed there in memory of a loved one, and a delight for young Sadie. It made me a wee bit nervous as falling off on a forward swing might mean a tumble over the cliff. 

Naturally freshly peeled arbutus trees have such a beautiful pale green colour. The trunk on the left is smooth and bleached by the sun. 

Leaved branches form high along the trunks and reach for the sun, with bright berries that glow against the blue sky. 

It was such a beautiful afternoon, talking, laughing, enjoying the scenery. A gentle wind ruffled the water and provided updrafts for the crows and eagle we saw. 

This morning, from my bedroom window, I watched skein after skein of geese or ducks streaming eastwards from the Sooke Hills. They were a long distance away, dark lines and shapes stretching against the pale sky. It was magical.

Times like these, observing and being in nature, provide relaxation and respite, and a lovely change of pace from the week. And so begins another week, the last in October. Whether you have snow or sun or rain or wind, I wish you the enjoyment of the beauty of this season. 

A Weekend in October

 

There's a sense of quiet that comes in autumn as the earth settles into slumber. Colorless skies and a bit of rain today contributed to the quiet feeling to relax me. After the busy days and weeks of the school start in September, things have settled into a rhythm. I am more than halfway through the 10 weeks of full time teaching and am pleasantly surprised at how I'm doing. Workdays are busy, but on weekends I make an effort to disengage from thinking about classes and students, and focus on rest and preparation. 

Do find that you think about food a lot? I do. I enjoy preparing meals and planning, but sometimes it seems that food is on my mind more than it needs to be. I have found that preparing a few things ahead on the weekend makes the weekdays much easier, and we eat more healthily, too. To that end, this weekend I spent a few hours in the kitchen and made two trays of Roasted Enchilada Sauce with more of our garden tomatoes, Granola with Almonds and Honey, Butternut Squash Curry, a double batch of meatballs, and a Greek Style Roasted Mushrooms. You can click on the links to the recipes. 

These are not complete meals, but they give me a head start on dinner time. I like to make enough for Tim to take to work the next day for lunch. I usually take soup or a salad. I used to plan meals more deliberately, but now I just keep a general idea in my head.

On Saturday afternoon I went shopping for a bit. I've been looking for a pair of waterproof boots that are a bit stylish to wear for walking. This was my third expedition and I'm pleased that I found a pair of Rockport boots that fit the bill. Once home, I made a cup of tea and settled in for some reading - a book I found in the thrift store - "The Evening Chorus" by Helen Humphreys - dealing with the grief of war (WWII) played against the natural world. A quiet read for a quiet day.

This afternoon Tim and I went to Butchart Gardens and wandered around the gardens. It's beautiful throughout the year and now coloured leaves dot the green background. 

The dahlias are still amazing in a variety of colours and shapes. 

We ended our walk with a cup of hot chocolate (and a muffin for Tim), sitting outside in the cool afternoon air. Home again, filled with contentment and the anticipation of an evening of reading or watching a bit of television. And so ends another weekend in October.