My favorite books of 2009

There is a gentle snow again this morning and it is cold in the Midwest and getting colder.  I'm not complaining as I actually love the cold weather months.  I may have been raised by a Southern mother but my inner thermostat is all Northern.

Somewhere in the vicinity of early March I am quite ready for warmth and color to return to my world. Until then, the season for being quiet and making soup and bread and reading is to be embraced.  I'm pretty certain these feelings came about in the near decade we lived in Western Michigan, where one learns to find that which is good about all the cold and snow.  :)

Thus, the stack of books to be read is often much higher than reasonable at this time of year.  Much like my husband's tray at a cafeteria as a young man... our eyes are often bigger than the literary tummy can digest.  We will make every attempt, of course to read them all, even if it involves a little skimming here and there of certain volumes.

This year I didn't write down all the books I read.  It is one of those habits that went by the wayside but I plan to begin all over again tomorrow as I prepare a page in my scrapbook journal.  So, this list of favorites is "off the top of my head" and I may later think of a book I liked just as much.

Most of these books I first borrowed from the library when they were first published or they came to my attention.  A few were later purchased for myself or Stephanie with Amazon credit.  Like rich cream, these rose to the top of all the titles read this past year.

Favorite Novel
If the sign of a great work of fiction is how often we think of the people in the book through the year, then my favorite novel read has to be The Gursney Literary and Potato Peel Society.  I've never seen another title make its' way as quickly through blogland with word of mouth recommendations like this one.

Set in postwar England (WWII), it is charming and funny as well as giving us a little peek into the challenges many had to endure during and after the war.  It is not only my favorite from this past year, it is easily one of my all time favorite novels.

Favorite Nonfiction
I'd heard a lot about Jane Brocket's The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home.  It is one of those books whose Amazon page shows comments of both absolute love and hate.  I have a feeling what you think of the book has a lot to do with expectations.  If you expect a lot of recipes and "how to" instruction.... this is not the book for you.  If you are not at all domestic, it is definitely not your "cup of tea".  :)

I brought it home from the library one afternoon and snuggled up with it for days, reading off and on as time permitted.  The combination of pictures and prose provided a sense that this woman understands my feelings about the home and family.  That is what makes it a favorite... that sense of chatting with someone over tea while sharing ideas about books and old movies and cooking and decorating and bringing a little magic (Narnia magic) to our lives.

I ended up purchasing this book when I accumulated enough Amazon credit and it sits on the shelf among  favorite books that I take off the shelf and lose myself in when a mental vacation is required.

Cookbooks
I love cookbooks, I read them as some people read novels.  Having said that... I gave away scads of them the past few years and they must be fabulous to purchase these days.  There was one I bought with Amazon credit and kept for myself and two I gave to my daughter as I knew Elisabeth would enjoy them, too.

I purchased Georgia Cooking in an Oklahoma Kitchen by Trisha Yearwood after bringing it home twice from the library to peruse.  When one now has a limited (considering how many we used to own) amount of cookbooks, it has to be very good to later purchase and have a place of honor in the kitchen.

Trisha's book has great recipes that are mostly very easy (just a few special occasion recipes which take longer to prepare).  Because they are recipes she grew up with as well as a few favorites of her husband, they are tried and true.  Everything I've made from it has turned out well. I love the way her mother and sister are a part of this book, too.

Two books I purchased as gifts for "my girls" are The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen: Live Well, Laugh Often, Cook Much and The River Cottage Family Cookbook.  The former being a delight to the eyes as well as providing great recipes and craft ideas and the latter one of the best cookbooks I've ever read for families who enjoy cooking together (with farm fresh and healthy foods).  At the time I ordered the River Cottage book, there were plenty of inexpensive copies available!  It is also available now in paperback.

Kid's Books
I had the serendipitous timing of receiving Jack Hannah's book Jungle Jack's Wackiest, Wildest, and Weirdest Animals in the World to review when the family was visiting from New England.  Sometimes an adult can love a book but kids... not so much.  I knew this one was a winner when we all liked it, the little guy even enjoyed the pictures.  It also contains a DVD with bloopers from both his recent shows and his earliest days on TV.  It is a sturdy picture book but has plenty of information about each animal for older kids and adults.

Homeschooling Mom Books
Karen Andreola's books are all among my favorites and highly recommended for families using the Charlotte Mason style of homeschooling.  So, I was quite happy to find she had written a sequel to her first novel.  Titled Lessons at Blackberry Inn: Adventures with the Gentle Art of Learning, it continues the fictional account of a family (I believe set in the 1940s or thereabout) homeschooling their children using the CM style of education. Both of her novels are enjoyable for ladies of all ages.  They remind me a lot of a Grace Livingston Hill book.

As I said, I know I'll think of more favorites as time progresses but these are what I thought of first.  I know there had to have been a brand new "Christian" book among them but nothing came to my mind immediately.  I have tended to reread my favorite authors a lot this past year.

This is the first book post I have written since adding the Blogger-Amazon link option.  So far it seems to have worked fairly well. The Recommendations list will be available next week... God willing and the creek don't rise... and the desktop computer stay out of the shop.  Which is where it ended up the same time I had planned to type out the Recommendations list a few weeks ago.

Over the river and through the woods...

The roads were finally clear enough by this afternoon that I didn't mind getting out and about.  The next time the meteorologist says we're having an inch or so of snow, I will be skeptical.  Which, come to think of it, is in a couple of days.  If one doesn't care about slipping and sliding on the roads... the snow is lovely.

Yes... the barn in the header belongs to my neighbor.  There was only a couple inches of snow on the ground when I walked out to the county road and took this picture but it was enough to show off that red barn.  A fresh coat of red was painted on it this past year and it really stands out in winter now.  I have always loved red barns and consider it a blessing to view it each day.

Speaking of the color red, there is a family of cardinals living in the large bush directly in my line of sight through the kitchen window.  They have been there every winter and are breathtakingly beautiful in the snow.  I want to get a picture of them but they are shy... and fast!

If you happen to peruse the list of books I am reading (located on the sidebar), you will know that I have overdone it a bit.  I have never wanted to speed read as I enjoy the process of reading.  I have, however, wished I could open a book and absorb the words.  Especially when I have a stack of reading material waiting on the coffeetable.

However, first there are household duties which must be accomplished and not the least of these is the "packing of Christmas", which has gone no further than Christmas oriented objects being placed on every bit of flat surface the dining room table allows.  This year I must wait until my husband can pull the Rubbermaid containers off the shelf as they are behind Christopher's punching bag (don't ask) which weighs at least one ton.

So I find myself in limbo between that which I want to do and that which must be done... all because of a punching bag in my garage.  Mothers of sons will understand, I am certain.

Digging out

Hello, my friends.  We are digging out of an unexpected amount of snow here at the edge of the forest.  What was suppose to be a "light" 1" to 1 1/2 " of snow was obviously going to become much more as it continued falling... and falling... and still more snow.  The surrounding scenery looked like a fairy land.

I used my "down time" this past weekend to change the side bar on the blog a bit, move the Christmas music back to the bottom of the Play List, and try out a few different "looks".  One may have become quite confused but thankfully I found a background I loved.  It will be good for the remainder of the winter.

We got out briefly on Saturday morning, arriving home just as the snow was beginning to fall.  It was nice to be all warm and cozy inside the house.  Christopher enjoyed having a few days off of work and even better... no homework!  He ended up with three "A's" and one "B+" this semester.  All those hours of studying paid off.

I was happy I was able to cook favorite comfort foods, even if it meant doing lots and lots of dishes.  Holidays are about the only time I really miss having a dishwasher.  Otherwise, I don't mind standing at the sink and looking outside while washing dishes in the hot sudsy waters.  I have hand cream next to the sink and use it a lot these days.  :)

This Christmas was made even more enjoyable by the unexpected gifts from friends and family.  We were so blessed.  This was a wonderful Christmas at the end of a challenging year.

I enjoyed reading Sally Clarkson's latest post today.  It was with great joy when I read my first book by Clay and Sally (and many by Sally through the years).  I have such a fond memory of an afternoon at the city park when Christopher was a hyperactive little guy (late 1990's) having fun on the playground equipment as I listened to a tape by Sally on my Walkman (high tech at that time) to keep my sanity.  I felt that spark of what Lewis calls "reading to know we are not alone"... there was a family out there a lot like us... with similar interests and challenges.

It was nice enough to develop an online friendship with Sally but how wonderful it was to meet the family in person this past autumn and find them just as easy to talk to as I would imagine.  I thought of all the books I enjoyed as I read Sally's post about family life this morning.  Good stuff!  You can find it... here.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

There is a gentle snowfall outside reflecting the quiet of the forest... only broken by the rare car or pickup truck driving on the narrow county road. The silence reflects my need for pondering and reflection after the glitz and glitter of Christmas.

The season of Advent (for me) is all about anticipation.  This year it actually began with the rustic colors of autumn offering breath taking beauty... through Thanksgiving and birthdays... into the time of Advent... and Christmas Day... all bringing sensory overload (even if in a good way).

We come to the week between Christmas and New Years Day.  Most of my life I've considered this week as separate from any other week of the calendar... the in-between days when most of our normal schedule is set aside as we are tucked between two significant holidays.

It is not uncommon for me during these days to ponder what has been left on the highways and byways of my life this past year.  Both that which didn't matter and those parts of my life that circumstances left of no further importance and those  parts of my life which were of significant importance but I let slide off my daily routine as a result of laziness or lethargy... or most often choosing the urgent while letting the "good" die a slow death in the midst of busy-ness.

Just as His mercies are new every morning, He gives us a fresh calendar every year to revisit our internal "due north" and put our lives back on track for the purpose for which He created us.  This is symbolized externally as we hang up a new calendar, take pen to paper in a journal with clean and unwritten pages, and ponder where we have been and where we are going.

While the Bible tells us are are "fearfully and wonderfully made", our Creator also understand we are "formed of dust"... in other words, the spirit is willing but the flesh is often weak.  Sigh...

So, being a pondering type person... this "in-between" week is perfect for thinking back on this past year and placing back in my daily basket those items in which the flesh won the struggle between the important and wanting to do things my way.  Also, those parts of my life which were lost to the urgent and need to be picked up, dusted off and shined, and placed back in the basket.  The spiritual version of pushing that "reset" button.

I will also pray and ponder the coming year and that which must be new to the basket.  Perhaps a needed skill to be learned, books to read, habit to form, or finally saying "yes" to something in my life He has been wanting in which I have only given a "maybe" in the past.

I love this in-between week.  I will do my best (as daily "gotta do's allow) to become quiet and ponder and pray and plan and read and write and just... think.  Knowing full well that all desires and plans will be set at His feet in prayer to bless what He wants me to accomplish and receive wisdom for the "setting aside" of the good for the best.  Wisdom often provided one moment and one day at a time throughout the next year.

Christmas dinner

I hope you had a great Christmas.  Ours was very quiet but enjoyable.  Both the guys enjoyed sleeping in yesterday morning but I was out of bed very early to catch a showing of The Joy of Music's Christmas program... lovely!

We started the week with pretty snow but that changed to sleet and heavy rain and now back to snow.  At least we didn't get the blizzard everyone just to our west had to survive.

 

I usually use our wedding china for Christmas but this year I brought out the girlie girlie Royal Albert china. I haven't had occasion to use it lately.  I love this china, one of the best Goodwill purchases I ever found.  About four years ago, I purchased the entire service for eight people (including serving pieces) for a little over $60.00.

Oh... the dessert in the china bowl is Eagle Brand's creamy cheese pie.  I hadn't made it for so long that Christopher didn't remember having it for Christmas Eve.  I used to make it all the time but especially for our annual Christmas Eve hor'dourves dinner.

The sidebar on the blog may look different.  I changed a few things around just to make it look "cleaner" but everything is there.  The music widget and the "Deepening the Pantry" links are all further down than before.

Added Note:  The cherry cheesecake pie recipe has been added to my recipe blog... here.

Merry Christmas!

 

 May your Christmas be warm and cozy...

The real gift of Christmas...

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.


So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.

While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,
       "Glory to God in the highest,
      and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."
When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."

So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.

Luke 2:1-20

Picture: The Sledding Party by Robert Duncan; allposters.com

More Christmas ponderings

I don't know what is different about this year but I'll be sorry to see the Season go.  I haven't felt this way in years.  I suppose it is because I've been enjoying such a quiet Christmas and my soul is full of beautiful things... books, music, decorations, pondering... that which leaves a richness behind and does not take away.

Circumstances (as you are well aware if you have been reading long) are more difficult this year than in the past.  Helping to organize the garage was my gift to my husband, the party was our present to our son, and I have an I.O.U. out to the New England Contingent.  We're still awaiting a promised annual financial gift from an elderly aunt which will be used to purchase the grandchildren a few gifts.

But it has still been a good Christmas season.  Expectations were replaced with a thankful heart for anything and everything, perhaps that is why it has been full.

Now... to answer a few questions from this past week's posts...

Lallee left a comment that what I thought were red and white dish cloths (in the bowl) were actually pot holders!  They're still going to be annual Christmas decorations.  :)

No, I didn't make the pot holders that are hanging, all three are vintage and aren't they cute?  I had purchased one at an antique mall long ago and a friend of mine gave me two others from her collection.

That adorable shortbread mold was purchased (brand new) at Goodwill  this past year.  I recently saw the exact same mold in the King Arthur flour catalog for around $36.00. 

This is my easy "go to" recipe for peppermint bark.  Just melt one package of white chocolate (I used the CandiQuick white dipping chocolate), pour onto wax paper, sprinkle crushed candy canes over all of it immediately, and press into the chocolate.

When hardened (I put it in the frig to hurry the process) just break into smaller pieces. 

By the way, I recently posted a new (to me) recipe for quick pumpkin muffins on my recipe blog.  I couldn't believe how good they were and all they call for is a package of yellow cake mix, pumpkin, and spices.  Although my sister and I both agreed they would be even better with chopped pecans!

Two lovely blog posts

I adore all things English... authors, tea time, TV comedies, their delicious mysteries, music, C. S. Lewis and J. R. Tolkien, Pooh... just to name a few.

So, I share with you two of my favorite writers about all things English.

Lanier has a recent post written from a journal entry a few years ago.  However, instead of sending you to that particular post... I send you over to read all her latest writings.  One of the nicest part of this past year is having Lanier's writings to read again... here.

I'm a little closer to this next blogger.  My daughter, Stephanie, writes more about their "second honeymoon" trip to England this past summer... here.

Picture:  Swiped  borrowed from Stephanie's blog.

Yawning but content

I'm not certain why I was up at 4:30 this morning.  Christopher had a group of friends over for a Christmas party starting early evening yesterday and ending (he told me on the way to work) at 3:30 this morning.  Perhaps it was the quiet that caused me to awaken.  I went to sleep to the sounds of laughter in the living room as a game was being heartily and hilariously enjoyed.

Being unusually awake for so little sleep, I went about putting the house back in order.  They had done a good job of clean up (there had to have been some girls straightening the place) but there was the usual after party clean up and rinsing of dishes to finish.

Refreshments were simple but I enjoyed getting out a few serving pieces.  Not the girlie girlie stuff I'd have if the ladies were coming over but nice enough to make it festive.  Just a few of the items...

Today I'm enjoying how nice the house looks.  I must have people over more often.  :)

There is a lovely snow on the ground right now.  Lovely to look at but terribly icy to drive on this morning.  I normally enjoy the drive through the section of country roads surrounded by forest but this morning it was pure ice.  Sigh... the part of winter I don't care for.  Otherwise, the surroundings are beautiful.

Yawn... I think a nap is in order... or at least some sofa time reading with a hot cup of tea beside me.

Sunday Afternoon Tea

Every Christmas since 1977, I have pondered Mary during the season of Advent. That year was my first Christmas holding a newborn child by the light of the Christmas tree. I could not help but think of the Story in Luke with a new light... just recently knowing that feeling of being heavy with child and then holding new life.

What was it like... what things did Mary ponder in her heart? I've heard it said that Mary... and only Mary... would never doubt the virgin birth. She knew because she was there. Even Joseph had doubts at first. Did she live in the shadow of whispers all her life, that gossip which is prevalent in small towns and villages?

I have often wondered what it was about Mary that in all the hundreds upon hundreds of years and thousands upon thousands of young women throughout Time... she was chosen. She would guide and instruct and love the God-boy, along with Joseph. He would train in the practical and Scriptures... she would love as only a mother can He who is Love.

Was he like other little boys? Did she hold him close after scraping his knees and clap when he memorized Scripture? Was she amazed as he grew in stature and in wisdom? Did she ever become perplexed by the knowledge her boy was the Son of God? I cannot imagine...

I know Jesus loves the whole wide world but there has to be a special place in His heart for His Mother... even Presbyterians must understand that... and Baptists. I know my relationship with my boy and my brothers affection for our mother. Moms and their boys... whether completely mortal or partly God... boys hold a special place in their heart for their Mom.

We, who are on the other side of the Reformation, lose much by not honoring the Mother of Christ, at least as one would show respect to any person of great character and influence.  What was it like for her at His birth... at His crucifixion? 

I heard a radio host say something profound about the baby Jesus this week.  He was talking about the line in Mark Lowry's beautiful song, Mary Did You Know?  In it, the question is asked... "Mary, did you know... when you kissed your little baby, you kissed the face of God".  She kissed the face... when in all human history before that day in Bethlehem... man could not look into the face of God and live.

I worship Jesus... I am in awe of the teenage virgin mother and her brave husband... willing to become the epicenter of the greatest moment on earth... when the Word was made flesh.

A few more Christmas decorations

Thank you for all your kind comments about Victoria.  Yes, she has all three of us wrapped around her little paws.  I'd like to think Sasha and Storm sent her to us since she was rescued and then that didn't work out until she came to this home... no chapter or verse on that one but it sounds good.

Especially with the way she was exactly the kind of cat I wanted... definitely a God Thing.  :)

With the last week until Christmas upon us (can you believe it?), I thought I'd share a few more decorations.  I know I said I didn't do as much decorating as usual but the significant words there are... as usual.

The sewing table (first picture) usually isn't that cluttered but I kept adding Christmas things I loved.  I'm sure my husband rolls his eyes whenever he looks at it.

After I took this closeup, I realized three of the items in the picture were gifts.  My long-time blog friend Lallee sent the two red and white (candy cane) dish cloths and the cute stocking.  I can assure you, those dish cloths will stay with Christmas decorations and never see the inside of the sink.  Lallee has an Etsy store where she sells really cute stuff, too.  Her blog was one of my original links and can be found... here.  Her kitties sent Victoria a present.  :)

The bowl was a gift from a blog reader (who has become a special friend) this past year.  She knew I had a little bowl with the same pattern that was my mother-in-law's and surprised me by sending me this larger bowl.  I use it for all kinds of things and now it is holding Christmas "stuff".

The crocheted heart was made for me by an "in person" friend about ten years ago.  She lives in a warmer climate now but we like her, anyway.

I know these are ridiculously simple but I wanted to show some very inexpensive Christmasy decorations.  The red hots in the recycled jelly jar were purchased on clearance after Valentine's Day.  The larger candy canes in the vintage reproduction jar were purchased last Christmas (they last indefinitely) on clearance. I found those tiny candy canes in the jelly jar at Target .

While I don't want a creche with a blond Jesus (the one I display), I do love this one (also sent to me by a blog friend last year).  This is really tiny and so cute.  I like the idea of having a creche in the house that kids can touch and even play with.  When Christopher was younger, we had a wooden set that was boy proof.  :)

Here are some of my "soft" snowmen that I display every year on shelves in my family room.  I started collecting snowmen about eighteen years ago, can you tell?  Almost all of them were purchased at after Christmas clearance sales, garage sales, or they were gifts from family and friends who see snowmen and think of me (same with tea things).  :)

A funny story about these snowmen... Christopher has been coming home very late so he hadn't noticed I'd put some of my snowmen-snowlady collection out one day.  Well, he woke up in the middle of the night with the light of a full moon shining directly on those snow creatures as if they were all staring at him.  He talked about how creepy they were for at least a week. I think it gave him a snowman phobia.

This is a little hard to see without enlarging but I all I did here was add a folk art "tree" in front of the brass lamp.  I like it so much on that table, it may stay out all year.  I have a number of Christmas items I keep out as they are not obviously Christmas but fit in well with my decorations.  Especially those that are primitive country or folk art-ish.

All pictures may be enlarged by clicking on them.

The many faces of Victoria

No one in this household can stay 

cranky for long now that Victoria has come to live with us...

Let's see.... what is going on with the family?

Strength has been returning to my body since the antibiotics have worked their magic.  I do believe the nurses at the clinic think I am quite strange because I didn't know I had a raging infection but I felt only more fatigue than I live with it daily.  It is a good thing my doctor insists on quarterly tests!  Sigh... I miss all those years I only had to see a doctor for a yearly checkup. 

Yesterday I caught up laundry.  No one really completely finishes laundry as it is ongoing and the clothes hamper was half full again that evening.  But the guys have all their clothes washed, folded, hung, and put away... except those on the floor of Christopher's room but we won't go there.  :)

To save on gas, hubby and Christopher drove into campus together so I had extra time this morning to get some chores accomplished.  I cleaned and organized a section of the garage, giving myself a promise of crackers and cheese and pepperoni for lunch if I work until 11:00.  I actually did this as a Christmas present to my husband.  The cluttered garage has been bothering him for awhile now.

Today is his last full day of working the "end of the semester" week at the bookstore.  We really appreciate the opportunity for that week's paycheck.  I had to go into the bookstore a couple of times this past week when I picked him up.  It was so nice getting hugs from my bookstore daughters and my other seasonal co-workers telling me they wish I was well enough to work... good people!

Christopher has been studying every chance he could during finals.  Today is the last in-class final and he has one more to take online by Saturday evening.  He works full time all weekend so I have a feeling he will be on campus tonight to take the online test early.

At the rate this semester went, the next three and a half years will fly by (just as they did during Stephanie's college years).  I have mixed emotions about that.  His desire is to do graduate work at M.I.T. or immediately go to work for NASA or a high tech company.   His passion is to work in artificial intelligence and to follow that dream would mean moving away (he'll be the kind of scientist the Terminator in the movies are out to kill... which makes him feel creepy when he watches them).  :)

We certainly want him to go where God leads.  In the meantime, he is still an undergrad and we will enjoy these years.  Just as we miss Stephanie very much but we know she and her family are where they belong.  We do enjoy our times together but we are thankful for technology that makes it possible to stay in touch easily.

No change with my brother-in-law.  He is breathing on his own but we know he cannot last much longer.

Just a little update on the things going on around here.  Now I get to eat lunch!

Reflections of an early morning

It was the sound of little feet which startled me awake this morning. Not the pitter patter of small children, not Victoria's paws on the wooden floor... but the itty bitty paws of a field mouse in between the walls of our bedroom. I have chills just thinking about it now. I woke my husband and asked if he heard that? He just muttered something about "such things are to be expected when you live in the country" and went back to sleep.

While the clock showed an hour before the alarm would ring, the continuing evidence of a critter in the room took away all need for sleep. I turned the light on as I grabbed the flannel housecoat and a pair of warm socks. Under normal circumstances I would leave the lights off to be polite to he who has no problem sleeping with creatures of field and forest in the house... but this time I wanted to make certain no unwanted visitor had made its' way further into the room.

Victoria met me with a surprised meow and followed me to the dining area where I plugged the tree into the socket... in the dark... which took a little guess work. Making my way to the kitchen, I turned on the coffee pot and went over to talk to the lump under the covers on the family room sofa... suggesting he move into his room if he wanted to sleep another hour.

At first he looked at me as if wondering where he was and who is this person disturbing his sleep. (He arrived home early this morning after studying for finals and collapsed on the sofa... which is his normal habit when he also needs to be awakened early... but not this early.)

I ended up being thankful (kinda') to the little creature who had caused me to awake so early in the morning. The only lights in the house were those of the Christmas tree and the floor lamp bringing light to read over my right shoulder. I finished the last two or three chapters of What the Land Already Knows and felt a kinship to the author as she described life in the country during Advent. She would recognize the sound of itty bitty paws...

Her words brought peace and joy to my heart, reminding me much of my favorite poet-farmer's wife-blogger, Ann. Once again, I thank my Creator for the gift of words and for fellow sojourners with poet's hearts... and skills.

I found myself staring at the lights of the tree, their reflections on cranberry red bulbs and hurricane glass and silver teapots... thinking and pondering as the first light of a new morning could be caught through the lace curtains... a forest of stark tree trunks and branches silhouetted against the sunrise.

Beauty... the human soul needs beauty to live as much as the body requires oxygen. There are seasons of life when beauty surrounds us as if we live in Eden and the world is a blooming garden of wonders.

However, in the winter seasons of our lives... we must at times look for Beauty for that is where we find His voice speaking... gifts from friends who were thinking of us... the early morning lights of the tree... the muted sunrise of another day... warm country houses... soft and lovely kitties... elegant and whimsical Christmas decorations... and yes, sons who arrive safely home in the middle of a winter's night and fall asleep on sofas. :)

Life is good.

Picture: one of the Ducks Unlimited posters; allposters.com

Ponderings after hours in the intensive care waiting room...

I was driving toward campus yesterday with the radio tuned in to the Moody Channel. My ears perked up a bit when I heard the man being interviewed talk about one of my most life affecting books called Margin by Richard Swenson. This was in the light of the rush and business of the Holiday season.

Margin is one of those books my thoughts keep going back to when life starts to squeeze me with too much to do in too little time (sounds like most people's December) and with limited resources. I am reminded of the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day when I worked outside the home, had numerous church and school commitments, still wanted to make gifts by hand, and would have enjoyed some kind of Advent study if I had an extra five minutes.

Life was... complicated... good... but busy. Sometimes we just have too many options in our life! At one time, it wasn't that I couldn't say no during the Holidays... the challenge was in so many facets of my life demanding time and "no" was not always an option. So... my beloved Christmas season would fly by with me looking in the rear view mirror wondering what happened.

This year has been quite different as various circumstances add up to... quiet. It's not all that bad to have a quiet Christmas. As I mentioned already, I have watched favorite Christmas movies and read books and listened to music and enjoyed the Christmas decorations (missing those I did not put out this year but not enough to take down boxes and put them away). :)

This morning I spent a couple hours with my sister in the intensive care waiting room. Other families came and went... all of them in a place they rather would not be at Christmas. A young Mennonite mother held the cutest baby while telling Bonnie that her mother was being moved out of the ICU unit. Her mother is dying of cancer and they know this will be their last Christmas with her. Their hope is she becomes well enough to return home for Christmas.

Another family was discussing their loved one's brain injury. Bonnie told me of another woman who had been with her since Friday but whose husband had just died the night before. There had been families of accident victims waiting to hear if their loved ones would make it or not.

I thought how different their lives were from the general population. Crisis causes life to come to a screeching halt. What was urgent before their loved one's illness or accident is now not so important. Holding on to what matters... they become focused to that one thing... life.

It was good to enter that world, even if but a couple of hours. It made financial and health concerns minimal in my own life. Hope abounds here where the forest meets the corn fields. Whether a quiet Christmas like I am having or the busy days of past seasons... there are and were options.

The family members and friends present in that room this morning would tell us to embrace each day of normal life and enjoy the season. I left when two of my nieces arrived bringing their mother food, Christmas cookies, and a change of clothes. It was good to return home to my quiet Christmas after being reminded of those experiencing sorrow and crisis... quiet can be good.

Pantry Talk: The winter pantry

When I ponder what should be in my pantry, I like to think back on what families considered important before they had electricity and refrigeration. Of course, this requires cooking within the season for the most part (frozen fruits and veggies being the exception in today's pantry). But God, in His wisdom, provided perfectly for each season of the year.

As soon as the temperatures remain cool, I stock root veggies... especially potatoes, onions, and carrots (the latter in the frig). Not only are they incredibly cheap, they form the basis of my cold weather cooking on a very low food budget. I follow my mother's lead with fried potatoes and onions a few times a week (with parboiled potatoes in the frig).

That is the only difference in the way we cooked the potatoes. I parboil the potatoes until "just tender" first and leaving their skin on (improves fiber as well as nutritional benefits) as they are sliced and sauteed with onions until the potatoes are golden brown. Believe me, these are not considered poor people food in our house.... or, should I say, financially challenged? :)

The colder weather draws one into the kitchen and the warmth of the oven. There is perhaps no better way to save money than baking at home. The Holiday season is the best time to stock up on many of these items. I don't bake nearly as much as I once did but I still enjoy making something special for the guys once in awhile... and we give baked goods for gifts.

My winter pantry includes being prepared for bad weather. I remember running out of eggs when we lived "in town" and only blocks away from grocery stores... all because the trucks could not get in and out due to heavy snow... for a week! I now like to always have a few dozen eggs in the frig at all times and they last far beyond their expiration date when kept in their original cartons.

If my freezer is properly stocked (when funds permit), I like to have enough basic meat supplies to cover many of our usual cold weather recipes. You will also find extra loaves of sliced sandwich bread, frozen fruit, and frozen veggies. My freezer may also contain an extra turkey or two as well as a ham... all purchased at great sale prices during the Holidays when possible.

My winter pantry is stocked with canned tomatoes, good quality broth or stock, canned and dry beans, and other items used in the making of soup. You will also find stocked a few "cream of" soups as well as pasta to form the foundation of a throw together casserole. I still have a large container of oats my friend purchased for me from her co-op, before moving to Europe.

A couple months ago I found Progresso's traditional chicken noodle soup for a dollar a can and stocked up at that time. It has been so useful to have the canned soup on hand to open and heat while I have been sick. I almost always keep Campbell's chicken noodle and tomato soups on hand during cold and flu season. Yes, I prefer making my own chicken soup from scratch but not when I'm the one who is sick.

I've found it to be very important to stock the cold and flu pantry this time of year. I haven't been able to do that recently and found myself getting in the car around Midnight to buy Ginger Ale at the gas station where the county road meets the highway ($2.00!) when one of the guys was sick.

I normally stock ginger ale, diet Sierra Mist (for me), chicken broth and/or soup, oyster crackers (great for nausea), peppermint tea, our usual cold and flu medicines, tissues, etc. When I had very young children in the house, I also made certain to have Pedialyte. I'm not sure what doctor's recommend these days. :)

My winter pantry is almost always stocked with good tea and sugar free hot chocolate. I used to always have plenty of coffee stocked but the price of coffee has gone up so much (again) that I tend to only have one container going at a time.

Which reminds me... winter is a great time to have stocked the hospitality section of your pantry. With so many items being sold at Christmas which can be stored for entertaining, it is easy to put back items for unexpected company. How wonderful to be able to offer a treat along with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate when a friend drops by (or a planned get-together).

Cold weather is also the time I love taking favorite cookbooks off the shelf and choosing a few recipes to try... whether old favorites or new attempts... somehow one can just taste the outcome by reading them. The winter kitchen is a wonderful place to spend time.

There was a comment recently, asking if I can still stock the pantry as I write about. No. Not at all. But I did for years and years and years so I know how beneficial it is to have a deep pantry. I use items from the food pantry now and very nice friends of ours gave us canned goods for Thanksgiving and Christmas (nothing says Merry Christmas like canned goods).

We used to take the money I made by working the beginning and end of semesters at the bookstore to stock the pantry but I've been unable to work for awhile now. I wrote a series of pantry posts earlier this year about how I stocked the pantry. They can be found... here.

My wish for you this Season is to enjoy the wonders of Christmastime in the kitchen. This is the stuff memories are made of and these are the good old days our next generation will remember. :)

Picture: Christmas Glow; allposters.com

Monday noonish

Thanks to a blog friend who e-mailed me, I found out one of the comments I put through actually led to a foreign p*rn site. There was nothing unusual about it from my side. My apologies for anyone who clicked on it (it has met its' Trash demise).

I wasn't able to go to the hospital over the weekend but I did talk to my niece. The tests I had done at the doctor's office Friday morning showed I had a very severe infection. The nurse found it hard to believe I didn't know about it but as I told her... the symptoms were not unlike the flu that has been going around.

They called in a prescription for antibiotics and had me start them immediately. I have found in the past that antibiotics and I do not agree with each other, especially the first few days. Hopefully, getting rid of this infection will help me feel better for the first time since about September. (Infections are the bain of a diabetics existence...)

This has been a very quiet Christmas... not a bad thing this year. I'm not even doing much baking. However, the Season has been good with reading, listening to music, enjoying the decorations, and catching some very good movies on TV and DVDs. At one time I would have considered such a Season quite boring. :)

This year I need to concentrate on the spiritual side of Christmas. I feel particularly vulnerable spiritually right now... as if I'm going through a season when the proverbial deer is panting for the water... a dry sponge soaking in the Holy. What better time than Advent to do so.

I'm hoping to have a pantry post up within the next couple of days and (finally) the Recommendations List. I gave up on it when our Internet was not working correctly for nearly two months (when I was losing half of what I wrote as it did not save) and we were on the phone to Mumbai a couple times a week. Now that the new router is here, I am no longer losing the Internet ten or fifteen times a day.

Thank you for all who ordered Amazon products through the widget. I already have enough credit available in late January to order Elizabeth's birthday present. That is a very good thing... :)

More Christmas at my house

I love Christmas trees. While I prefer the real tree with the pine scent, I went to artificial trees long ago to save money. My only decorating expense this year was the cost of two oranges. :)

I have always enjoyed having different kinds of ornaments and I've collected them since I was a bride. The stained glass ornament with the three wise men was a gift from my mother one of the first Christmases after I married. The needlepoint ornament is special because I made it while expecting Stephanie.

As for that chicken ornament... I think I took more mocking from the family for that one than any other. It is what remains from what they call "Mom's poultry fetish" years.

The sweet snow lady with the glitter all over her was a gift from Stephanie one Christmas. Her equally glittered husband is elsewhere on the tree. I hate to have them parted during the Holidays but I have this thing with symmetry.

My tree is quite the combination of country and glitz (Stephanie's tree is always much more elegant). I have paper ornaments and thrift store vintage ornaments (as well as vintage reproductions) and a few very expensive ornaments I purchased on after-Christmas sales long ago for a small amount. They all work together...

As I mentioned before, one Christmas season I was watching a decorating show when the Interior Designer suggested placing bulbs of all one color near the inside of the tree and the individual ornaments on the outside branches. It gives the eye something to "land on" and makes the tree appear even more beautiful. Yes, it does! Although this year I forgot to put the colored bulbs on first so I had to place them on the outside. I got carried away with precious memories.

Most of my ornaments are carefully stored in a Rubbermaid container especially made for them. I don't use all of them each Christmas since the tree is rather small. Each year as I play Christmas music in the background, I carefully place each ornament on the tree and remember where we lived and what we were doing the Christmas each was purchased.

Then I spend the season of Advent plugging in the tree first thing each morning and as soon as the sun sets each evening...

By the way, thank you again for the comments on how pretty our house is. It is built like many 1960s ranch style houses... 1398 sq. feet (I asked hubby last night). The dining area is simply a niche in the living room. The couple who sold us the house were exceptionally creative and talented and they spent years making the inside of this home look beautiful.

They were a very devout Catholic couple who had prayed for the right family to move in and enjoy the fruit of their works (they built a larger home after outgrowing this one with many children). They told us later they knew we were the right family when they saw our Choose Life bumper sticker on the car. :)

I knew this was the right home when... the price was lowered the day before we looked at it which made it affordable for us... all the colors were exactly the kind I loved... when we moved in, everything fit as if the furniture was made for this house. Which is especially good when your furniture is a mixture of your own purchases and those inherited from both parents.

Added Note: No change with my brother-in-law.