Love and Joy Come to You, And a Happy Christmas, Too!

Peaceful valleys, mountaintops

No dark alleys, or sudden stops

This is my prayer

This is my prayer for you

Love is calling, starry skies

Always falling, but not for lies

This is my prayer

This is my prayer for you

May all your sweet dreams go unbroken

May every wish you've ever spoken

Come true

This is my prayer

This is my prayer for you

Celebrations, true blue friends

Revelations, and a heart that mends

This is my prayer

This is my prayer for you

Arms that welcome, doors opened wide

All your loved ones, gathered by your side

This is my prayer

This is my prayer for you

May all your days be filled with laughter

May all your prayers be quickly answered

This is my prayer

This is my prayer for you

(song by Reba McEntire)

........................................................................................................................................................

Dearest readers,

Christmas is fast approaching and I wanted to make sure I popped in here to wish you all a wonderful holiday.

Thank you all so very much for your kind words, comments and emails regarding my last post. My blog is here to stay, so no need to worry about that. I have been writing online for eight years this month and I love it more now than I did when I first started. There is still so much to share and lots more to write and many more endeavours that I wish to venture into. And I look forward to continuing on in 2021!

I will be stepping away from the blog until sometime in January. My family and I are working on our final Christmas preparations and getting ready for the grand holiday this weekend. Then it will be preparing for our New Year's Eve "nibble and hang out" yearly tradition that we love dearly. 

 

I wish you all the most lovely Christmas and a very happy new year. May you enjoy this Christmas season to the fullest and spend lots of time with your dearest ones. May you delight in the cozy traditions and delights that come with this time of year. No doubt that Christmas is different for some this year, and if that's the case for you, I hope you find some beauty and magic in your days and enjoy celebrating in ways that bring you comfort. Even if it's just you, there's still reason to celebrate and feast and savour the magic of the season.

And until next year, be blessed, dear ones!

Love and joy come to you,

And a happy Christmas too!

Love and peace,

Elizabeth

P.S.- Be sure to visit my blog in January for a fun and exciting announcement that I am so delighted to share!

Settling in for a Cozy Winter at Home

Winter is nearly here...just about another ten days and the season of coziness and gathering in and of home and hearth will be upon us. Candles flicker and their soft, gentle glow fills the room. The fireplace provides warmth and coziness. Mugs of warm drinks are held in cold hands bringing warmth back to the body while the drink warms us from the inside out. Comforting soups and homemade breads are in the kitchen ready to fill hungry bellies. The home is the central place for life's happenings in wintertime. And that's just how it should be because winter is the time for home.

This year, perhaps more than other years in recent history, the home will be the spotlight for our winter season. While everyone should be seeking to stay home as much as possible except for those very necessary outings such as grocery shopping or work and those delightful trips to the park or walking trail or nearby river for an afternoon in nature, this is the time to really savour the home. As I was pondering the beginning of winter and how home should be our focus this year due to the current worldwide pandemic (but really, always), I thought it would be most suitable for us all to share some of the lovely things that can fill our days and nights at home. Please realize that I am saying these things above and beyond the daily tasks and work that need to be done...these ideas are for all that extra time that so many are not accustomed to having to spend at home.

For starters, I have compiled a HUGE list of all my favorites...books (fiction and non), TV shows and movies. These are the things that bring delight and calm to our evenings as a family and I know they can do the same for you as well. I plan on updating this list as often as I find new favorites...which I hope to be very frequently. {{smiles}} You can find the list HERE. And as always, I love hearing your favorites so please, please do share them below. I have found so many new loves thanks to your kind and wonderful recommendations.

Another recommendation I have is, if you haven't already, do check out my Cozy Series that I posted in October. There are 31 posts all centered around the topic of coziness and home and hearth and gentle living. I share many thoughts and ramblings there on topics such as comforting soup and bread recipes, gentle homemaking rhythms, practicing teatime, the art of living slowly and softly, gently tending to your home, ways to bring beauty about as the days are shorter, mindfully tending to your heart, body and soul as well as reawakening your creativity and curating a cozy wardrobe...plus LOTS more. You can find all of the posts HERE.

 

One of the best ways to spend winter evenings, in my opinion, is to set to work on some handcrafts or learn a new skill. There's just something about that chilly air that sets something afire in me to get out my knitting needles and yarn. I love making cowls and have just started making earwarmer headbands this last month. Now I am addicted! They are so fun and easy to knit and make the perfect evening project. Perhaps you'd like to make some paper stars to bring beauty to your home this winter. We have quite a number of them throughout our home and we just love it! They are so cozy and have an old-fashioned charm about them you just can't get from something storebought. I shared a video tutorial HERE. And with the current worldwide pandemic, perhaps making a few masks would come in handy. Here's my super easy tutorial for sewing masks...find it HERE.

Enjoying tons of family time is a beautiful blessing this time of year. I'm a big-time believer in families spending as much time together as possible...there's no such thing as too much togetherness! Game nights are a great way to do this. And goodness knows that there are tons of games out there for us to enjoy...board games, card games, imaginative games. Heck, even games you make up yourself! Also spending time at the dinner table after the meal is finished and just chatting. It amazes me how many families do not eat together anymore or even have daily conversations beyond "how are you" or "what's the weather like today". Honestly, I find it absurd and heartbreaking and ridiculous all at the same time. It doesn't have to be that way...make this winter the change.

The kitchen calls in a special sort of way this time of year. Whether it's baking cookies or homemade bread to go alongside your dinner or chopping and sauteing veggies for a soup or stirfry, I love spending time in the kitchen the most during this time of year. We love our old family favorites but also have way too much fun trying new recipes. Sometimes we'll do a cooking challenge and only cook out of one cookbook for an entire week. Or we might want to go vegan for a  set amount of time. Or we sometimes enjoy Friday night pizza parties while watching a favorite show. Other nights a dinner of finger foods is fun and different. We also love our Soup and Bread Sundays, which can't be beaten. Tea parties are a favorite in our home, whether it's just my mom, sister and me or if we invite a few friends over (not this year, though!). Sometimes we go all out and other times we keep it quite simple. No matter what, though, it's always heaps of fun in both the preparations and the feasting. Check out all my tea party posts and recipes HERE.

Getting fresh air is important anytime, but especially in the winter when we are spending more time inside. We love sitting around our firepit in the evenings and chatting or listening to Irish trad music. Afternoon drives through the country are another top favorite, especially if we pack snacks and drinks to enjoy along the way. We have several small parks nearby that are never too busy so we can easily walk around there and I especially love taking my camera along, too. Even just a simple ramble through our own garden is hugely beneficial for both physical, mental and emotional health. Being outdoors this time of year can be tons of fun, we just make sure to bundle up and keep warm with hats, gloves and a scarf along with a thick coat. Breathing in that crisp winter air is so invigorating and makes you feel so alive. There's nothing like it!

There are tons more ideas for ways to enjoy home this winter; these are just a few of my top favorites. As we all settle in for a cozy winter at home, may we remember the goodness of home and the haven that it is as we are choosing to center ourselves at home in order to protect ourselves, our families and others. It's just the right thing to do. And it doesn't have to be a negative or depressing thing. You have the power to make it a magical, beautiful, most wonderful time at home...the best winter ever. Just be creative, grateful and allow your imagination and childlike heart to come alive. Oh, the fun we will have!

What are your favorite things to do as you settle in for a cozy winter at home? Do share below!

Stay home and savour the goodness of your cozy haven. Stay safe and be grateful for the ability to do so in order to protect yourself and others. Wear a mask and make wise, thoughtful decisions when it comes to socializing. Most of all, keep calm and carry on. Better days are on their way if we do our part in allowing them to get here. 

Pause and breathe in that fresh, wintry air...allow it to fill your lungs. Look up at the sky and remember how big and grand and wonderful this world is.  Run your hands along the bare branches of a tree and remind yourself that everything has its season and all is made beautiful in its own perfect time. Listen to the quiet stillness that winter brings and be filled with that peace allowing it to exude through and from you. Slowly sip your hot tea or coffee and be grateful that you can be warmed from the inside out with such a delicious drink. Close your eyes and feel the magic of winter...imagine the snow fairies dancing around you and the Jack Frost waving his wand over the land to create a shimmery icy morning. It's there, friends...the magic and wonder. Don't let it get past you. Savour. Slow. Notice.

Thanksgiving Ramblings & Making Room for Christmas

Hello, friends!

How are you on this fine November day after Thanksgiving? How was your feast yesterday? 

Our day was an exceptionally lovely one...it was spent at home, as usual for us on Thanksgiving with just us four (along with our fur babies), and was a casual, relaxed, slow day. On Wednesday evening, my mom, sister and I made our two pies...pumpkin and chocolate, we prepared the stuffing and sweet potato casserole and made the dough for the rolls. Then, on Thursday afternoon, my mom cooked the turkey with a wonderfully delicious herb and apple glaze. It was divine! And then whilst it was in the oven, we prepared the rest of the sides...green beans, corn, carrots and peas, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, and gravy. We feasted by candlelight and enjoyed our meal thoroughly, as well as the laughter that came as we chatted at the table. After the dishes were washed and the leftovers were put away, we decided to head out for a little drive right around where we live to see some Christmas lights. We ended up in some new-to-us places, which is always quite funny because it always feels like we have seen every inch of our city. But it always amazes us when we come across a new area or neighborhood, and especially when we end up lost and going in circles for what seems like forever...like what happened last night. It gave us a good chuckle, though. 

Our night ended with pie...my favorite is the chocolate cream, and getting our Christmas tree from the shelf in the garage. We set it up and admired the lights but have yet to add any ornaments. I also hung a few of my paper stars with some twinkly fairy lights on the window in our living room to just barely start our Christmas decorating. We shall continue this weekend... and really, on until right before Christmas because we always find last-minute crafts or projects that we want to do and add to our decorations.

As we begin to make room and prepare for Christmas in our homes, it only seemed appropriate to make room for Christmas here on my blog. My sister and I had the best fun a few nights ago creating a little photoshoot with fairy lights and some Christmas favorites. She has a real knack for placing things in the perfect places and making it look perfect! I think the photos came out with such a cozy vibe about them and they feel so Christmasy, too. {{smiles}}

I'd love to hear about your Thanksgiving weekend and what you are doing to make room for Christmas in your home? Do share below!

Happy weekend, friends! Enjoy these last days of November!

♥

Old-Fashioned Handcrafts ♥ Making Paper Stars || A Vlog!

Hello, dear friends!

How are you on this lovely November morning? We are slowly beginning our Christmas preparations. Our autumn decorations have been taken down and placed in their boxes which will make their way to the attic this week, upon which the Christmas boxes will make their way down for the season. It's quite lovely going out and about lately because all of the local businesses and towns are already decorated with twinkly lights and Christmas trees and candy canes and snowflakes. It makes the towns sparkle with an extra special touch this time of year and surely makes everything more beautiful!

Last week, I got bit by the crafting bug and was quite busy all week with one project after another. It all started with a set of pompoms which I made for Christmastime. That inspired me to make a set for winter. Then, that led me to knit my mom a cowl in a wonderful dusty coral color. It was my first cowl of the season, but rest assured, I've got a bag full of yarn just waiting to be made into cowls. Plus, I've found another little project that I want to knit up very soon. Finally, my week ended with two nights of paper star making. I ended up making about 24 stars, so yes, our home will be full of hanging paper stars this Christmas and upcoming winter season. I, for one, couldn't be happier! I think they are the cutest things and I adore their old-fashioned charm!

On the second night of my crafting, I decided to film a tutorial. It ended up being a little longer than I originally anticipated because I wanted to show a few different patterns for cutting the stars. You can, of course, do any sort of pattern you want. These are just my favorites...so far!  

This couldn't be an easier craft, but the results are stunning, if I do say so myself. I was ecstatic with how lovely the stars turned out and I feel that they add a whimsical, magical touch to any room, especially when there are twinkly fairy lights hung as well. The supplies are so simple; they're probably already in your cupboards. I think that you'll find, as I did, that these are quite addictive to make and you just may find yourself with a house full of hanging paper stars as well...I really don't think that's a bad thing, though. {{winks}}

You can watch my new vlog HERE.

Happy crafting, friends! 

Do let me know what you're making at home this season!!!

♥

 

Stories That Build Civilization

“I read old books because I would rather learn from those who built civilization 

than from those who tore it down.”

I’ve been pondering this quote for a few weeks now; it’s always been a favorite of mine. And it’s quite convicted me! There are so many still seeking to tear down civilization and destroy what matters most...the home and traditional family. How rare it is these days to find books with life and a family centered at home without women focused on career!!! I’ve been working on a book list of stories that I want to read that very much value and cherish those things...and have decided that shall be my bookish focus for the next while. Along with a list of things to watch along the same lines. I believe it’s important to fill oneself with beauty and goodness, and to be one of those who builds up civilization, even, maybe especially, in our modern day.

So, my question to you is: what books do that for you? What books value and cherish home and traditional family and fill you with beauty and goodness? What books build up civilization?

 Do share because I’d love to add to my list!!

Simple Girl's Diary ♥ November 5, 2020

 "It was homemaking that mattered. Every home was a brick in the great wall of decent living that men erected over and over again as a bulwark against the perpetual flooding in of evil. But women made the bricks, and the durableness of each civilization depended upon their quality, and it was no good weakening oneself for the brick-making by thinking too much about the flood."

Reading "Pilgrim's Inn" by Elizabeth Goudge seems like the perfect antidote for these days in which we live. As I was reading last night, Grandmother Lucilla was sitting in her chair surrounded by her daughter and son, Margaret and Hilary, as well as her daughter-in-law, Nadine. She was quietly listening into their conversation as her mind was wandering to thoughts of a dear one who has passed on and trying to pay attention to what they were saying. But she realized that they were speaking "about the deplorable state of the world, about that terrible bomb, about famine and inflation and chaos and death and her mind shied away from their talk like a terrified horse." Instead, she sought to pray and enjoy the things that were left...things of beauty and goodness. And then she cried out that THIS is what matters and she spoke the words that I quoted above.

Truly, those words seem appropriate for these days. Days in which tension is high and chaos is rampant. And in those days, I think we need to be reminded over and over again, that THIS is what matters...home and family and love and cherishing a gentler, softer, slower way of life. That THIS within our home…quietness and peace and gathering together and feasting with those with whom we share our sacred space. That THIS beauty right smack in front of our faces...is what truly counts and matters.

Despite all the noise and chaos out there and all the anxiety and overwhelming heaviness we all feel, I think that there is still good out there and so much of it, perhaps most of it, exists in THIS, just as Grandmother Lucilla said. 

I am finding this Goudge novel (my first one!) a comfort to my weary soul and a hearty dose of beauty in these heavy days. I'd highly recommend visiting the @elizabethgoudgebookclub page on Instagram if you're over there for lots of Goudge goodness!

Wrapping Up My "Cozy" Series

Morning, friends!

October has drawn to a close for 2020...hard to believe! While in many ways this year has seemed to drag on f o r e v e r, in other ways it has flown by faster than ever. And October has certainly gone by so fast! It seems like we were just beginning this Cozy series together and now it is time to bid farewell.

I wanted to thank you all for faithfully coming by for a visit here at my Inglenook. For every comment, email, message, etc., it has all meant so much! I had such a grand time writing and putting the series together and even though the month is over and the series is complete, there is still so much Cozy talk to be had...in the future.

I hope you found encouragement, inspiration, a kindred spirit atmosphere and some beauty along the way this past month...even if just the tiniest little sliver. I hope something has brought a smile to your face and happiness to your heart and cheer to your day...even if just a small bit. If so, then I am grateful. I know that I was so uplifted as I wrote about coziness and the goodness of home and beauty of autumn. I was reminded of the blessing of slowing down and noticing and living softly and gently.

Until later, dear ones, thank you again for visiting my cozy corner...

Happy Halloween and a beautiful November to you, too!

Stay cozy,

E

♥

 

Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins

Happy Friday, friends!

Have I got a treat for you?!?!? 

 Pumpkin is obviously the star flavor in autumn. It's in everything from foods to candles to coffees and teas. One of my most favorite ways to enjoy the pumpkin flavor is in a muffin and these pumpkin spice streusel muffins didn't disappoint! I love anything with a crumbly topping, so these were a real hit in my book. My family loved them too and the spices filled the air with a heavenly scent as these muffins were baking in the oven. They pair wonderfully with spiced herbal tea and are great for breakfast or a quick afternoon pick-me-up or dessert...anyway you eat them, you'll love them.

Keep on scrolling for the recipe!

Pumpkin Spice Streusel Muffins

4 eggs

1 1/2 cup sugar

20 oz. pumpkin puree

1 cup canola oil

3 cups flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

For the Streusel topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 stick melted butter

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Then add in the pumpkin puree.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and pumpkin pie spice. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet. 

Evenly scoop the batter into muffin tins lined with paper liners. Make the streusel by combining all the ingredients and crumble about 1/2 to 1 Tbsp. of the streusel topping mixture to the top of each muffin. 

Bake in a 350*F oven for about 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool and enjoy...or enjoy slightly warm if you can't wait that long!

♥

Happy baking, friends!

May your weekend be lovely in every way imaginable!

Simply From Scratch Scrumptious Granola

Well, dear friends, we are nearing the end of October and that means that soon, this series will be coming to an end. But, before I conclude this Cozy series, I have a few more posts to share with you. Today's is a scrumptious recipe for homemade granola...

This recipe is taken from the Vermont Country Store cookbook and has been ever so slightly tweaked by me. After literally a decade of searching for a granola recipe that we love everything about, this was where we landed...a good place to land, if you ask me! {{smiles}} One thing that we love about this recipe is that you put everything into a food processor and gently grind it just until everything is chopped up nice and small. If you like big pieces of dried fruits and whole nuts in your granola, you would just skip this step, but for us, this really made the granola so much more enjoyable to eat. It also makes it 100% easier to use as an ingredient in other recipes, such as my Apple Granola Muffins, which I shared about on Monday. (see HERE)

I hope you get the chance to try this recipe...it's great on vanilla yoghurt, with fruit, in muffins, etc. 

Simply From Scratch Scrumptious Granola

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup walnuts

1 cup pecans

1 cup raw almonds

1/2 Tbsp. salt

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup olive oil

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 dried cranberries

1/2 cup shredded coconut

Combine the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans and almonds into a large bowl. In small batches, lightly pulse the mixture in a food processor, until everything becomes chopped up. You can skip this step if you prefer more chunky granola. 

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, olive oil, cinnamon and salt and stir into the dry ingredients. It will look just slightly moist. 

 

Spread the granola evenly onto a large baking sheet tray that has been greased. Bake in a 325*F oven for 45 minutes, stopping every 15 minutes and stirring the mixture to prevent burning.  

While the granola is in the oven, place the dried cranberries, dried apricots, and shredded coconut into the food processor and pulse just a few times until they become smaller. You can skip this step if you prefer larger pieces of fruit. Then, immediately stir into the warm granola and combine thoroughly.   

Let cool completely before storing in mason jars. It will keep there for up to 2 months.

Enjoy!

♥

An Autumn Teatime by Candlelight

Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree.

-Emily Bronte-

Teatimes have become beloved favorites in our home and putting together special tea parties brings us a special delight. We love choosing the perfect menu and picking out just the right foods to mark the occasion, usually a season or holiday to be celebrated. And over the weekend, my mom, sister and I were so excited to get to enjoy an autumn tea party together.

It was Sunday evening, the air was chilly and crisp and the sky was dark with night. We spent the night before preparing our desserts and making small preparations for our savouries, though we would bake them the next afternoon. On Sunday afternoon, we gathered in the kitchen to finish our meal, adding the final touches and making sure everything was just how we wanted. As evening approached and nighttime filled the sky, we lit our candles and added a few fresh pumpkins to the table for that autumnal beauty. With dimmed lights and the soft glow and gentle flicker of candlelight, we feasted and savoured the wonder of the season, the goodness of beloved company of dear ones and the scrumptious taste of the foods we had prepared.

{a glimpse at our tea party...}

Our menu included...

Sausage Bread (recipe coming soon!)

Turkey Bacon Cheddar Cups

 Chicken Ranch Pinwheels

Mini Cream Cheesecakes with Toppings

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins (recipe coming soon!)

Molasses Spice Cookies (recipe coming soon!)

Toffee Caramel Pecan Scones (recipe HERE)

{pumpkins are a must at an autumn tea party...}

As autumn rolls on and as we prepare to welcome winter once again, I have been pondering the goodness of feasting and celebrating and of home. I believe there is much to be found in those things.   Feasting is not only about filling our bellies but also about gathering together with those we love nad hold dear. And of celebrating...every single day is worth a celebration, even if it is a small one. Lighting a candle at dinner is enough to mark each day as unique and a gift. And then home...how blessed we are to know that the world of home is a wonderful world, full of creativity, imagination, love, laughter, belonging, fulfillment, happiness, magic and wonder.

My mind has been filled with thoughts of how we oftentimes look beyond our own four walls and close circle of family and loved ones for our happiness to be fulfilled and our purposes to be found. Back in the old days, most folks centered their lives around the home and their families were their world. While they may have known people outside their own relations, their closest friends and dearest companions were, indeed, the ones with whom they shared a home and life with. How far we have gone from those days! And it isn't all progress, my friends. How much more of a peaceful, moral-centered world we would have if people returned to the world of home and invested in the relationships with their family circle instead of always looking elsewhere for companionship, purpose, and happiness?!?!

Sometimes I find myself wishing for days gone by...days I've never known because they were long before my time. Days when families were people's highest priorities. Days when the home was seen as sacred ground and a place of value worth protecting and cherishing. Days when people looked within their four walls for companionship and invested deeply into those relationships. Days when families looked into each others' eyes when talking and sat together at the dinner table for a meal and actually loved being together. Days when morals and family values and simple manners weren't a foreign concept. Days when families actually did things together instead of just co-existing in the same house. Days when you would see familiar faces when you went to the shops and when people had a gentle, kind countenance. Days when the majority of people had the same ideals and goals and values and you didn't feel like the black sheep walking in a field surrounded by white ones.

I long for days like those.

But I have come to realize that those days are totally, completely possible with the choices I make. Just because it seems like everyone is going one way doesn't mean that I have to tread that same path. Just because it seems like "everyone is doing it" doesn't mean that I have to do "it", whatever "it" is. Just because people are abandoning morals and family values, doesn't mean that I need to follow suit. And it also doesn't mean that I have to surround myself with those who are choosing that path that I know to be foolish and wrong. I can stand firm in what I believe to be good and true and beautiful and surround myself with those walking the same path and make room for more along the way.

The same is true for you, dear one.

May we be people of virtue and morals and values. 

May we not give way to the culture, 

but stand firm in the pursuit of that which is good, true and beautiful.

Be blessed, dear ones!

♥

Scrumptious Pumpkin Spice Bread

October gave a party;

The leaves by hundreds came --

The Chestnuts, Oaks and Maples, 

And leaves of every name.

The Sunshine spread a carpet,

And everything was grand,

Miss Weather led the dancing, 

Professor Wind the band.

-George Cooper-

Pumpkin spice and everything nice, that's what this bread is made of!

   Baking traditions are a big part of our family culture. There are specific recipes that we reserve and set aside for special times of year or holidays. There are special menus for Thanksgiving and Christmas and Easter and New Year's Eve. And in the autumn, we bake bread. This pumpkin bread has been part of our yearly traditions for going on almost a decade. I have fond memories baking this on freezing, rainy November nights, while football games played in the background and in between taking loaves out of the oven, running outside to get a bit of fresh air, only to run back inside to quickly get warmed up again. Those are sweet times and fun memories for me and this bread was always a part of it.

Autumn just wouldn't be autumn without pumpkin bread.

 Over the years, I have tweaked and played with this recipe and made it perfect for my family's tastes. I am especially glad that I was able to cut down on the sugar tremendously, using less than a third of what the recipe originally called for. We love making this bread in mini-loaf pans and freezing to enjoy over the cozy months, and we also love sharing with friends. {{smiles}}

Happy baking, lovely readers!

♥

Scrumptious Pumpkin Spice Bread

1 1/2 cup sour cream

4 tsp. baking soda

2 cups butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 cans pumpkin puree (15 oz. each)

1 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. ginger

4 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tsp. vanilla

8 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

In a measuring cup, combine the sour cream and baking soda. Set aside. The baking soda will cause the sour cream to grow and increase in volume.

In a mixing bowl, combine the softened butter with the sugar until creamy and thoroughly mixed together. Add the pumpkin puree, eggs, oil and vanilla. Stir well. Add the sour cream mixture and stir again.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder and salt. Gently add the wet ingredients into the wet and stir very well, making sure to get everything at the bottom of the bowl. 

 Divide the batter into mini-loaf pans that have been sprayed with nonstick coating and sprinkle a bit of sugar on the top of each loaf. Bake at 350*F for about 35-45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes about clean.

Enjoy!

Autumn Apple Granola Muffins

Homespun

We see it in a sun-dappled porch

and feel it in the grass between our toes.

It's the echo of a quieter time.

A memory we can always return to.

It's home.

-Author unknown-

Monday greetings, dear friends! 

I believe that lots of people are enjoying some time in the kitchen during these gorgeous October days, filling their homes with seasonal spicy scents and their cupboards and freezers with delicious goodies to enjoy in the coming days. Autumn is truly the season of being in the kitchen. {{smiles}}

As I shared last week, I delighted in our annual bread baking day and baked up several varieties of breads and muffins for my family to enjoy now and tuck some away in the freezer as well as to share with friends and neighbors. One of the new recipes that I tried are these Autumn Apple Granola Muffins. This muffin recipe is so wonderfully delicious! They aren't too sweet or overpowered with spices, it's the perfect amount of both sweetness and spice. The thing I love most about this recipe is that I got to use homemade granola in the muffins...I recently discovered my family's favorite recipe for granola after years of searching and I was so excited that I could incorporate it into these muffins. I really think that's what made them so special and yummy! (I'll be sharing our granola recipe soon!)

We love these muffins for breakfast or a snack in the evenings, and they do pair perfectly with a cup of herbal tea or even coffee. And if you want to really go all out with the apple flavor, some spiced apple cider would be heavenly as well!

Without further ado...here's the recipe!

Autumn Apple Granola Muffins

4 cups all-purpose, unbleached flour

2 cups granola of choice

1 cup sugar

6 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

4 eggs

1 1/3 cup apple spiced cider

1/2 cup canola oil

3 cups peeled,  grated Granny Smith apples

In a large bowl, combine the flour, granola, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Whisk well to combine thoroughly. In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, cider and oil. Gently pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined. Fold the grated apples into the batter. 

Divide evenly into muffin tins lined with paper liners. Bake at 350*F for about 20-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy with your favorite warm drink!

What is your favourite muffin recipe, friends? Do tell me about it! What have you been baking lately? 

May your day be lovely and your home be filled with warm, spicy, seasonal scents!

♥

Raindrops, Snowflakes, Slowness, & Gratitude

There was a discernable chill in the air now, and wet leaves were everywhere- in yards, on the sidewalks, in the street, stuck on cars. It looked like the world was covered in a cobbler crust of brown sugar and cinnamon.

-First Frost, Sarah Addison Allen-

pluviophile -

a person who loves the sound of rain,

or feels joy and peace on rainy days

chionophile -

a person who loves cold weather and snow

Both of the above words would describe me to a "t".  

I am without a doubt, unashamedly, a self-confessed lover of rainy days, cold weather and snow. There's just something magical and wonder-filled about days when the rain is trickling down the windows and grey, puffy clouds are in the sky, or when snow is gently falling on the ground, creating a hush over the earth as they fall slowly. I know that a lot of people hate days like that, but for me, it is pretty much as perfect as life can get.  

As much as I love snow and wish that I lived somewhere that had a true winter, where I live, our winters are mostly wet, grey and chilly. sometimes I like that, but I admit that I often find myself wishing that I lived in a snow-covered place...one day. Until then, I remain in this place where winters are rainy and grey and the grass is as dead and brown as can be. Not very pretty, in my opinion. Every year, we dream and wish for snow and some year's we are fortunate enough to have a gorgeous snowfall, but most year's we are lucky to see a light sprinkling of white for a few hours one morning.

Rainy or snowy days bring an atmosphere of coziness and an invitation to slow down with them. They create a hush over the earth, each in their own unique way. They call us inward and to cultivate a warm place to rest, retreat and savour the goodness of home. They also help us to recall the things which bring us joy and happiness. 

For some reason, ever since I was a young teenager, I have this weird ritual that I must do every time it snows. And that's making pancakes. I think it has something with watching the Love Comes Softly movie back then and the gorgeous snow scenes along with all the pancakes being made in the warm kitchen with the cozy fire lit in the hearth. That really struck me and ever since, whenever it snows, I find myself at the stove stirring the batter and dropping pancakes onto the griddle. Rain also brings about its own rituals. I love going for a drive in the rain, as long as it's not storming or hard to drive. I also have always loved the way rainy days make the inside of a home a bit darker and how it just calls for you to light candles and turn on softly-lit lamps. The glow from those two light sources creates an ambience that is hard to beat. 

Rain and snow also invite us into gratitude. They are two of the earth's natural wonders, as normal and ordinary as they may seem. I never fail to be amazed and stand in awe of the earth when she is covered in a blanket of white snow. Seriously! White fluff falling from the sky...it's pure magic! And the way rain makes the earth so lush and richly green in color in the summertime and how the raindrops gently rest on the petals of a flower in the spring...in the winter, picking icicles off rooftops after they form from freezing rain or the way an autumn rain makes the leaves fall from the trees and create a carpet of nature's goodness. It's all wonder and beauty!

Rainy and snowy days bring peace and calm over not only the earth, but also us if we allow them to. When we stop complaining about these forms of weather that is so often seen as negative and instead see them beautiful and blessings and magical, we, too, will be filled with that peace and calm. When we allow their gentleness and softness and slowness to influence us and when we give in to their invitation to gather in and make cozy and create magic, we awaken ourselves to the wonder that nature is always full of.

Are you a pluviophile or a chionophile, or both? What do you like about rainy or snowy days?

 Do share below!

Reawakening Your Creativity

Slumps. You probably know what I'm talking about. Well, I'm here to share about a slump I've found myself in this year.

2020. What a year, right? It started out nice and slow and just like any other year. Then, in late February, things changed. A worldwide pandemic hit and every continent was shut down and people were being affected in big ways and small. It didn't matter if you were rich or poor, old or young, red or yellow or black or white. It didn't matter if you were a hustle and bustle type of person or if you preferred a slower-paced life. It hit us all, in one way or another...and for some, it hit hard. The news was loud and everyday headlines were coming out faster than I think they could write them, and certainly faster than any average person could keep up. On top of that, there has been some social unrest and a complicated, heavy election at hand as well. Needless to say, 2020 has been one heck of a year. I think it's all going to be one that we don't soon forget and one we will all be recalling stories from fifty years from now.

Anxiety has always, unfortunately, been something that I have known very well. On top of that, being a highly sensitive person with some OCD at times, let's just say I know what it feels like to be down and depressed and overwhelmed with anxiety while at the same time feeling scared and being overcome with a barrage of intrusive thoughts. I wrote a bit about this earlier this year HERE. And all of those things really hinder me at times from being happy and calm and peace-filled. They've also put me in a slump more than once. 

Earlier this year, as the things were unravelling in the world and as the news got louder and more rampant, I began to feel myself falling into one of those slumps. I no longer had a desire to even do any of the things that made me who I am and brought me happiness. They became less than desirable and even when I would do them, I just didn't feel happy...the anxious thoughts were still there and the voices were still in my head. Sometimes louder than ever. 

Over the summer, I began to ponder these things and came to the realization that I no longer wanted to be in this slump. I declared that enough was enough! In the past, I have been a head-first type person, just delving in all the way, but I've come to learn over time that way doesn't work for me. So this time, I chose a different path. One that was softer and gentler and slower. A path towards reawakening my creativity.

Most of this was done quite mindlessly, as I am a firm believer in things happening organically and naturally, but I was always aware of my thoughts and tendencies. I would notice when I was feeling anxious and how it hindered me from doing something that I enjoyed...for example, cooking. Then I would take notice of what happened when I just stepped forward and got myself in the kitchen and made dinner for my family.  Even if I didn't feel it at the start, soon after, those good, happy feelings came back and I began to taste the delight that I always felt whilst cooking. I think that the key to moving forward is not to put too much thought into it...pay attention and take notice and then just let things happen naturally as they may. That's when the magic takes place!

One night in bed I was pondering things and came up with an idea to make cooking fun again for me and something that I enjoyed and loved again...it’s always been more than just fixing food and preparing a meal to me, but a creative outlet, a way to explore and experiment and a way of expressing love for those who I share my life with. I’ve called it The Great Cookbook Adventure of 2020, taking a bit of inspiration from The Great British Bake-Off, and have been slowly finding joy in cooking again ever since I began a few weeks ago. I will share more soon, but I mostly wanted to say that if you’ve felt more anxious and stressed out this year and your creative outlets don’t seem appealing anymore, if you feel dry and like the light within you is dim, I get it. But teeny tiny baby steps and treading softly and gently make a big difference in such a short amount of time...and without you even realizing it. Stick it out. Even when you don’t feel like it, take part in that creative endeavour you love so much; it will give back more than you can imagine and be immensely more lifegiving than you can dream. 

Softly and gently. You will get there. 

The truth is that slumps will come and they will go. It's kind of the rhythm of life as we humans journey down life's path. But sometimes things, like a worldwide pandemic and loud news headlines and lots of "insufferable know-it-alls" will kind of just make it all worse. I know that's been the case for me this year, and maybe you can relate...whether it be a creative slump, or whatever. We all had to deal with this pandemic and are still dealing with it. We all had to give things up, whether they were big or small or both. There were things we were all looking forward to and they were either very different than imagined or they didn't happen at all. Every single person's mind has been filled with news stories and headlines and loud voices this year, more than usual, and our bodies are just trying to keep up. 

Take it easy. Go along softly and gently. Live slowly. Let the magic come how it wants...naturally and organically. Better days are on the way. Spring days will come again. No one person is left out of the equation...beauty is just around the bend and there will be plenty of magical adventures and happiness ahead. One step at a time; one foot in front of the other. 

In the meantime, we keep calm and carry on. Knit that scarf. Cook that dinner. Bake that bread. Decorate your home. Pick those flowers. Walk through your garden. Paint that picture. Write that poem. Imagine that story. Read that novel. Watch that movie. Crochet that hat. Sew that quilt. Mend those clothes. Ride that bike. Sketch that landscape. Frost that cake. Pour that tea. Make that bed. Play that instrument. Embroider that cardie. Plant that tree. Hang that wreath. Open those windows. Laugh til you cry and your belly aches. Light those candles. Listen to that music. Dance like you're five years old again. Twirl in the leaves. Jump in that rain puddle. Keep dreaming and planning and hoping and knowing that magic is not gone.

Your heart is being healed as you do all these things, little though they may seem. Let the beauty of it all renew your spirit and fill you again. Let the light within you come to life again and shine brightly. Just let it.

 

♥

An Autumnal Tradition ♥ Bread Baking

Happy Friday, lovelies!

Autumn in our home means lots of things, but one of my favorites is...

b r e a d  b a k i n g.

Nearly every year since I was around sixteen years old, I have chosen a handful of season breads to make. Typically, I will set aside one weekend to work on this project on and off over a few days. This year, however, I spread it out over about a week, baking a bit here and there. I always look forward to this tradition because it means that we get to set aside some yummy goodness in our freezer to enjoy over the coming months, but it also means that we get to package up some special, yummy goodness to share with our friends and neighbors.

Being the recipe lover that I am, I do not commit to a set list of recipes each year. I have way too much fun trying new recipes and switching it up every year. The only rules I have are that the loaves of bread must be autumn-themed, have lots of spices and feature autumn flavors, such as pumpkin, apple, sweet potato, etc. This year, I also decided to mix things up a bit and include a few muffin recipes...because, variety is the spice of life, after all.

  

My baking list for this autumn included:

Apple Spice Bread

Apple Granola Muffins

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Streusel Muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Spiced Chocolate Zucchini Bread

 

Keeping apple as the main star of these recipes, I chose an old favorite...Apple Spice Bread (recipe HERE) as well as a new-to-us recipe...Apple Granola Muffins (recipe coming soon!). I was even more excited because this autumn I also discovered a granola recipe that has since become our very favorite; this is a huge happiness because I've been searching and trying recipes for years now. And I got to use that granola in these muffins, which made them all the more delicious.

My final apple recipe for this year was my dear friend's recipe for Apple Cinnamon Muffins. I've made these nearly every year since she shared the recipe on her (former) blog here. And now, it's time for another feature ingredient...pumpkin! I've been making this pumpkin bread recipe (coming soon!) for yers now, probably since I was about seventeen. Over the years, I've made a few changes, and this year, I made a couple more and finally, it is perfect. It's a soft bread with not too much sweetness and just the right about of spice...and of course, pumpkin!

My other pumpkin recipe was a new-to-me one...pumpkin streusel muffins (recipe coming soon!) Streusel is literally one of my most favorite things ever! I made Banana Spice Crumble Muffins (recipe HERE) earlier this year and I was so excited to bake an autumn-themed muffin with a crumbly streusel on top...and boy, did this recipe deliver! And my bread baking day(s) concluded with a wonderfully delightful spiced chocolate zucchini bread (recipe HERE). At first glance, this combination didn't sound appealing to me, but I'm so glad I gave it a shot. It is amazingly scrumptious! Last time, I made the recipe in a regular-sized loaf pan, but this time I used our preferred mini-loaf pans. 

A few other favorite bread baking day favorites...

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread

Banana Bread

Halloween Barmbrack (A yearly tradition in our home)

Old-Fashioned Gingerbread

What are your favorite seasonal breads to bake? Do share below!

Happy baking, friends!

♥