Easy, Fail-Proof Homemade Yogurt (Stove-Top Method ~ No Special Gadgets Required!)

Try new recipes, learn from your mistakes,

be fearless, and above all,

have fun!...

The only real stumbling block is fear of failure.

In cooking, you've got to have a what-the-hell attitude.

-Julia Child-

The quote that I shared above from Julia Child pretty much sums up my philosophy of cooking, and certainly my journey to making yogurt from scratch at home. Today I am excited to share with you an easy, fail-proof method of making yogurt at home. And the best part, aside from the delicious results, is that you don't need any special gadgets or tools! No slow cooker, no pressure cooker, no yogurt maker. Just a pot on your stove, jars and a cooler, fresh milk and a bit of already-made yogurt.

Shall we begin?!?!

Easy, Fail-Proof Homemade Yogurt

1/2 gallon fresh *whole* milk

3 Tbsp. yogurt with live cultures (see note)

Pour milk in a pot on the stove over low-medium heat. Heat until the milk reaches 180*F, almost boiling, but not quite. Stir often. It is best to allow the milk to heat up slowly, so this process should take at the least 30 minutes. Heating it up too quickly will ruin the process.

Once the milk has reached 180*F, turn the heat off and allow the milk to cool slowly to 110*F. Again, allowing it to come down in temperature slowly is the key. The most important thing with making homemade yogurt is you do NOT want to rush the process. (A good lesson for life, too, eh?!)

Once the milk has cooled to the desired temperature, whisk in the yogurt with live cultures (see note). Pour the milk into jars and secure the lids very tightly. 

Place the jars in a cooler and pour very hot tap water in...about six cups or so. Fill the rest of the way with boiling water, so that the jars are just covered. Close the cooler and place in a safe place so it won't get dumped over.

Allow the yogurt to set for 8 hours.

After the appointed time has passed, remove the jars from the cooler and place in the fridge. Allow to cool completely.

At the point, you may wish to strain your yogurt if you prefer a thicker consistency. According to some information I read, thicker yogurt has less sugar, fewer carbs and more protein. All of which are good things!

To strain yogurt, simply place a colander over a large bowl. Line the colander with a few layers of cheesecloth and pour the yogurt into the colander. Place in the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Then spoon the yogurt on top of the cheesecloth back into your jars and enjoy! The whey which is in the bowl can be used for a variety of things including recipes and even feeding plants. Look up some cool ways to use it instead of letting it go to waste!

(Note: Yogurt with live cultures is simply yogurt that is already made. Store-bought yogurt should say this on the label..."with live cultures". You can also save a bit of your homemade yogurt from a previous batch to use as your starter in the future.)

There you have it, friends! I've done this once and it worked like a charm and this week, I'll be making another batch. We love to add a bit of maple syrup to our individual servings, homemade granola (here's our favorite recipe) and fresh fruit. It's delicious and the perfect snack!

Have a lovely day!

♥

*I found this method on Instagram from the account "thenourishingcup".*

Simple Girl's Diary ♥ Wintertime Favorites Collection 2021

Hello, readers! I am finally getting around to sharing my wintertime favorites collection. Spring is nearly here...just a few more days, so I thought I'd better get to it with my favorites from this past season. In this post, I will be sharing my favorites in a variety of categories including books, TV, movies, music, and homemaking arts. These are the things that have brought me delight and happiness and a bit of magic these last few months. 

Shall we begin?

~ BOOKS ~

Over the winter months, I read some rather lovely and delightful, and immensely whimsical, stories. These stories were such a comfort during the cold wintry nights and added to the coziness that season brings. I loved sitting in my comfy chair with a blanket, or laying in bed all tucked under multiple layers in my warmest jammies, enjoying these stories, often into the wee hours of the morning. I'm a nighttime reader...and these stories were the perfect reads for late at night...gentle, settling, calming, soothing and oh so splendid!

The Tale of Hill Top Farm

What Beatrix loved more than anything else were tiny cottages with crooked roofs, their stone-flogged floors brightened by rag rugs, their ceilings hung with braids of onions and fragrant herbs, the rooms furnished with old-fashioned oak sideboards and grandfather clocks and chairs with woven rush seats. Farmhouses with no pretensions to grandeur, with mullioned windows and thick walls and narrow passages turning and twisting every which way.

(taken from Chapter 5)

This is the first novel in a series of eight mysteries. Beatrix Potter serves as the main character in these stories and in this first book, she has just arrived at Hill Top Farm in order to settle the paperwork and make it officially hers. She befriends some of the village folk and has her animal friends in tow as usual. Over the course of the story, you get to know the village and its people and are immersed in all the cozy English charm that the Lake District holds. You are welcomed into a circle of friends, both human and otherwise...a village dog and a clan of cats as well as several woodland critters that join in along the way. Several mysteries are woven throughout the story and Beatrix and her animal friends work the puzzle until all is well and solved. This was not a gory, creepy mystery full of blood or nightmare-ish scenes. Rather, this was a cozy, gentle sort of mystery...with lots of other storylines woven wonderfully into the book. As I mentioned before, this is the first book in a series of eight, and I loved this one so very much that book two has since been ordered, received and is now awaiting me to pick it up to read. This one is highly recommended by me!

The Brambly Hedge stories

Creating the books is tremendous fun, but very hard work at the same time. This is because I like to get everything right. Each flower must have the correct number of petals and be growing in the right place, at the right time. Everything the mice make or do must be possible for them, living where they do. After all, Brambly Hedge is real, and I am simply here to record it.

(an excerpt from the Introduction by the author of Brambly Hedge, Jill Barklem)

After nearly five years of hearing about the Brambly Hedge series, I finally read these delightful tales this winter. Oh, how I loved them! They were so very whimsical and never before have I wished so much that I lived among the mice in Brambly Hedge. Their quaint little village and the kindness of their friendships and neighbors just makes you want to jump right into the story and make yourself at home. There are eight stories in total, the first four written for each season and the last four just random stories about the mice and their shenanigans. These tales are not just for children; I think they are delightful stories for everyone of all ages! I know just how much I enjoyed them and cannot recommend them enough. I think you, too, may find yourself wishing you lived in Brambly Hedge with some silly mice for your neighbors.

Little House in the Big Woods

At 26 years old, I am finally reading the Little House books. My mom read them for the first time last year, in her early sixties, and now I’m enjoying the stories. I finished book one over the weekend...what a delightful story it was! I loved the family centered-ness, the good old-fashioned values, the traditional crafts and homemaking arts and just the sweetness of everything. It definitely was a quick, easy read...perfect for when you don’t want to have to think too much as you read, if you know what I mean. It’s a very gentle sort of book, which I’m loving these days. One thing did stand out to me, and when my mom and I were talking about the books, she noticed the same thing. The parenting back in the day. Holy cannoli! It was strict, harsh, cold, and dare I say...horrible in many ways! Good grief! Gentle parenting, anyone? Needless to say, I seriously did NOT agree with the way that Pa and Ma Ingalls parented their daughters and I certainly wouldn’t look to these stories for any kind of parenting advice. But other than that, it was a sweet story and I’m looking forward to the rest of the series.

~ TV Shows & Movies ~

Boy, oh boy! I came across some absolutely winning shows this winter! That always makes me so excited! {{smiles}} The first two shows that I fell in love with are Korean dramas, which I have found to be some of my favorites over the last year or so. Especially these two! 

Flower of Evil is a mystery/crime drama/thriller sort of show. Yes, all of that packed into sixteen episodes. This was an exciting, intriguing, enthralling show and I loved every minute of it. There were twists and turns and moments where you didn't know what was going to happen and who was good and who was bad. You were taken on a ride from the first minute of episode one to the last minute of episode sixteen. It was exciting all the way through! This series is rated R, but honestly, I have no idea why. There is absolutely nothing in any of the episodes that gave any indication as to why it has that rating. I loved this show, would totally watch it again and highly recommend it!

Now, for something the total opposite of the above show...a hilarious and sweet and quirky romantic comedy series. Clean With Passion for Now has got to be one of the best K-dramas I've seen yet! Yes, it has a funny title and if you just read the one or two-sentence synopsis that is offered on the internet, you may not be interested. But, rest assured, if you give it a fair chance, you will fall in love just like I did. The characters, main and side, were so relatable and genuine. There was plenty of comedy...I laughed so hard at some parts, and lots of sweet, heartwarming, touching moments as well. The romance in this drama just maybe my favorite so far in a Korean show. I just loved everything about this one!

And finally, Home Fires. This is a British period drama set right as World War II was beginning. It is based on a book sharing real-life accounts of life during that time in England. Several of the actresses were familiar to me as I recognized them from Downton Abbey and Call the Midwife, and they were excellent in this series, too. Each one was more of a background or side character in the other shows, but in this drama, they each got to shine beautifully. There was so much packed into just two seasons, with a total of twelve episodes. Emotions, relationships, family drama, wartime troubles, worries and stress, community gathering together, men and women fighting the war together, each in their own spheres and ways. It was remarkable...the only thing is that it is only two seasons. And worse than that, season two ends with the biggest cliff hanger...more than one, to be exact. Several of the characters that you have come to love are faced with something HUGE and something BIG happens and then the series ends. Oh, I just hate that! Thankfully, thanks to some kind readers of my blog, I learned that there have been some novels written by the creator of the show that continues on with the story. I think it goes without saying that book one is currently on its way to me from England. And I am ever so excited to see what happens!

~ Music ~

The wonderfully talented JJ Heller released a new collection of well-loved, popular songs this winter. She had done so previously with lullabies and classic type songs. This one has some more modern hits that have been popular and they are just wonderful. I have a few favorites, one in particular because it reminds me of the movies and TV shows that I watched in the late 1990s and early 2000s...it's a song that was very commonly included in romantic scenes back in the day and it just feels so nostalgic to me. Plus I've always loved it anyways. You can listen to it here. But, really, you just need to listen to the entire new album entitled, I Dream of You, Volume 3.

~ Homemaking Arts ~

And for the final category, I have two homemaking arts that brought me delight this winter. The first is hand embroidery. Oh, I have longed to do this for probably six years now and just kept pushing it off. It seemed so daunting and overwhelming and complicated. But I just took the plunge and set to work on a kit that I received for Christmas a few years back. I fell in love with this handicraft immediately! I am nearly done with my first project and while it's not perfect (I am just a beginner, after all), I am very pleased with how it looks. The rhythm of making the different stitches and the peacefulness it brings is what I love most. The end result is a plus, too! I'll have to share pictures once it's all done!

The other homemaking art that I learned was yoghurt making from scratch. I mentioned this last week in my Friday Femininity Gathering post, but I am still blown away that it actually worked! I'll be sharing the method I used soon here on the blog. Now I just need to make some more granola to enjoy with it and some yummy fresh fruit.

Well, friends, there you have it. All of my wintertime favorites! This was a delightful bunch of treasures, if I may say so. The books and music and shows and crafts all made my winter that much more cozy, fun and magical. I hope that maybe you learned about something new in this post that you want to add to your spring days. And as always, I'd love to hear what your favorites were from the wintertime, so do share below!

Have a lovely weekend! Stay cozy!

♥

My Irish Memories for St. Patrick's Day

Ireland...

it's the one place on earth that heaven has kissed

with melody, mirth, and meadow and mist.

Happy St. Patrick's Day, my friends! 

Today in our home is a day of simple, but fun celebrations...

we're going to be enjoying an Irish dinner, complete with

recipes from some of our Irish cookbooks, 

and a special dessert, too.

For me, it's also a day to reminisce on my family's time in Ireland over the past five years.

We have had the pleasure of visiting the Emerald Isle twice...

with hopes, dreams and wishes to return...

Our hearts and minds are filled with fond memories,

and my camera is overflowing with thousands of photos which always 

transport me back to the lush green fields of Ireland each time I look at them.

I have gathered up a small handful of favorites to share with you today...

so, pour yourself a cuppa, make yourself at home...

I've got some toe-tapping, hand-clapping Irish tunes playing in the background...

and settle in to savour a bit of Irish beauty and blessings.

One of my most favorite places in all of Ireland is Howth Head in County Dublin...pictured above.

We walked down a long pathway and ended up at a cute lighthouse which had the most charming red door...pictured below.

It's a lovely, quaint spot on the Irish Sea, and it's away from Dublin city centre, which is right up my alley. When you go there, you can hear the water crashing against the large rocks, and birds fly overhead and may even follow you as you walk along the path.

It's a beautiful place. Full of life.

Everywhere I look, I see God.

There are songs that take me immediately back to the land of green,

certain scents or random things that bring me back to such a magical place and time...

and there are things that I don't want to forget.

I never want to forget the way the sky looked as the sun set on the way back from Tipperary that night....it looked as if the sky were on fire. I don't want to forget the scent of turf fires lingering in the air as we drove through Wicklow one misty, grey morning. The pure magic of seeing three rainbows is beyond words! I want to always remember the way the morning air felt and smelled so fresh and new. The way the clouds looked and how the sun shined so brightly. I don't want the image of a young boy and his grandfather playing their violins outside a Bed and Breakfast in Kerry to leave my memory. Nor do I want to allow the sound of that Irish melody to escape my mind. I don't want the feeling of seeing the Irish scenery for the first time to ever leave me. It's a feeling that there are no words for, and a moment that causes you to stop in your tracks for a minute and be still. You are actually here. The exciting surprise of hearing a familiar song as soon as we stepped on the plane both to and from Dublin that is only popular in Ireland. If we had been travelling anywhere else we wouldn't have heard it...that was a sure sign that we were going to the place we'd dreamt of for so long.

Don't miss all the beautiful colors of the rainbow

looking for that pot of gold.

-An Irish Saying

In Ireland, many of the narrow, winding, ribbon roads have these tree arches. It was one of my favorite things as it was such simple beauty. You felt as if you were driving into an enchanting fairy tale. It is also a country almost entirely covered in flowers it seems. The summers boast of colorful flowers nearly everywhere you look, and many of the homes have the most charming window boxes. So swoon-worthy! Even in the wintertime, Ireland has flowers, which I am quite jealous of...and it's still vibrantly green!

How green are your valleys, how blue your great skies,

Your mountains stand tall in their glory:

Your rivers run free- the bright stars are your eyes,

Your beauty is endless before me.

May your joys be as deep as the oceans,

Your troubles as light as its foam,

And may you find sweet peace of mind

Wherever you may roam.

This is Ireland-

it's rough, it's wild and it's holy.

Our second trip was in the wintertime, and unbeknownst to us, it was lambing season.

That meant that we were able to gush over all the cute baby lambs all over the country. 

There were even babies being born in the barn on the same land as the farmhouse we stayed at.

To say it was adorable is a complete understatement! 

They would scamper and frolick through the fields, 

and the babies would stay so very close to their mamas.

There is nothing you're searching for that can't be found in Ireland.

God, good music, beautiful landscapes, wonderful food,

maybe even yourself- you just have to be brave enough.

Castles, old abbeys and other ruins are scattered all throughout Ireland.

The above photo was taken at Kylemore Abbey, and it is located

in Connemara near mountains and water...

and it makes you wonder if you're still on earth whilst you're there.

It looks divinely designed and created...but, then, it is. 

God shows off a lot in Ireland; it's a spectacularly beautiful place!

How can a place like this really exist?

Ireland is an incredibly special place for me.

I hold many fond memories there, and each time

I recall my time in that beautiful country, I am filled with gratefulness,

happiness, and a bit of melancholy.

I'm an extremely sentimental person;

it's something I'm learning more about myself as I get older.

I long to go back, and just as soon as the world gets back to normal,

Ireland is one of the first places I long to go. 

To breathe in the air, to drink up the beauty,

to listen to the sounds, to feel the magic.

May love and laughter light your days,

and warm your heart and home.

May good and faithful friends be yours,

wherever you may roam.

May peace and plenty bless your world

with joy that long endures.

May all life's passing seasons 

bring the best to you and yours.

-An Old Irish Blessing

May your day be filled with magical fun, beautiful music, 

good food and drink, and oodles of merriment!

Happy St. Paddy's Day, friends!

♥

Homemaking & Domesticity ♥ An Artist's Life

The last few months I have been slowly reading my very first Elizabeth Goudge novel. I chose Pilgrim's Inn as my introduction to her writing mostly because the story greatly appealed to me and I had read from some trusted bibliophiles that it was a good place to begin. 

It's taking me some time to read it entirely, not for the fact that I'm not enjoying it or because it's boring, but rather because it's a slow-me-down sort of read. The kind of book that makes you settle down and sort of become grounded where you are, aware of the beauty that lies straight before your eyes. And I find those sort of books to be a bit more work to read, as opposed to a more fast-paced storyline and writing style. Another reason why it's taking me a bit longer to read this book is that there are so many bits and pieces here and there that I find need to be pondered good and deep. I've always underlined and made margin notes as I read any nonfiction books, but never a novel. Until Pilgrim's Inn, that is. I am forever changed and shall mark in my novels from this day forward. One of those wee tokens of wordy wisdom is what brings me here today...

A major theme in this particular Goudge novel is that of home. I shared a quote from the very beginning of the story back in November. You can read it here if you'd like...I'd highly suggest you do as it is quite beautiful. And another one is the inspiration behind this post you are reading now.

She was not an artist in the accepted sense of the word, but when she cooked a meal or tidied a room she was yet unmistakably her father's daughter. A room arranged by Sally, a meal she had cooked, were as unforgettable as her father's pictures. Imaginative, deft touches here and there were like the glimmer of light on water that without it would have been opaque and dull. 

(Pilgrim's Inn, Elizabeth Goudge)

Sally, the girl that this quote speaks of, is the daughter of an artist. A wonderfully talented painter whose works are admired and whose skills are respected. But what this quote reminded me of is that homemaking and domesticity are art, too. Sally understood that. Elizabeth Goudge understood that. And I'm coming to understand that more and more.

I am not a talented artist in the traditional sense of the word. I can't draw or paint particularly well. I can't create something magnificent from a lump of clay. And I've never created a masterpiece that hangs in a grand museum for all to see. On top of my inability to do these things, I've never even strived for such accolades or prominent positions or to be a professional in any particular field of work. I do desire to learn and practice many different forms of art, in the traditional sense, but even still, I am starting from complete scratch, and will never be perfect at any of it.

Homemaking, however, is art, too. And the small, sometimes hidden, other times bigger, things that we do in our daily lives to bring beauty to the space we occupy and the world around us, matter greatly. Just as much, really, even more so than those of world-renowned artists.  

This art of domesticity is something that I find myself wanting to delve deeper into. I love the idea of learning old-fashioned handicrafts and practicing them, adding beauty to the walls of my home and loveliness to my wardrobe and something delightful that makes someone smile. But the art of domesticity doesn't just lie in the practice of crafting and sewing and stitching and knitting and such. Although, I do believe that is a big part of it...the creativity and imagination these endeavours allows one to dig into is so vast.

The simple acts that make up our daily life are also part of the art of domesticity. Cooking a meal with love and presenting it with care. Taking the time to make your dinner table a pretty place, lighting a candle, using special drinking glasses, serving the food in colorful dishes, and perhaps playing some instrumental music in the background. It's art, perhaps not in the traditional sense of the word, but it's definitely art. 

Art when done right is inspiring, lifegiving, and stirs something deep within the soul. Think about when you listen to a certain piece of music or play a beautiful song, or when you look at a painting or statue that someone has created. These things are art done right. But homemaking is also art done right. Homemaking is inspiring. It's lifegiving. And it stirs something deep within the soul. 

The art of domesticity isn't just in the skills needed to make a house a home, such as cooking or baking or crafting. It also lies in the atmosphere of the home. The way a room is kept and decorated can, indeed, be a work of art. I think too many times people are discouraged because they think their decorating skills are lacking or that they need expensive items in their homes in order for them to be beautiful. But that just isn't true at all. I think, first and foremost, you need to ask yourself what kind of feel you want your home to have and then go from there. Cozy, peaceful, inviting, cheery, fun, gentle, and nurturing are the words that first come to mind for me. From there, you can go and decorate and arrange your home in such a way to bring those feelings to life. Adding blankets on the backs of chairs or couches; placing candles around; hanging colorful pictures or paintings on the walls; letting natural light shine in through flowy curtains; putting a rug on the floor; placing knick-knacks and other decorations on tables and shelves that are expressions of you and your family; choosing a color for the walls that makes you happy and cheerful; and having a vase of fresh flowers on the mantle. These are all some things that we do in our home to create the atmosphere we want and crave. 

And it's all art.

Just like Sally in the story, I am not an artist in the accepted sense of the word. But how I desire and strive to be an artist in domesticity and homemaking. Imagination and creativity in abundance are needed for this work. But also a lot of heart and soul, much cheerfulness and fun, and plenty of gentleness and grace along the way.

Dear friend, please know that you are an artist in your home. Think of your home as the canvas and each thing you do to bring beauty and light and life into your four walls, no matter how small or seemingly unnoticed, as a brushstroke on a grand masterpiece. Each day, month, year...the painting gets brighter and more magnificent and your skills become better and your inspiration grows. Open yourself up to the creativity and imagination that homemaking calls for. Allow your home to become a magical, wonder-filled place. Make room for the whimsy and loveliness that are begging you to let them in. And then sit back and watch the story unfold...homemaking and domesticity...they're most definitely works of art, indeed.

Magical Snowy Days & Cozy Nights

Everything is magical when it snows. Everything looks pretty...

It's just my favorite time of year. The whole world changes color.

 Flakes, flurries, swirls, crystals, whatever form it comes in, I'll take it.

We go back, snow and me, we have a beautiful history.

Sleigh rides, ice skating, snow ball fights. I'll even take curling.

God, I love curling. Hot cocoa, hot totes, best time of the year.

 ~ Lorelai Gilmore ~

Hello, dear friends! 

Last week was a snowy week where I live. We haven't had barely enough snow to just cover the ground in six years so it was high time that we got a good dumping of snow from the sky. And a dumping did we get! It started out as ice and over the next eight days or so, we ended up with twelve inches of snow. Where I live, that is a blizzard and it even broke a few records too. We were in the single digits temperature wise for several days and it was glorious! I'm one who loves the snow (the more the better) and cold temps...I loathe our brown, dead, mild winters with a strong passion. Looking outside at a beautiful blanket of white suits me much more than looking at brown and deadness.

We enjoyed getting outside each and every day it snowed. We rambled through our garden and took plenty of photos. It was just so magical and wonderful to be in the snow again. Each day putting on layers of cozy clothing and slipping on boots before stepping outdoors became the norm for the entire week. I even got to use my most recent knitting project and it came in quite handy, too. Too many winters our scarves and hats and mittens don't get any use, but last week it was different. A good different.

For the outfit in this post, I'm wearing a simple navy blue dress that is so versatile. I love wearing it with sneakers or sandals in the warmer weather and when it's colder outside, leggings and boots and a jacket are the perfect matches. This photo was taken on the first day of our snowy week...so the ground is just barely covered. The next day, however, I couldn't wear these boots because they were too short.

{{ pops of C O L O R in the garden make me happy, especially when snow is gently sprinkled on top }}

{{ a photo from midweek...as the week went on these boots were halfway covered in snow as I walked }} 

Where we live, the cities aren't prepared as to how to handle snow that is more than a ground covering, there were some challenges that came along. We had to conserve and boil our water for a week. That meant we could take showers as long as they were quick, quick, quick. It made washing laundry and dishes impossible and cooking meals a wee bit challenging. Thankfully, we didn't have near the problems that came up in Texas and other parts of the country. But I must say, it sure is nice not having to boil our water anymore. I'll savour my hot showers that last longer than five minutes a bit more I think. {{smiles}}

It was the middle of winter. The sun had just set and it was very, very cold. An icy wind was blowing from the East and the wind promised snow.

Deep in the dark roots of Brambly Hedge tiny lights appeared as lamps were lit in the windows. More little lights could be seen leaving the Stone Stump, moving hastily along the hedgerow and disappearing into holes hidden in the twisty roots. The mice had smelled snow in the air and were all hurrying home to a nice hot supper by the fire.

~ Winter Story, Jill Barklem ~

Magical snowy days bring cozy nights, naturally. And cozy nights bring warm, comforting dinners. We had so many soups and stews over our snowy week. Homemade Dutch oven bread was also a must to accompany our creamy chicken and vegetable soup on one night. Eating by candlelight seemed most appropriate as we left the shutters opened so we could enjoy the soft glow that the snow made even long after the sun had set.

We'd end each night cuddled up on the couch with lots of blankets, wearing our warmest pajamas and thickest socks, usually watching an episode of The Amazing Race (we're nearly done watching the entire series!) or a crime drama. It was most delightful, I must say.

Thank you for joining me here this week, friends! I hope your weekend is lovely in every way!

Stay cozy!

♥

A Few Favorites from 2020

Happy New Year, dear friends!

I am ever so delighted to be back in my blogging space after a few lovely weeks of rest, relaxation and time spent doing some enjoyable homey things. How was your Christmas holiday? Are you keeping well these wintry days? Please do let me know how you are doing in the comments below.

For my first post in 2021, I thought it only seemed appropriate to share my top favorites from last year. These are the things that brought my happiness and delight and hours of fun. So, without further ado, here are my favorites from 2020...

Book

Without a doubt, the absolute best book I read in 2020 was The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I read this in the autumn and it was the perfect cozy read. While there is a movie that was inspired by this novel, and it is certainly lovely and wonderful on its own, the book offers an entirely different depth to the characters that you just don't get in the movie. Quirky characters, a beautiful setting on the Guernsey coast, a book club of unlikely kindred spirits, a bit of mystery and a sweet romance blossoming slowly but surely. This book offered all of that and more...it felt so magical and inspiring and really I just wanted to go and join the Society. If you haven't read this book, I heartily recommend it and as for me, well, I can't wait to read it again!

TV Show

I have several recommendations in this section because it was entirely too difficult to choose just one. I'll start with Crash Landing on You. I began watching this series in late 2019 as it came out each week and continued on until the series ended in the late winter. Oh, this was a marvellously done Korean drama! And it being my very first one made it so special and memorable! My sister and I are watching it together and she is loving it too. I adore the main characters and love the humor sprinkled throughout the storyline. 

Cinderella and the Four Knights is another Korean drama that I watched in the springtime. This one is such a fun one! There were many times when I was laughing so hard, my stomach hurt and then other times when my heart was greatly touched by the characters' stories. My sister recommended this one to me after she loved it the previous winter. And she was right...it is a winner for sure! I think it would be a great K-drama to watch if you've never watched one before. You'll find yourself falling in love with the characters and even the ones you think you don't like, you'll end up having a place in your heart for. They aren't what they seem and their stories have made them who they are, and because of that, it shows you that listening to a person's story is important in order to get to know them truly and deeply.

The third show I loved in 2020 was yet another Korean drama. When the Weather is Fine takes place at the cutest little bookshop and that's what drew me in, to begin with. I so wish I could live in that bookshop...it's such a cozy, warm and welcoming place. The village community in this show was the sweetest and the book club meetings were filled with friendly faces always welcoming in whoever wanted to join in as a close friend. The main characters were wonderful in this drama as well and the story was far deeper than I ever imagined. While this drama is filled with emotional moments and heartwarming encounters, there's also a good deal of humor and fun thrown in so it's a perfect balance. I think this is the perfect show to watch in the wintertime as well.

Movie

Thanks to a kind recommendation on Instagram last autumn, I fell in love with The Hundred-Foot Journey just as soon as I watched it. Within the first half-hour, I could already tell that this was exactly my kind of movie. It has the same feel as Julie and Julia which is a movie that I dearly love as well. This movie really showcases the importance of family and dreaming together and kindness and not straying from your roots and values. I loved everything about this one! Oh, and the wardrobe of the female lead character is so dreamy! I wish I could just magically have those clothes appear in my wardrobe. {{winks}}

Music

Though these two artists aren't new to many, I was delighted to discover the music of JJ Heller and Ed Sheeran in 2020. JJ Heller's voice is calming and beautiful and her songs are the sweetest. I love how she puts so much care into the words she writes. Her instrumental lullaby album is also exceptionally beautiful; I believe that is her husband's music. And Ed Sheeran is someone who has been around for awhile now but I've just never listened to his songs more than just when I heard one on the radio or on a store's sound system. I don't listen to all of his music; some of his songs aren't what I would call appropriate. But the ones I listen to I really enjoy. (They're the background music whilst I'm writing this post.)

Project

Hands down, my most favorite project from last year are my patchwork curtains. I was so excited when I finished this project and they actually turned out how I imagined. I felt so proud of my very inexperienced sewing skills and how I went about it nice and slow and paid attention to what I was doing. I shared all about them HERE. It's been six months and I still love them...the fabrics are just so swoon-worthy. And anything patchwork has my heart immediately!

Discovery

My favorite "discovery" isn't really a discovery because it's YouTube. But I have been so encouraged and delighted this last year to find several channels that really speak to me. There are kindred spirits in a variety of areas that bring me much happiness and inspiration whenever I watch their videos. My sister has introduced me to several and the others I have just randomly stumbled upon, but I'm so glad I did.

Hobbies

My hobbies in 2020 were pretty much the same as they have been, but I did venture out with my knitting a bit. I have only ever knitted infinity scarves and cowls and last month I wanted to try something different. I made an earwarmer headband with a twisty knot in the center and after a few mistakes and having to take the yarn apart a few times, I was so thrilled when it actually turned out properly! I have made about five so far between my mom, sister and I and it is such a fun project for an evening. They are especially nice during these wintry days when it's cold outside. 

I also made quite a number of pompoms using bits of yarn that I had in my stash. I know that isn't rocket science, but I'd never made them before and for some reason, it always sounded like a complicated project. Now I'm addicted! Pompoms everywhere!   

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What are your favorites from 2020?

I'd love to hear all about what you loved most in 2020, so feel free to share below!

Do be sure to come back on Thursday for a fun announcement about a project I've been working on for the past several weeks. I can't wait to share it with you!

Have a lovely Tuesday, friends!

Stay cozy!

♥

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)

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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!