dream a little dream

We need time to dream, time to remember,

and time to reach the infinite.

Time to be.

~ Gladys Taber ~

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

A cheery good morning to you, my dear reader friends, on this very cold late January day. Oh, how good it is to be back in this corner sharing with you...I do hope you have enjoyed a slow, peaceful, beautiful start to this new year. 

In my corner of the world, we have already seen three mini-snowfalls, mostly just ground coverings, but any bit of white goodness from the sky, I will happily accept and celebrate. Our days have been a mixture of bright and sunny and others grey and rainy, sometimes even stormy. The temperatures were unseasonably warm until just a couple weeks ago, and now we are absolutely delighting in the true, proper weather that January should bring. 'Tis the season of thick socks, fleece-lined leggings, boots and warm sweaters. Yes, please!

As I sit here in my comfy chair, a single candle flickering beside me and fairy lights twinkling above my window, our little golden tabby nudging her way into my lap for some cuddles and attention, I am reminded of just how simple happiness really is. How simple beauty and goodness and delight are. And how simple dreams are sometimes the best ones there are.

 

Every person breathing on this earth has dreams...or they should. Sometimes we get caught up in the big dreams. The ones that flash in neon lights or which garner attention from the masses. Those are the ones we read about in the magazines and see on the television screens. And too often, they are the only ones that get praised and seen as accomplishments. But I truly, deeply believe that small dreams are important too. 

Truth be told, I've never been one to dream those huge, neon light type dreams. I do have some bigger dreams that I keep close to my heart and only those dearest to me know about. But for the most part, my dreams are quite simple and small to most folks. To me, though, they are the world. 

C.S. Lewis once said You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. And that is the most certain truth! There are little corners in our hearts and souls that we often hide from view because we feel like they are too small, too ordinary, too simple to mean anything. Those are our hidden places. They are our soul's whispering to us and our heart's gentle nudging towards the paths we are destined to take.

Small dreams, simple or ordinary as they may seem, are no less dreams. And I think we would all do well to listen to our hearts a bit more, follow our soul's leading more confidently and delight in those dreams and in making them come true.

I will tell you about a few of my "small dreams"...

Last spring, on a warm and sunny day, I saw a dream twelve years in the making come true. Baking bread from scratch at home has been my dream since I was a teenager. I'd tried so many recipes I'd lost count and none were all that great to really wow us. We would try a recipe, have our hopes up and then it would be too dense or too squishy when sliced or end up almost a literal brick. And then we'd just end up buying storebought bread again. Then one day last year, I saw a lovely couple on Instagram sharing about their newest venture into baking bread from scratch for themselves each week. Their bread looked soft and airy, not at all dense and their slices looked perfect. I quickly printed out the recipe they shared and lo and behold, a dream had come true. Almost a year later, that bread is still our go-to and a double batch gets baked every other week here in our home. 

Another "small dream" of mine was sewing curtains for my bedroom window. I had a distinct style and color scheme I wanted, and the vision was as clear as ever in my mind. I knew that I probably wouldn't find anything like it in the shops...and I was correct. So two summers ago, a project that lasted about a week, ended up in the most gorgeous curtains I could have dreamed of. They are a patchwork design with lots of happy, cheery colors and floral or polka dot patterns. Every time I see them, I still smile because they are a dream come true.

And finally, just a few weeks ago another "small dream" of mine came true when I surpassed my reading goal for the year. Not only did I surpass the number of books I had hoped to read in 2021, but I met a new record in the number of books I've ever read in one year. To many this may not seem like that big of a deal...none of these things probably do, but to me, this was a grand achievement. I had struggled with reading for a number of years and didn't think I would ever find the delight that I once had in this pastime, but happily, I was wrong. And on top of that, I came across some really wonderful authors and awesome books last year, too!

I need to be reminded, quite often in fact, that any dream is a meaningful, important, worth-following dream. Sometimes I get caught up in my bigger dreams not having come true yet that I miss out on these sweet moments right before me. While it's good to keep dreaming those bigger dreams, chasing them as much as is in our control, and trusting fate and destiny with the rest, it's incredibly crucial to live right now. Today. In the present. Those things will come along in their perfect time and way, but these smaller dreams are just as good and worth celebrating. It's important to not only pursue these smaller dreams but to also continuously dream new dreams, too. I think these past couple years have really drained a lot of us of that dreaming aspect of our lives, but it's time we claim it back. Set some new dreams in place. Listen to that voice inside and see where it leads us. No dream is too small or ordinary or simple if it brings us happiness, peace, delight, beauty, magic or a smile to our days and lives. And honestly, I need to be reminded of this a whole lot. I've been wiped out of any dreaming these past couple years and have felt like a desert in my heart and soul and imagination. But it's time for the waterfalls of imagination to flow freely and the winds of magical dreaming to blow wildly again.

Friends, please take my personal stories and small-dreams-coming-true as an encouragement to pursue those small dreams of your heart. Maybe it's growing a simple tomato plant or rose bush in the garden. Maybe it's learning to bake a specific sort of bread or cake at home from scratch. Maybe it's trying out a new handicraft or expanding your skills in a craft you already enjoy. Maybe it's going for an afternoon walk each day. Perhaps it's dying your hair a fun color just for something different or getting your ears pierced. That was a dream I had since I was eight years old and finally it came true when I was 22...once I got over completely psyching myself out over the fear of it! Maybe you dream of painting your mailbox or front door a cheerful color and not care what the neighbors think. Maybe it's the dream of dressing in clothes that feel like you, with no attention to the trends or what others may say. Maybe...

Whatever your dreams are, even if they seem small, ordinary, or simple, listen to your soul's whisper and follow your heart's gentle leading towards these things...we were meant for happiness and delight and wonder and beauty and goodness. We were meant to dream and to follow those dreams.

Even if they are "small".

Because I highly doubt they feel small to you.

And so as a new year is just beginning, may this be a year of following those small dreams and pursuing happiness even if it's in ordinary and simple things. I've found that's where true happiness lies anyway.

May your day be a magical one, dear friends! Stay cozy and be well...

Until next time!

♥

If you desire to share your own heart, I'd love to hear about some of your own small dreams...ones that are growing in your heart at the moment or ones that have already come true. I think sharing stories and experiences is one of the best ways to encourage dreaming in one another, so I invite you to share your heart here. You're more than welcome in this space!

tidings of comfort and joy ♥ merry christmas, friends

May you be blessed with the spirit of the season,

which is peace,

the gladness of the season, 

which is hope,

and the heart of the season,

which is love.

~ An Irish Christmas Blessing ~

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Dearest friends,

Happy Winter Solstice to you! Oh, I am so delighted that winter is finally here...now I can officially begin wishing and dreaming of snow! Last winter, we got the most magical snow and my heart is longing for the world outside my window to be blanketed in white and to be surrounded by the stillness and quietness that only snowfall can bring.

But first...Christmas.

Christmas is nearly here now...the last preparations are underway. Last night my sister and I finished wrapping our parents' gifts and they are now safely tucked under the tree. Oh, the tree! How marvellous it does look!! We didn't add all of our ornaments this year because lots of them are very old and fragile and we didn't want to risk them falling on the hard floor and breaking. But my sister spent days and days and lots of hours making honeycomb paper ornaments, all in a variety of colors, some pastel and some bright, and so our tree is full of beauty now. Complete with a plaid bow on top.

We spent a night out over the weekend driving around town admiring all the lights and decorations. And we've been baking bit by bit over the last week, with just a couple last things to tick off our list. The turkey is in the fridge waiting for Christmas Day dinner. Everything is feeling rather festive and cheery. 

And so, I am stepping away from my cozy corner here for a wee bit to enjoy a homey Christmas with my dearest ones. 

Before I sign off for this year, I want to make sure you all know how grateful I am for every single one of you who visits my cozy corner...my Inglenook. This year, I stepped away from social media and haven't looked back once. I'm slowly getting back into the rhythm of blogging regularly and it has been such a delight to rediscover. Your comments, messages, emails and just you stopping by for a visit to read my posts means so much to me. So many of you are kindred spirits who share a love and heart for the same things that I do and that gladdens me immensely. So thank you...seriously. I look forward to returning in the new year with new posts and other fun things to share with you all.

So, my dear reader friends...I wish you and your families the most splendid of Christmases, filled with lots of feasting, laughter, music and movies and good books, candlelight dinners and twinkling Christmas trees, lots of cookies and a visit from dear ol' Santa, plenty of rest and relaxation and even more fun, and most of all...being surrounded by those you hold dear. May your holiday be magical and sparkly and full of wonder. 

May you never be too grown up to search the skies on Christmas Eve. . . . .

You never know when you may hear sleigh bells and see a red-nosed reindeer in the distant sky...

believe in the magic of Christmas.

Until next year, I send you tidings of comfort and joy,

and wishes for a most wonderful Christmas,

and the happiest new year!

With a grateful heart,

Elizabeth

♥

cozy december novels ♥ my list of favorites

Hello, dear readers!

I am back...a little later than originally planned...with a bookish post for December. Reading Christmas stories are one of the best ways to spend December and I have a handful that I'd love to share with you today.

Before we begin, though, I want to lay out a few things...

I am admittedly a very picky person when it comes to Christmas novels and such. You see, I learned this even more just recently. In late November I began what I had thought was going to be about five weeks full of Christmas stories and novels and fun. I had every intention of reading every book in a quite large stack that I had pulled from my collection...Christmas stories of all sorts. And I was so looking forward to this and ever so excited to begin. I had ordered two new novels for this festive reading marathon and it literally took everything I had not to crack them open at the start of November and just dive in.

But I did end up holding off until the week of Thanksgiving, which is typically when I begin tip-toeing into Christmas celebrations. And those two books were awesome! They were exactly what I love in a Christmas novel and everything I had hoped they would be. Then...

I began another Christmas novel, and it just didn't cut it for me. The writing was horrendous and it felt as though you were walking right into the middle of a story when in fact the book was just beginning. So I began another, and it was the most depressing thing I'd read in a long time. On to another...this time the story just didn't vibe with me. It wasn't bad or depressing or anything like that, but I just couldn't get into it. None felt particularly cozy or Christmasy or how I feel a festive novel should be. And I do NOT like depressing, heavy, dark stories any time of the year, but especially at Christmas when it's supposed to be cheery and fun and magical. So I fell into a bit of a reading slump. My December reading dreams were crushed and it honestly put me into a sort of a funk.

I have since picked up a delightful cozy novel...not 100% Christmas, but definitely, 100% cozy and my cup of tea and I have also picked up a couple new-to-me Christmas novels that I'm cautiously trying out. I learned that finding a Christmas book with a good story that is well-written with light, funny, quirky characters and moments, that feels, truly feels like Christmas is actually a hard thing to do. Who would have thought?!?!

With that said, these books I'm sharing here today are on my list of favorite cozy December Christmasy reads and they are exactly what I just described...perfectly festive and delightful and magical and cozy. None of that other junk that I ran into earlier this month.

Rambling aside, let's get started!

A Match Made at Christmas ♥ A Cross-Country Christmas 

by Courtney Walsh

Let me begin with the two new Christmas books that I purchased this autumn. This is what got me so excited for Christmas reading...these two books right here. Both by Courtney Walsh and both utterly festive and just plain fun.

Both of these books had a similar feel and yet the stories were different so it didn't feel like I was reading the same thing twice. They are two totally separate stories with no relation to each other whatsoever. Courtney Walsh writes romantic stories with a wonderful sense of place. You feel like you are in one of her books when you read them. I've read one other book by her before and I do notice, at least with these three, that all her characters tend to be sort of the same type. Her male characters are definitely stereotypical and I personally don't care for that. That's not exactly what I'm into and it honestly gets old reading only about male characters described as so stereotypical. And her female characters are a little more sarcastic and mouthy than I prefer and all her characters tend to fall into the trendy category. So as far as characters go, hers aren't my favorite. I find it really hard to relate to them, and I find that I prefer stories with characters that I can see myself in.

 But as for place and story, she is great! These books both felt so Christmasy and festive and like you sort of walked into a Hallmark movie...the older ones when they were actually good. And they were light and fun stories with quirky, hilarious moments tucked in here and there. They had sweet romance, sentimental and heartwarming moments and just made you feel warm and Christmasy inside. So I'd definitely give these a winning recommendation!

 

Finding Father Christmas ♥ Engaging Father Christmas ♥ Kissing Father Christmas 

by Robin Jones Gunn

These next three stories are a trilogy and should definitely be read in order, in my opinion. They have that cozy Christmasy feel that I think is a must for this sort of book. And being set in a quaint English village complete with a charming tea room is just the cherry on top. My favorite kinds of stories, particularly this time of year, but honestly all the time, are the kind of stories that make you want to curl up with a cup of something warm and comforting, perhaps with the fire lit or candles flickering, cuddled under a thick blanket and just live in the story for a while. These are exactly those kinds of stories, so definitely highly recommended. But again, do read them in order.

And yes, these books were made into Hallmark Christmas movies. I haven't seen all three but the first two that I have seen I did actually quite enjoy. I'm not too keen on the actor and actress they cast for the main roles and there were some changes here and there, but overall, they were fun movies and did show a good bit of the book's content.

Christmas at Fairacre by Miss Read

Miss Read became a favorite of mine this past autumn when I finally read the first of her Fairacre novels. I had tasted just a bit of her writing a few years back when I read the first story in this Christmas collection of hers entitled Christmas at Fairacre. But this autumn just sealed the deal...now I must get my hands on all the Miss Read books I can. Her writing is the cozy, gentle, comforting type that whisks you away to a quaint little English village where you meet some delightful characters each truly celebrated for their special uniquenesses and qualities. She does that all while settling you down right where you are, causing you to become ever more aware of the beauty right before your eyes. Her Christmas stories are no different. She is a one-of-a-kind writer in my opinion and truly shouldn't be missed. Her stories will make you smile and warm your heart to overflowing...and this Christmas collection is no different.

Shepherds Abiding by Jan Karon

This was the most heartwarming, charming story that one could read at Christmastime. Truly, I was entirely engrossed in the story and my heart grew attached to the loving characters of Mitford. The story is one that will bring warmth to your heart and remind you of both the magic of the season and what is the true celebration of this time of year...the love of family, close friends and community, and home are vividly painted throughout this book as well. Though this book is part of a series, I read it as a stand-alone, and you most certainly can too. But, I'll bet you'll want to read the others in the series once you finish this Christmas story. Just as I do. Why not spend your December in Mitford? 

There you have it, my friends! I had intended on having so many more books to share, but alas, I did run into a dead-end with some real duds this month. Because I had such a hard time with Christmas books this month, I'm hoping the ones I'm reading now are enjoyable. And hopefully, I'll avoid meeting any more duds in the future. 

I would love to know what types of Christmas books you enjoy and what titles are filling your baskets and bedside tables this month, so do feel free to share below!

Until next time, happy and cheery reading to you!

♥

 

beloved christmas movies ♥ my list of favorites

December greetings, my lovely reader friends!

How is it already well into December?!?! I did not realize that it was indeed the second week of December until just yesterday and then it hit me...the days until Christmas are lessening very rapidly. 

We are just beginning to decorate our home this week...a little bit here and there, that's how we like to do it. Up until a couple years ago, we would go full steam ahead and get all the decorating done in one weekend. Then one year we just unconsciously did it slowly and it wasn't until after Christmas that we realized what we'd done. It was without a doubt a good thing and we all heartily agreed that from now on that was how we were going to go about it. Funnily enough, it ends up being more fun because each year we end up making several crafts or decorations for our Christmas festivities and most of the time, our creations are suitable to stay out all winter long. 

Another favorite unconscious thing we began a few years back is spending December at home as much as possible. In years past, we would go out lots of evenings to look at Christmas lights and decorations around town and into the city. We would have lots of shopping that still needed to be completed. And then one year, we just stayed home. And we absolutely loved it! Our days and evenings just being at home puttering about as we decorated this or that, or enjoying crafting sessions, or game nights, or just whatever...it was absolute bliss. So, a homey, slow December is just what we love.

And one of those December things that makes this time of year extra fun and festive are the movies. Today I want to share my absolute favorites with you...pour some hot cocoa and curl up with your most snuggly blanket, because I think you may want to watch at least one of these very soon. {{smiles}}

. . . . . . . . . .

Let me begin by saying that I (for the most part) do not prefer more recent Christmas movies. Whether they are on Hallmark Channel (don't even get me started!) or in the theatre, for me, they just don't seem Christmasy or have the charm and magic that the ones from my childhood do...or even ones that are are from "back in the day". So you probably won't find anything too modern on this list, but in my opinion, the best of Christmas movies are the ones from years ago!

. . . . . . . . . .

Home Alone 1 & 2

This is the first Christmas movie I remember watching as a little girl. Ever since I was a toddler, probably even before I can remember, we have watched these movies every single year. Without fail. They are hands down some of the best! And I don't think you can get more of a classic than Home Alone. And while we do enjoy the third and fourth editions, the first two are by far our favorites. Oh, and do stay away from the newest remake on Disney Plus. It is an absolute disgrace!

Christmas with the Kranks

We first saw this movie in the theatre when I was about ten years old, and it's been a favorite ever since. This movie will make you laugh over and over, your sides will eventually hurt. It seems as though any Christmas movie with Tim Allen is a favorite, and this one is no different. We watch it multiple times each season.

Santa Clause 1, 2, & 3

These are also movies that I grew up with. The second one is my favorite of the series....but I love the others too. Tim Allen IS Santa Claus in my mind, and I love the imaginative story-telling of these.

Eloise at Christmastime

Another childhood classic...I loved, loved this movie when I was younger. And even though, I'm in my late twenties now, I still love it. This movie is such a fun, cheerful, happy, festive one and I simply must watch it every December. It just feels so magical. I'll probably still be watching this when I'm old and grey.

Holiday in Handcuffs

I love this movie...usually comical holiday movies are dumb and stupid (example: "Elf") in my opinion, but not this one. It's just plain hilarious! The scenery in this one is to die for (as is the case in most my favorite movies), and while there are plenty of moments to laugh until you cry, there's also sweet, tender, touching moments as well. 

The Christmas Gift

This is one of my mom's favorite movies, one reason being because her favorite singer, John Denver, is the main actor. I admit that I love this one as well...a quaint and charming snow-covered mountain town where the neighbors are practically family...that sounds like a dream to me...and everyone just so happens to believe in Santa Clause. {{smiles}} This one is heartwarming in all the ways imaginable!

A Heartland Christmas

One of my family's favorite TV series is Heartland (we only like seasons 1-7), and this movie goes along with the show. It is like a regular episode, except longer, better and Christmasy! I LOVE it! And the scenery in this movie is beautiful, as well. {{smiles}}

Little Women

This one isn't exactly a Christmas movie, but nonetheless, it's one that I love watching this time of year. There is a bit of Christmas in it, which is one of my favorite parts. Our favorite is the 1994 version, though we also love the PBS version (my sister and I loved everything about that version, especially the music!)...perfect to watch anytime of year, even at Christmas! It feels so very cozy! ♥

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

I personally don't like too many Hallmark movies...the acting is terrible and the storylines are ridiculously simple and they just seem to get worse each year. Not to mention, that in recent years, they are FULL of hidden messages and social and political agendas. They don't even feel Christmasy anymore. But this one is older and literally one of the only ones I enjoy...and I do love this one. It has been a favorite since I was a teenager and it's such a fun one to watch...it has humor, sentimental moments, and Christmasy cheer.

Miracle on 34th Street

We love watching the original 1947 version of this movie and always enjoy seeing it around Thanksgiving time...or sometime in December at least. This is the only "classic" that I grew up with and I've loved it since I was a little girl. I have not seen the newer version, though I would like to, maybe this year. But like most things...the original is the best.

The Holiday

I'll be honest and say that this movie doesn't feel super Christmasy to me. For me, it's more of a cozy winter movie. But since it is usually under the Christmas category, I'll include it here. The scenery is so dreamy and that's probably my favorite part. I wouldn't say the storyline stands out to me or is anything too special, but because it has that really cozy vibe, I do love watching it in the wintertime.

While You Were Sleeping

This is a movie that is newer to me, though it is from the 90's...aren't all the best movies and TV shows from the 90's? Anyway, this one had that family storyline and the heartwarming side that a Christmas movie should have. It also had comedy that literally had me laughing out loud...so definitely a winner as far as Christmas movies go.

Harry Potter

While Harry Potter isn't entirely Christmas...there's really only just a scene here or there, but quite a bit of snowy castle and village scenes, too...it just feels so cozy. I've seen the first four entirely and the final four in bits and pieces here and there, but I'm going to change that real soon. These are fun movies that make you believe in goodness and magic again. And you'll end up just really wishing you could board the train to Hogwarts...at least I do every time I watch them.

. . . . . . . . . .

Not ending with just movies, I wanted to include my list of must-watch Christmas episodes of what are, in my opinion, some of the best shows out there. Each year, I love picking a handful or so of these Christmas episodes and settling in for an evening of coziness and festive fun. Several of the shows below have multiple Christmas episodes throughout the entire series, while others just have one or two. Either way, I think they are pretty special and make it feel even more like Christmas.

Call the Midwife

Each season of Call the Midwife has a Christmas special, and I honestly don't think I could pick a favorite. Each one is truly so special and memorable. But then again, this entire series is that way.

Downton Abbey

It's been years since I watched Downton Abbey, but with the new movie coming out next year, I want to rewatch them to jog my memory on what all happened. And the Christmas episodes are some of the ones I'm looking forward to the most. Of course, the most memorable moment on a Christmas special was when Mary finally said YES to Matthew's proposal. Why, oh why, did they have to make him die? Aaahhhh!

Little House on the Prairie

These are just comforting and fun to watch...and make you long for simpler, more peaceful times when people were kinder and gentler towards one another and when family and home were valued above all else. When sweetness was found in ordinary days and people knew what was truly important.

7th Heaven

A long time favorite of mine, the Christmas episode from season three is my all-time number one favorite. It's funny, touching and heartwarming and full of Christmas spirit and cheer.

The Middle

Whenever I'm wanting something light and funny and just downright quirky, I turn to The Middle. This show really does the seasonal and holiday episodes up right. I love them completely! Especially the ending of the Christmas episode in season nine...yes, we squealed! (No spoilers here, though! You'll have to watch the series for yourself...start at the beginning ,too.)

Home Improvement

This is another show I turn to for something hilarious and sometimes ridiculous...and the Christmas episodes are no different. Seriously, why is Tim Allen just so darn funny?

Gilmore Girls

Gilmore Girls has just two Christmas episodes and they aren't even all that Christmasy, if you ask me. Seriously, I love this show to bits, but I do wish they had done more holiday episodes. But regardless, it is a must-watch for me and I love the little quirky celebrations that the Gilmores do to celebrate Christmas.

. . . . . . . . . .

And finally, I have a few new-to-me titles that I have on my list to watch this December...and into the winter. (I love spreading out Christmas movies and such all throughout the winter. It makes the season more cozy and fun!) Here they are... 

Lark Rise to Candleford

I've tried watching this series a couple of times and just can't seem to get into it. It seems like just my cup of tea but for whatever reason, the show just seems boring to me. I really want to like it though. I though that maybe if I try a Christmas episode (I have to see if there are any first) that may get me into it. If not, then I know it's just not for me. Sadly, because it sounds really delightful.

 

Christmas in Connecticut

My mom and I began this movie over the weekend but have yet to finish it. So far I am really enjoying it and can't wait to see how Christmas at the farm ends up.

The Bishop's Wife

And finally, this is the second movie (aside from the one above) that I heard are must-watches for December. They both seem like something I would adore, so I'm looking forward to finding out for myself.

. . . . . . . . . .

There you have it, friends...all my beloved favorite Christmas movies and shows. These are delightful companions in December and throughout the winter, making festive fun and coziness last the whole season long. 

I'd love to know what YOUR favorite Christmas movies are, so do please share below.

I hope you are having a cheery December so far and finding beauty in all the small things...

soon, I'll be sharing my favorite Christmas books, so do come back then!

♥ ♥ ♥

a cozy teatime ♥ a homey christmas & what delights me

A cheery good morning to you, dearies!

Oh, how delighted I am to be back this week with another cozy teatime...and this one is quite long, so consider this your invitation to pop the kettle on, pull out a festive mug and make something to warm you from the inside out. Get comfy and settle in...we're chatting about autumn's ending and the start of Christmas fun!

 

Today's teatime is a result of leftover Thanksgiving dessert...I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I think Thanksgiving is about many things, but three of them are the side dishes, desserts, and leftovers. But first, let me share what's in my cup today. This is one of my favorites that I first discovered a couple years back and I still adore the flavor. It has a happy flavor, if that doesn't sound too weird. But it just makes me smile as I take in the scent wafting off my cup and then the taste is gentle and lovely. I'm not too keen on strong flavors, so this is perfect. And again, how cute is this tea box?

For our Thanksgiving this year, it was my parents, sister and myself at home...on a grey, chilly, rainy day. Absolute perfection according to me! We had an apple herb-roasted turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potato casserole with pecan crumble on top, green bean casserole with almonds and crunchy onions, roasted asparagus, corn, cranberry sauce, olives and rolls. Everything was entirely made from scratch except for the cranberry sauce, olives and corn, which came from a can and the rolls were the kind you rise and bake yourself from frozen dough balls. With everything else we had in the oven, we didn't have space nor the time to allow dough to rise for hours. And everything was divine!

Pumpkin pie is perhaps the most popular dessert on Thanksgiving tables, but it just isn't our favorite. No matter how I make it, I just can't get on board that train. But combining pumpkin and cheesecake and seasonal spices along with a gingersnap crust...well, that's heaven in my opinion. So we most definitely enjoyed our Autumn Spiced Cheesecake. And it is also a no-bake recipe so it seriously saved space by not having to bake it in the oven. Just make it the night before, stick it in the fridge and forget about it. And it is my teatime treat for today...Thanksgiving leftovers. You just can't beat them! {{smiles}}

 You can find the recipe HERE which I shared a few years back. 

And finally, I pulled out my Christmas mugs early last week. I typically decorate my bedroom the week of Thanksgiving, while the rest of the house gets decorated the week after Thanksgiving. And my seasonal mugs were awaiting me to unpack them from their boxes. This one is a cute, colorful kitty mug, which if you know me, you know anything animal-related has my heart. And while I love the traditional colors of Christmas, it's also fun to have some things that have a different color scheme. This one feels super wintry to me.

Christmas preparations are finally underway in our home. Our Christmas tree is up and awaiting ornaments and garland and the bow on top this week. Christmas music is being played as I write these very words and I've already read two Christmas novels. And last night, we watched the remake of the Walton's Homecoming movie. It wasn't as bad or as cringy as most remakes these days, but I did feel it lacked the old-fashioned charm and spirit of the original show. But it was still good and fun to watch. You can say that it's feeling a lot like Christmas these days. And I've got Christmas crafts on my mind, too. 

Last year, I made a TON of stars, which we loved having hung up in our home all throughout Christmas and the entire winter season. They looked absolutely darling and had such an old-fashioned charm about them. We saved them at the end of winter last year and are bringing them back out this week. We were just discussing last night how we wanted to hang them all up. I shared a simple tutorial over on my YouTube channel if you'd like to make some of your own. I share three different styles, but you should be creative and try out whatever style you fancy. 

You can find the video HERE.

There are also a couple simple but sweet crafts that I hope to set to work on soon. I'll be sure to share them in a post once they are completed and on display.

You are never too old to believe in the magic of Christmas.

~ Jane Lee Logan ~

One of the topics for this week's teatime is pleasant pastimes. And it's funny because my mom, sister and I were having a chat about this very thing in the car over the weekend as we were going for a drive to see the Christmas decorations around town. We all agreed that we have many hobbies and interests, but it's setting aside the time to do them that we need to be better about. It can be easy to settle into a way of just watching TV in your free time or of thinking that there is something better to do with your time. But we all agreed that we want to change that in our lives...and make more time for the things which bring us delight. And while we do have some individual interests, most of our hobbies and interests, we have in common and therefore, like to do together.

For us, these things include Christmas baking at this time of year and putting together baskets to share with neighbors and friends, making crafts to decorate our home with, and having a cup of tea or something else warm and comforting in the evenings, among many other things, too.

Aside from reading, which I adore and do nearly every single day, at least for half an hour...though usually, longer because stories just enchant me and I can't put them down, and cooking, which I also do regularly, because we've got to eat and I love preparing meals, trying new recipes, experimenting with my own creations and so on, there are other pastimes that aren't something I necessarily do every single day. These are things that I want to make more time for and learn more about. I can knit very basic stitches but I'd love to learn more kinds of stitches and venture out and try making some new items. So far I've only made cowls, scarves and headbands. I'd also love to learn to crochet. Hand embroidery is something I discovered I loved early this year and want to continue on with the project I began in the spring. I keep a commonplace journal, which I add to quite frequently, at least once a week. But next year, I hope to begin a new kind of journal for me...kind of a mix of a domestic diary and seasonal journaling and other bits and bobs. And finally, I always love photography, and have kind of lost touch with it the last while and really miss it and how creative it inspires me to be. Those are just a few of the things that I've already ventured into and love but want to grow in this coming year.

What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes?

Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,

everything is softer and more beautiful.

~ Norman Vincent Peale ~

As I rambled through our garden this weekend, I noticed that quite a lot had changed since the week before. Berries began to make their grand appearance on our holly bush and the bursts of red against the deep green is such a Christmasy sight. Along with that, I discovered other berries of deep purple on a tree and the monkey grass. I think that's a sure sign of wintertime coming. Our yard is absolutely, completely covered in leaves and I think it looks quite fairy-tale like. You can hardly see where the driveway is because there are just so many leaves, and that's after my dad mulched an entire yard covering at least twice so far this season. Our home is surrounded by many trees, and trees equal leaves. I may be alone in this thought, but I do think a yard and driveway covered in leaves is much more appealing in the late autumn than one that is completely cleared out of leaves. Of course, we will clear them again, more than once, probably many more times before springtime comes again.

I'm ready for winter...

falling snowflakes, scarves,

and mittens.

{{ yes, I am, indeed! }}

As I mentioned above, I have already read two Christmas novels this season...

I'm planning on coming back here later this week to share my list of beloved Christmas novels, 

but I want to know your favorites, too.

So, what are YOUR favorite Christmas novels and stories?

 Please do share with me either through a comment or by sending me a message via the form on the sidebar.

Last bits of color before winter's simple and quiet and bare beauty set in... 

Our picket fence...inviting us to step through and explore earth's seasonal goodness...

And, a reminder to us all to LOOK UP...there is beauty and wonder all around us...

Don't you just love when a mug has a sweet design on both sides...

Well, my friends, this concludes another cozy teatime. How I hope you enjoyed this week's musings!

May your week be filled with festive preparations and lots of cheer!

♥

a cozy teatime ♥ thankfulness, the blessing of home, & apple cake

Happy Tuesday evening, lovelies!

Today is another festive seasonal teatime, so I invite you to grab a cup of something warm and delicious and perhaps a little treat and settle in for awhile...let's get cozy!

This past week has absolutely been gorgeous! It seems at though all the leaves in town decided to turn color at the exact same time. Driving down the streets is quite like driving through an autumnal postcard...trees on either side of the road bursting with leaves of gold and crimson and sometimes even pumpkin orange, though that is the least common color. As soon as I think I like one color best, another color becomes my new favorite, only to happen again several more times before I return home again. Leaves are piling up on the roadsides and the sidewalks are basically a carpet of crunchiness.

For my tea today I'm enjoying a mug full of blueberry tea, one of my absolute favorites. I love the gentle flavor of this tea and the beautiful color inside my mug getting deeper as it steeps makes me smile. Of course, with most herbal teas, the scent is blissful, too! And I'm using a bright and colorful mug in the Pioneer Woman's line. I received this mug in a teacup and mug exchange that I participated in numerous times hosted by a dear blogger. Sadly, she is no longer blogging but that event is such a fun memory of mine. {{smiles}}

Seeing as how this was "apple week" in the teatime series I had already planned on making an apple dessert this weekend, so the timing was perfect. Our tart apples were sitting on the counter just waiting to be included as the star ingredient in a scrumptious seasonal dessert.

This apple skillet cake recipe was found in a cookbook that I dearly love for several reasons. Honey and Jam by Hannah Queen is a gorgeous cookbook that can easily be read from cover to cover. It is divided up into four seasons with all the recipes featuring ingredients that are in season at that specific time of year. I love sitting down with this book at the start of each season and choosing one or two special desserts to bake during the upcoming months to truly celebrate that season. I first made this apple skillet cake our first autumn here at Shady Cottage, three years ago. It was such a fun cake to make because it is baked in one of our cast iron skillets...these things are so versatile and useful, we just love them! 

The cake is soft and filled with apples. I always use tart apples and I really think it makes the flavor really stand out. The crumble topping is perhaps my favorite part as I am a lover of anything with a crumble on top. Though I must say, I think that the next time I make this recipe instead of using cold butter like the recipe calls for in the crumble, I'm going to use melted butter. I think that will give more of the texture that I prefer in a crumbly topping. Also, I left out the rosemary in the topping...I just wasn't in the mood for that flavor. Next time I’ll also add some spices, too! 

This week's theme is thankful hearts and home blessing. While I could write about gentle homemaking rhythms that we incorporate in our home or how we are preparing our home for Thanksgiving or share the things I'm most grateful for, I thought I would combine the two themes into one. And how I wish to share that is through a few specially selected excerpts on the blessing of home from a couple of my favorite novels. These passages that I've chosen are, in my opinion, absolutely beautiful descriptions of home and of the blessing that home is. These words warmed my heart and I found a kindred spirit within their message, and I hope you do, too.

The two books I'll be sharing from in this blog post are:

Pilgrim's Inn (I shared about this novel here.)

The Tale of Hill Top Farm (I shared about this novel here.)

And both of them I heartily recommend!

In Pilgrim's Inn, this is how the author described the home in the story...

It looked immensely strong, as strong as a fortress, glowing and safe, friendly and warm and most deeply alive...The beauty of this place had laid a spell upon them. It seemed too good to be true...It seemed gathering them in, holding them close...It was like a strong stone fortress and it welcomed you with a mighty laugh.

It was wonderful driving home with the last glow of the sunset lingering in the west and the hedges black and mysterious on either side. There were lights in the cottage windows, and sometimes they had forgotten to draw the curtains and one saw the flicker of firelight, the bright heads of children sitting round a table munching their 'cooked tea', a man reading a paper with a pipe in his mouth, or a woman with head bent over her darning. This, too, was new to Caroline, used to the years of blackout. It was lovely and most magical, like turning the pages of a storybook, each fresh window a fresh story.

~ both excerpts taken from Pilgrim's Inn ~

Here are some of my family's favorite apple recipes...

Apple Herb Roasted Chicken

Apple Spice Bread

Autumn Apple Granola Muffins

Apple Spice Scones with Cider cinnamon Glaze

Simple Apple Butter 

Instead of the lap of the water against the river wall, they heard the whisper of the flames, and instead of the flowers in the garden they smelled the roasting chestnuts, burning apple logs, coffee, the oil lamps, polish, all the house smells. This intimacy with the house was deepening; when winter came it would be deeper still.

There were some fine bits of Bristol ware upon the mantlepiece, flowered chintz curtains at the windows, strips of plain matting upon the floor, and pots of geraniums upon the window sills. The table was laid for tea with a blue-and-white-check tablecloth, willow-pattern china, a homemade cake, scones, and honey. The room was gracious, lived in, warm, glowing, and altogether glorious...And extraordinarily familiar...Standing there in the sunlight and firelight George and the children felt as though they had come home. They looked at each other, but they could not speak.

~ both excerpts from Pilgrim's Inn ~

What Beatrix loved more than anything else were tiny cottages with crooked roofs, their stone-flagged floors brightened by rag rugs, the 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. Farm houses with no pretensions to grandeur, with mullioned windows and thick walls and narrow passages turning and twisting every which way...Homes that made her want to reach for her pencil and draw.

Perhaps it was her artist's heart that coveted the warm glow of firelight reflected from copper-bottomed pans, or her artist's soul that longed for shafts of dusty sunlight falling through windows bright with blooming flowers. She sketched these whenever she could, and in a way, these sketches of cozy rooms and sunlit windows and comfortable furniture, peopled with cats and mice and little dogs, substituted for a home of her own and a family that didn't sulk and glower at her. But Beatrix knew that she could never be entirely happy until she lived in her own house, a real house, exactly the right house.

~ both excerpts taken from The Tale of Hill Top Farm ~

Some of my previously written posts on gentle homemaking...

Homemaking & Domesticity ♥ An Artist's Life

Mission: Making a Cozy Atmosphere

Cultivating a Haven of Peace & Comfort

Gentle Homemaking Rhythms & Routines

Slow & Simple Homemaking ♥ Gently Tending to Your Home

She could make Hill Top into her own domain, a house of her own, with everything in it just as she wanted it. The house would be the house of her dreams, the house where she belonged, where she could imagine herself leading the kind of life that would make her, at last, content. And all around her would lie her own land, fold and fallow, garden and green meadows and pretty patches of woods. And on it she would have own animals: cows and pigs and chickens and sheep, yes, Herdwick sheep, those sheep who instinctively knew their own heaf.

~  taken from The Tale of Hill Top Farm ~

I don't know about you, but those passages remind me of the beauty, importance, and most of all, the blessing of home. I am reminded of just how thankful I am for home and family and for the life lived within our four walls. I'm grateful even for the tasks done in order to make a house a home and for the creativity and art that homemaking really, truly is. How warm, comforting, cozy, snuggly and settled in our home feels...I hope you have that, too.

May your week be a blissful one, dear friends! 

Savour the beauty of November and cherish the world of home...today, tomorrow and forever! 

♥