New Year's Eve

I took this photo just as the moon would have been coming up today. We couldn't see it for the fog, though. Wishing you and yours a blessed and wonderful New Year. We could all use a blessed one now, couldn't we? Cheers, my friends.

Just a little bird

Taken from my kitchen window late this afternoon, hence the blur. She's pretty, though. A couple of textures added: an older one from Ghostbones and a newer one from SkeletalMess (formerly Ghostbones) at Shadow House Creations. There is a cornucopia of textures at this site, so check it out.
Hope your New Year is a good one, all.

The lamp is burning low upon my table top

The lamp is burning low upon my table top
The snow is softly falling
The air is still within the silence of my room
I hear your voice softly calling.

If I could only have you near
To breathe a sigh or two

I would be happy just to hold the hands I love
On this winter's night with you.

SONG FOR A WINTER'S NIGHT
Music and lyrics by Gordon Lightfoot
Sung by Sarah McLachlan

To listen to this song, {click here}.

The apple pie that wins hearts

Someone was cranky today. I won't name names but decided to cheer that someone up with one of their favorite desserts. This homemade apple pie is really wonderful, people. It's simple and perfect, and easy to prepare. The recipe is from Farm Journal's Country Cookbook (Doubleday & Co., Inc. 1959, reprinted 1972) and I highly recommend this pie.

FAVORITE APPLE PIE
A pie that lives up to its name ~ it's one of our best
Pastry for 2-crust pie
6 large tart apples
2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/8 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
3 Tbsp. butter
Peel and quarter apples into saucepan (cut each quarter into about 4 slices). Add 1/4 cup cold water; simmer just until tender, about 5 minutes (do not overcook). Cool.
Fill pastry-lined 9" pie pan with cooled apples.
Combine remaining ingredients, except butter; sprinkle over apples; dot with butter. Moisten edges of undercrust.
Adjust top crust; cut 6 chevron vents; flute edges.
Bake in very hot oven (450 deg)10 minutes; reduce heat to moderate (350 deg) and bake 45 minutes longer.

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I use an old family recipe for the pie crust. And if you must know, it's Betty Crocker pie crust mix. Just add water and roll. And I always put a heart in the middle. It's a symbol of how much I love to cook.
Not.
Apologies to all who are planning on dieting for the New Year. I just had to share this.

Weekly dose of George

Somebody's been digging. Probably in an old groundhog hole. Good job, George.
Contest still going on at my other blog.

Little brown wren

This little fella flew into our mudroom on Christmas morning. I choose to think it is a good sign. He moved remarkably fast but I managed to get a photo of him clinging to the wall.
You know, it's funny. With Christmas over, I was feeling a tad bit bereft of happiness. (I actually speak this way in real life, so don't get all jumpy).
So here I was feeling this way and thought I'd just go on up to bed. Then I remembered I had yet to post for today and began to look through my holiday photos which made me smile, as did this little bird. AND . . . The Bishop's Wife just started. I think I will stay up for awhile. Not so bereft anymore.

Holiday traditions

This is my Christmas cracker from dinner last night. Inside was a joke, a plastic toy and a silver paper hat. We wear the hats during dinner. And we tell the jokes, which are not at all good. My favorite joke this year (and this proves how bad they are): "What is a frog's favorite drink?" Answer: Croak-a-Cola. So, yeah.
My husband's family is from Great Britain and the tradition of the Christmas crackers at dinnertime is one of my favorites. My least favorite is the figgy pudding. Oh, I love the lighting of it, but the taste? It must be an acquired taste. I have yet to acquire it, however.
I love Christmas at my in-laws. This year, however, we left before charades.
Giveaway over at my other blog today! Come celebrate my two-year anniversary at blogging.