Wisdom

 

Source: Internet

"Snowflakes are one of nature's most fragile things, but just look at what they can do when they stick together."

                    ... Vista M. Kelly

Merry Christmas - The Twelve Days

                                                    💖🙏💝🙏💖🙏💝🙏💖

On the first day of Christmas I pray for you joy in abundance and laughter, for laughter cures our ills and joy makes our spirits soar.

On the second day of Christmas, I pray for you a sigh when you need one, for a sigh clears the heart as a cough clears the throat, and with a sigh comes acceptance of what we cannot change.

On the third day of Christmas, I pray for you tears when you need them, for tears clear the eyes to see the stars and cleanse the soul to let healing being.

On the fourth day of Christmas, I pray for you serenity, for fights and wars start in individual breaths and that is where they must end.

On the fifth day of Christmas, I pray for you wisdom, for our priceless gift is the gift of choice - and we should use it well every day, in word and deed.

On the sixth day of Christmas, I pray for you patience, for most troubles pass if we wait them out, and success comes with persistence.

On the seventh day of Christmas, I pray for you courage, for there may be many pitfalls and dangers ahead and problems can only be solved when they are faced.

On the eighth day of Christmas, I pray for you compassion, for we cannot help others until we understand them, and we cannot understand them until we walk in their shoes.

On the ninth day of Christmas, I pray for you a willingness to work, for work turns dreams to reality-whether the dreams are ours or belong to those we can help.

On the tenth day of Christmas, I pray for you unwavering faith, for faith shapes our morals and our destiny and draws us closer to God.

On the eleventh day of Christmas, I pray for you a mind full of hope, for hope determines our attitudes, sets our goals and creates our ideals.

On the twelfth day of Christmas, I pray for you a heart so full of love that every day you must give some away to those whose paths you cross.

Wisdom Fun

There's wisdom in having a laugh or two.  

What's your snowman's name?

Source:Internet

OR

Source: Internet

Me On A Monday - December 18th

 

From Last Year When We Had Snow

Fa La La La, LaLaLaLa & Good Morning.  We are now in the final week before Christmas. I hope that all your plans are coming into fulfillment as you have designed.  It doesn't look like it will be a white Christmas for us in our region.  It rained for most of the day on Saturday & Sunday & daytime temperatures have been around +5 (c).  Christmas Day, for us will be a quiet day together.  This year our church is hosting the Christmas morning service.  Not sure that I will attend.  I'm feeling a little cautious being in enclosed spaces with many that I do not know & if they will mask or not.  Although Christmas Eve service is usually when the Easter crowd attend (wink wink).

Not a lot to update you on, life is busy, lots of eye appointments for Mr Man.  We are certainly hoping for a break over Christmas.  

Today I'm sharing with you, a new to me, Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake recipe.  I haven't made as yet, but I've plans for a making between Boxing Day & New Year's.  

• Orange Cranberry Bundt Cake
•  2 tsp sugar (first amount)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3 large eggs
• zest of an orange (about 1 Tbsp)
• juice of an orange
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 TBS milk or orange juice
•  
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a bundt pan with cooking spray, or grease with butter. Sprinkle 2 tsp of sugar in the bundt pan and distribute. Add 1/4 cup of fresh cranberries to the bottom of the pan evenly. Set the bundt pan aside
• Mix the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl and set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl cream together butter and sugar with the mixer on medium high until the mixture is very light and fluffy (about 4-5 minutes).
• Add the eggs one at a time. Mix to incorporate. Mix the orange juice and zest to the mixture. Blend to incorporate. Add the sour cream and blend.
• Add the flour to the wet ingredients on third at a time. Mix till it is just incorporated. Don't overmix. Fold the remainder of the cranberries by hand to the batter very gently. Being Careful not to crush any cranberries. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the cake.
• Let the cake stand for 5 minutes. Then turn the cake over onto a wire rack. Cool completely.
• Mix the powdered sugar and milk or orange juice together to make a glaze. If it is too thin add more sugar. If it is too thick add more liquid.
• Put the cake on a cake plate. Glaze the cake in a back and forth motion from the Outside to the inside of the cake. Serve with fresh whipped cream. Garish with frosted cranberries and mint leaves

Source: Internet

And as next Monday is Christmas Day, I'll check in with you on Boxing Day - Tuesday.  Merry Christmas to you all.  May the season bring you Hope, Peace, Joy & Love.

Wisdom

 

Source: Internet

"To appreciate the beauty of a snowflake, it is necessary that you stand out in the cold"

                Aristotle 

Me On A Monday - December 11th

Source: Internet

A couple of years ago, Ruth at This West London Life introduced me to Nigella's Easy Cranberry sauce, which I now make for Christmas.  This year I discovered Niegella's Christmas Chutney recipe.  Another fairly easy one to make, but reaps taste bud delights.  In her original recipe the pepper she called for was of the too spicy for me, so I just added a little regular black pepper, but if you need the heat, then be sure to switch the black pepper up for the cayenne pepper.

                                                                   🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄

Nigella’s Christmas Chutney

5 cups peeled & chopped apples

1 medium onion chopped finely

4 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

2 cups pitted dates, each one cut into thirds

2 clementines or Satsumas 

2 cups super fine sugar

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground ginger

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp pepper

2 cups white wine vinegar

1 tsp salt

•  
• YOU WILL NEED: 9 x 250ml / 1-cup sealable jars, with vinegar-proof lid, such as Kilner jars or re-usable pickle jars.
• Sterilize your jars by washing them well in soapy water, then rinse them and let them dry in a cool (140ºC/gas mark 1/275ºC) oven. If you’re putting warm chutney into them, all jars must be warm. Or use dishwasher-clean jars fresh from the machine.

Method

1. put apples, onion cranberries, dates into a large pan. Zest the clementines, squeeze the juice & scape the pulp into the pan.
2. add the sugar, spices. stir to thoroughly blend, bring to a slow boil, sir, turn down the heat & allow to bubble cheerfully uncovered for about an hour. Stir thoroughly several times.
3. turn off heat, cool to warm & spoon into prepared jars & seal.
  

 

Wisdom

 

 

Source: Internet

Like snowflakes, my Christmas memories gather and dance, each beautiful, unique and gone too soon.    (Deborah Whipp)

Me On A Monday - December 4th

At The Mall

Good Morning. It's all a go for the festive season.  On Friday, we had snow on the ground, very pretty snow. The kind that makes the whole world seem like a Christmas card.  It's mostly gone now, with the milder days of +5 & rain.  Makes me think more of a Dickens like Christmas scene rather than a Thomas Kinkade scene.

Currently Reading:  the fourth & latest book in the Thursday Murder Club series; All The Devils Die. Of all the books in the series, I am enjoying this one the most.  My Christmas book requests are slow in arriving to the library.

Currently Watching:  the start of season 8 of Shetland with the introduction of the new DI Ruth Calder played by Ashley Jensen.

Currently Feeling: like a pin cushion. We just had our annual flu jab & 3 weeks ago we had the most current Covid vaccine jab.  

Currently Wisdom: did you notice my Wednesday Wisdom theme for November ... silence?  

Currently Observing Advent:  This first Sunday is for Hope.  Oh yes, hope is much needed in the world right now, IMO.

And speaking of Advent, I have never seen so many varieties of Advent calendars, both online & in home. The variety of Advent calendars for adults is staggering.  There are ones for tea lovers, puzzle lovers, bath lovers, of course one for chocolate lovers. There's even one for Scotch experts.  Did you get yourself an Advent calendar this year?

And now let the hoping begin ... "don't lose hope when the sun goes down, it is then that the stars come out".