Current Events: Setting Boundaries

From Zazzle

The only border walls (or is it fences? or slats?) our nation truly needs are the ones around little Donnie Trump's adult day care playpen!

                

Seasonal Style: Winter Buffalo Check Redux

From Lime Lush

My enthusiastic embrace of red and black buffalo check for this year's Christmas décor leads me to select the pattern for my Seasonal Style post, even though I have already used it in the past.  Last time the plaid was paired with white, but this time black is the chosen base color.  Since the buffalo check already includes black, the combination is a natural and popular choice, but the tall boots and cowboy hat on the model above give her outfit a unique flair.

From Jedlicka's

Similarly, the deer pillow and rustic wood wall panels painted black give the bedroom shown above a distinctive look of its own.  I haven't gone so far yet as to buy either a woolly vest or new bedding in red and black buffalo check, but these images are really tempting me to consider both!
             

Foodie Fridays: Cheesy Roasted Green Beans

I normally eat cooked green beans plain, but every once in a while I like to indulge in tastier versions.  I found a recipe for Cheesy Roasted Green Beans online and thought it sounded perfect for a dreary winter day, so I gave them a try.  I served them with a plain roasted chicken breast, and they turned a simple meal into a flavorful and satisfying repast.  This recipe is both easy to make and delicious to eat, so I know that I will be serving it often!

Cheesy Roasted Green Beans

8 oz. green beans, trimmed
2 T. olive oil
1 T. shredded Parmesan
1 tsp. minced garlic (2 cloves)
1/4 tsp. salt
pepper to taste (optional)
2/3 C. shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-mozzarella blend)

Lightly grease a baking sheet or pan (I prefer to use a baking pan as sheet pans have a tendency to warp in my oven).  Arrange the green beans on the pan in a single layer.  In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, Parmesan, garlic, and salt (and pepper if using).  Drizzle over the beans and toss to coat evenly.

Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes until tender-crisp and bright green.  Remove from the oven and sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the top.  Return to the oven and cook about five minutes longer until the cheese melts and becomes golden.  Serve immediately.  Serves 2-3.

Note: My oven runs hot, so I decreased the temperature to 400 degrees from the 425 degrees suggested in the original recipe.  The original recipe also suggests broiling the beans after adding the shredded cheese, but this was too hot in my oven so next time I will just keep the temperature set at 400 degrees to melt the cheese.
               

This 'n That Thursdays: Winter Comfort and Joy

From LoveThisPic

The next couple of months are usually our coldest and bleakest of the year here in Georgia.  Before the holiday season ends, I thought I would post some images of seasonal comfort and joy to remind myself that cozy pleasures do exist at this time of the year, exactly because of the wintry conditions.  I hope that these pictures will conjure warm feelings for you as they do for me!

A snug little cabin in the wintry woods
(from The Everygirl).

A crackling fireplace in a cozy rustic living room
(from House & Home).

Snug as a bug on a rug with blankets
(from 87Designs).

A warm and beautiful Fair Isle sweater
(from Dayana Knits).

Ready for a long winter's nap
(from chirad.info).

Lots of pine-scented candles to light
(from 87Designs).

A comfortable little reading corner
(from Dell Food & Design).

A brisk winter walk with dogs
(from The Telegraph).

A warm spot to huddle outdoors
(from Indagare).

⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄❄️⛄

I hope you have discovered your own ways to find comfort and joy even in the depths of winter.  We will soon be putting a few of ours to the test, as we leave for New Mexico right after New Year's Day and it promises to be a frigid (but hopefully not snowy) four days.  I will be packing my warmest sweaters and cozying up to as many fireplaces as we can find!

                

On the Homefront: Buffalo Check and Dalmatians Christmas Brunch Table

Merry the Dalmatian happily shows off her new holiday bow!

Plaid is a popular pattern when decorating for Christmas.  I am not fond of plaid, except for one type, and that is buffalo check!  I like the fact that buffalo check is not too busy - the colors are limited to two, usually red and black, and the intersecting lines of color are simple and the same in size.  I decided my Christmas theme this year would be red and black buffalo check, and I really went all out, buying up as many seasonal items in the pattern as I could find.  This was especially true for tabletop décor, as you can see in the photos below.

I apologize for my poor photo quality.  Our north-facing dining room receives very little natural light at this time of year, and with my limited skill as a photographer and small digital camera I am unable to compensate for this.  Nevertheless, you still get the general idea of what my Christmas table looks like (just imagine it less dark and yellowish!).  The color scheme is red, black, and white, and in addition to the buffalo check Dalmatians are a second theme, in keeping with my year of canine table settings inspired by the fact that 2018 is the Year of the Dog:

Natural wood charger (possibly from Target, ages ago); white dinner plate (Tivoli White by Studio Nova); St. Nicholas Square Buffalo Check Napkin (from Kohl's last year); Dalmatian dessert plate (by Karen Donleavy); white-handled flatware (from Target ages ago); Home Essentials Tuscana Red Stemless Wine Glass for water (from Marshall's a few years ago); black-stemmed wine glass (probably from Target, ages ago); Holidays by Ciroa Buffalo Check Ramekin for chocolates (from HomeGoods this year); ceramic Christmas Dalmatian figurine (from Kroger this year).

A closer look at the cute little Christmas Dalmatian figurine, and the
ramekin holding milk chocolate (red foil) and extra dark chocolate
(black foil) Lindt Lindor truffles (this image is a bit overexposed,
but the colors are more accurate).

Dalmatians Holly and Ivy flank the little artificial tree that dominates
the head of the table.  Dalmatian salt and pepper shakers sit in front
of a festive tin of Walker's Shortbread Scottie Dogs.

In the center of the table is an elongated wooden bowl ready to hold
slices of povitica bread.

A butter dish, a pitcher for orange juice, a charger holding a teapot and
mugs, and a sugar bowl, cream pitcher, and teabags on a small ceramic
tray are  lined up at the foot of the table.

A closer look at the red teapot and Dalmatian mugs.

The Christmas brunch menu is simple and easy to prepare.  The sausage quiche could use a little more seasoning, in my opinion, but the intensely flavored roasted tomatoes served as the side dish add more than enough to compensate.  If you have never tried povitica bread (a type of nut roll), you might want to indulge, because it is one of the best sweet breads I have ever eaten (we like the Reduced Sugar Walnut variety).

Christmas Brunch Menu:

Orange juice

Povitica Bread/Butter

Sausage Quiche*

Roasted Tomatoes

Hot tea or coffee

*Sausage Quiche

1 pkg. (9.6 oz.) Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles

4 green onions, sliced

1 C. shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-mozzarella blend)

4 eggs

2 C. light cream or whole milk

1 C. all-purpose baking mix (I used Bisquick)

Lightly grease a 13x9-inch baking pan.  Spread the sausage crumbles evenly on the bottom.  Top with the onions and then the cheese.

Beat the eggs, cream or milk, and baking mix together in a large bowl until well blended.  Pour over the cheese layer in the baking pan.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool 5 minutes.  Cut into 8 squares.  Serves 8.

A bountiful array of holiday treats sits on the credenza.

Santa's cookie plate is surrounded by offerings of cookies and candies,
all part of the Peppermint Bark collection from Williams-Sonoma
(I am not that fond of peppermint, but I am a Dalmatian lover, so I
have to collect these tins!).

🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄

As an added feature, here are a few images of our Christmas décor around the house (I really did go overboard with the buffalo check!):

Red torch ginger is my favorite cut flower, and every year my husband
orders me a tropical bouquet including these flowers as one of my
Christmas gifts.

I hope you and your loved ones are having a delightful holiday season!

Wish List Wednesdays: Flammi Women's Fingerless Gloves

Sometimes in the winter when I am working on my computer my hands and fingers start to feel cold. My solution - a pair of Flammi Women's Fingerless Gloves ($9.95 plus free shipping from Amazon).  These are technically more like fingerless mittens as there is only a thumb hole, plus a large opening for the hand.  The fit is sleek and will not interfere with keyboard typing.  These cable knit acrylic gloves cover most of the forearm as well, so if you are like me and like to push bulky sleeves up to keep them out of the way, your arms will still be covered and kept warm.  I bought a pair in khaki, but there are nine color options, so you should be able to find a hue that suits you (they are relatively inexpensive, so get more than one color if you like).  I highly recommend these fingerless gloves for anyone who gets cold hands and fingers in the winter!
             

Mystery Mondays: Murdoch Mysteries - the Christmas Episodes

From Amazon

If you have never watched the Murdoch Mysteries television series, then you are in for a holiday treat!  This Canadian drama, set in late 19th century and early 20th century Toronto, features Detective William Murdoch (Yannick Bisson), who solves his cases using methods considered advanced for the time.  His investigations usually lead to encounters with real-life famous people of the period (who are often portrayed by well-known American or Canadian guest stars).  While Murdoch is brilliant at his job, he has difficulty in dealing with people, particularly Dr. Julia Ogden (Hélène Joy), the Toronto pathologist who supports Murdoch's sometimes unorthodox methods and toward whom the detective finds himself attracted.  Below are three Christmas specials produced in 2015 ("A Merry Murdoch Christmas"), 2016 ("Once Upon a Murdoch Christmas"), and 2017 ("Home for the Holidays").  They are available for purchase as a set ($25.99 at Amazon), which I intend to buy soon.  Enjoy the show!

🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅

I hope everyone out there has "A Holly Jolly Christmas" this year!

                

Weekend Wardrobe: What I Wore for My Family Holiday Visit

From Genetic Literacy Project

I really do think I am getting better at packing for trips!  Last week I traveled to Pennsylvania for four days to visit family and celebrate a combination of Thanksgiving and Christmas.  As usual, I knew I would be engaging in a variety of activities, from helping my brother clean his barn to roasting a turkey and enjoying a holiday meal with my family at my sister's new house.  The apparel I took was casual and comfortable, but also stylish enough for travel and celebrations.  I did have a few too many warm items (the weather was surprisingly mild for Pennsylvania in December), but overall I did not overpack and wore almost everything I brought.

Here is the outfit I wore on the plane:

Clockwise from top left: Oatmeal heather long sleeve tee (similar here); Fair Indigo Tey-Art  Niobara Intarsia Alpaca Fair Trade Cardigan (no longer available); Great American Leatherworks Leather East/West Crossbody Bag in Dark Tan (no longer available); Columbia Lake 22 Hooded Jacket in Black (similar to mine); Olivia + Joy Zap Zoom Tote in Black (no longer available); American Tourister Aerospin 21" Spinner Carry On Suitcase in Red; Sorel Women's Whitney Camp Boots in Black; L.L. Bean Women's Relaxed Fit Double L Jeans in Rinsed Wash (similar to mine).

My Sorel camp boots were the only shoes I brought with me other than a pair of lightweight indoor slippers that are always in my suitcase, and they worked out perfectly (I keep a pair of barn boots at my brother's house for barn chores so I do not have to bring any with me).  They are very comfortable and warm without being too hot for indoor wear.  Similarly, my puffer jacket is lightweight but warm enough for all but the most frigid temperatures.

These are the clothes that I packed:

Clockwise from top left: Turtle Fur Bang Band Chelonia 150 Classic Fleece Headband (color no longer available); Blair Better-Than-Basic Sweatshirt in Coral Almond (color similar to mine); Southcombe Mabel Warm Lined Leather Gloves in Black (similar to mine); Chocolate brown long sleeve tee (similar here); Coldwater Creek Knit Denim Slim-Leg Leggings in Spice (no longer available); Target Women's Crew Socks in Brown and Beige; Bombas Women's Merino Wool Calf Socks in Midnight; Blair Fleece Pants in Indigo (similar to mine); Zapa Women's Angora Breathable Sweater (similar to mine but mine is beige); Coldwater Creek Pinwale Stretch Corduroys in Brown; Oatmeal heather long sleeve tee; Center top: Coldwater Creek PrimaKnit Crew Neck Tee in Slate Blue (color similar to mine); Center bottom: Oatmeal heather long sleeve tee.

You may have noticed that I packed three long sleeve tees in the same color.  I happen to have three in oatmeal heather (two identical, one similar) and the color worked with all of the pants that I brought, so I decided to pack them all (I wore two of them).  Other than the one tee, the only other item I did not wear was the angora sweater, which I intended to wear at our holiday dinner but the weather was too warm to need it.  I wore the sweat pants for sleeping, and the sweatshirt served double duty.  Mine is an old one that I wear for barn chores, but I also used it as an apron substitute when I was cooking, as my sister had no aprons and I often do wear my old sweatshirts while cooking!

🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅🍗🍷🎅

Despite the fact that it rained the whole time I was in Pennsylvania, the trip was enjoyable, family members were relatively well-behaved, and it was good to see everyone together again.  My sister intends to host annual Fourth of July family gatherings at her new house starting next year, so I will be returning then if not sooner.  At least I think I know how to pack for these trips now!
             

Foodie Fridays: Easy Zuppa Toscana

When I was visiting my family in Pennsylvania last week, my brother mentioned a soup recipe he discovered recently that was both simple to make and satisfyingly delicious to eat.  I did not have time to get his recipe from him, but I remembered the simple list of ingredients he mentioned and managed to find a similar recipe online.

I did of course modify this recipe slightly, using fully cooked sausage crumbles instead of Italian sausage like my brother did.  I added Italian seasoning to the soup since the crumbles do not have a lot of added herbs and spices.  I also used a bagged baby kale blend instead of regular kale, just because it is so much easier!  My version is still quite easy to make, and the soup is just as tasty as my brother claimed.  This dish would be perfect for lunch or dinner on a winter's day, and I am even thinking about serving it on Christmas Eve.  Give it a try and see what you think!

Easy Zuppa Toscana

1 bag (9.6 oz.) Jimmy Dean Sausage Crumbles (see Notes)
1 T. olive oil
1 bag (20 oz.) Simply Potatoes Diced Potatoes (any flavor)
6 C. chicken stock or broth
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 bag (5 oz.) baby kale blend (I used Fresh Express)
1 C. (8 oz.) heavy cream

Cook the sausage over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until heated through.  Remove from the pot and set aside.  Heat about 1 T. olive oil in the pot and add the potatoes.  Cook for 3-4 minutes.  Return the sausage to the pot.

Add the stock and Italian seasoning.  Bring the soup to a simmer.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook for about 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender.  Stir in the baby kale blend by the handful and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.

Reduce the heat to low, stir in the cream, and heat through.  Season to taste with salt and pepper (I used unsalted stock, so I added about 1/2 tsp. salt).  Remove from the heat and serve.  Serves 4-6.

Notes: I used turkey sausage crumbles, but you can substitute 1 lb. of any sausage you prefer for the crumbles (if using uncooked sausage, be sure to cook until no longer pink).  Also, since I don't care for large potato chunks in my soups, I used a potato masher to coarsely mash the potatoes after adding the cream.
           

This 'n That Thursdays: Unique Christmas Traditions

Recently I read a post about 75 Christmas traditions from around the world.  Some I had never heard of before, and others I knew about but found out the explanations of their origins from this article.  I thought it would be fun to highlight just a few of the more unique ones here, so let's get started:

From Country Living

1) Find the pickle - a pickle-shaped ornament is hidden among the branches of the Christmas tree, and the person who finds it gets an extra present.  Although usually called an old German tradition, apparently this is not the case, and the practice is actually American in origin.  However, the original pickle-shaped glass ornaments were imported from Germany (why the Germans were making pickle-shaped ornaments remains a mystery!).

From YES! Magazine

2) Iceland's Jolabokaflod ("Christmas Book Flood") - it seems than in Iceland, people gift books to loved ones on Christmas Eve, and the rest of the night is spent reading books and eating chocolate.  Now this is one tradition I would like to see become popular here in the United States!

From HubPages

3) Christmas spiders - spiders don't get much love in America, but in some European countries these arachnids are beloved symbols of Christmas.  In Germany, tinsel originated thanks to a legend about spiderwebs spun in a Christmas tree turning to silver.  According to another legend, a spider wove a blanket for the newborn baby Jesus, so in some countries such as Poland the holiday tree is decorated with spider webs (Christmas in these nations must be an arachnophobe's nightmare!).

Image at left from Instacart; image at right from LightBulbs.com

4) Christmas ornaments - round glass Christmas ornaments mimic the shape of apples, which were the original holiday tree ornaments.  Apples were hung on the tree to symbolize the Garden of Eden (for some reason snakes and fig leaves do not seem to have acquired the same meaning or popularity!).

From Santatelevision

5) Yule goat - a Scandinavian Christmas symbol and tradition, the Yule goat seems to have come from pagan festivals related to the grain harvest.  The function of the Yule goat has changed over time, from a boisterous costumed prankster demanding gifts to a benevolent deliverer of presents similar to Santa Claus.  Nowadays the Yule goat has mostly been relegated to small straw figures hung as ornaments on Christmas trees.  In the Swedish town of Gävle, a gigantic straw goat structure is erected every year for the Yule, and it has become a tradition for pranksters to burn it down despite the best efforts of the residents to prevent the conflagration.  Apparently the rowdier customs associated with the Yule goat refuse to remain in the past!

🎅🎄🍎📕🍫🐐🍎📕🍫🐐🍎📕🍫🐐🍎📕🍫🐐🎄🎅

While I am not sure I want to add all of these traditions to our holiday celebrations, I do love reading about the ways Christmas is celebrated around the world.  Check out the link to the article at the top of the page if you want to find out more.  Have a merry Yuletide enjoying your own family traditions!
                

Wish List Wednesdays: Boden Arabella Sweatshirt

If you are looking for a casual but stylish sweatshirt in fun patterns, try the Arabella Sweatshirt from Boden, (originally $75, but currently on sale for up to 50% off depending upon color choice).  This roomy 95% cotton blend top has a warm fleece lining and is a nice heavy weight for cold winter days.  They run large so I would suggest going down one size.  I purchased the leopard print (50% off!) and find it to be stylish enough to wear for casual gatherings.  Some of the color options are only available in limited sizes, so if you would like to purchase one of these tops I would not wait too long!
             

Mystery Mondays: Hercule Poirot's Christmas by Agatha Christie

From Facsimile Dust Jackets LLC

The Christmas mystery for this week is Hercule Poirot's Christmas, a novel by Dame Agatha Christie first published in 1938.  Hercule Poirot finds himself investigating the murder of an elderly millionaire during a family Christmas gathering.  There is no lack of suspects as the old man was universally disliked by his family, but the method of murder is rather ingenious and solving the case will require all of the great detective's "little gray cells".  You can listen to an audio version adapted for radio on YouTube,

or watch a film adaptation from the British television series Agatha Christie's Poirot (slightly modified from the original story), also on YouTube:

I hope your family holiday gathering is merrier than the one celebrated by the Lee family!

I just realized I linked to the wrong audio version earlier, so I have corrected my mistake, but I am leaving the Agatha Christie short story "A Christmas Tragedy" (1932) featuring Miss Marple (and read by the delightful Joan Hickson) in this post as a Christmas bonus!
                

On the Homefront: Holiday Travel

From Convenience Store News

I will be leaving tomorrow morning for an early Christmas long weekend family visit, so there will be no posts until after Sunday the 16th.  I hope you are enjoying the holiday season, and I will be back to this blog soon! 🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄🎅🎄