A Number of Days

Time - amazing thing that it is. You can sit and watch it tick away by the movements on a clock, or use it to turn a summer day into a series of productive accomplishments. You see it in the Christmas tree all trimmed and arrayed in her Yuletide finery, and on a once snow-laden sidewalk that's been scraped clean. Time - a number of days and hours and minutes that are our very own. I am ready to live mine simply and splendidly.

The future is something which everyone
reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour,
whatever he does, whoever he is.
~C.S. Lewis

Victorian and Bright

May your days be Victorian and bright~


Listen to O Holy Night

Season of White

Season of white
A Birth that made men right
For the infant King
The angels sing
Of Peace and Truth and Light
Season of white

Copyright 2008, Bookishkind
All Rights Reserved

Step Into Winter

I saw these gorgeous, nature-inspired "ice candles" on this blog, and it was love at first sight! They are simple and beautiful, yet very easy to make.

You could also use oranges, pomegranates, and other pretty winter offerings in these. These make me want to step into winter and stay awhile.

Photo Credit - elizabethandco

A Cup of Cheer

Someone just brought us this wonderful and yummy mix, and I can't stop munching on it. Here is the recipe:

Christmas Mix
almonds
cashews
peanuts
dried cranberries
dried mangoes
dried pineapples
dried bananas
white chocolate chips

Make Merrie

How the Grinch Stoll Christmas

A little book-inspired craft for the holidays. It's entitled, "How the Grinch Stoll Christmas," and I think it's perfect!
“And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,
stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons.
It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags.
And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before.
What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store.
What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

Cold, Winter World

In December, the snow is as welcome as can be. Quiet and soft, light and airy. It brings with it such a stillness that allows you to breathe as you have not breathed since spring. It is fresh and invigorating. Cool and calm.








As a girl, I used to walk outside in the December wonderland, singing songs, happy as a lark. Perfectly content in the cold, winter world that was just outside the door. I have always loved the cold, so long as it's not unending bitter.

I prefer winter and fall, when you feel the bone structure of the landscape - the loneliness of it, the dead feeling of winter. Something waits beneath it, the whole story doesn't show. ~Andrew Wyeth

Ol' Santa Claus

I dare you to play this and not end up dancing, or at the very least moving your feet.



Harry for the holidays~

Crimson Sleeps Under Layers of Cold

I can't help but think of roses, even as we approach the official start of winter. I must dream about them at night, and when day comes, the thought lingers on. So lovely under a blanket of snow and ice. Little petals of crimson that sleep under layers of cold. They must be dreaming, too.

Warmed By Christmas

This photo shows a still from one of my favorite movies, "You've Got Mail," that reminds me of Christmastime - such a cozy little shop, all decked out for Christmas.

I love the spirit of Christmas. The lights, parties, and music, (don't get me started on the music!). Sipping eggnog, or reaching for a mug of hot chocolate. Crunching candy canes and getting them stuck in your teeth. Following traditions that were started a generation ago.

And giving. Not so much the giving of expensive gifts, but rather finding or making something you know will be meaningful to someone, really showing them you know them by a thoughtful gift choice.

It's a contageous thing, this spirit of Christmas. It's in the air right now, as you breathe in the evergreen, or are bodily warmed by a cup of steaming wassail. It's as simple as a taste of trifle or fruitcake, slicing an orange or cutting a pomegranite, or trimming the tree with ornaments you have not seen since last year. It's real and it's now.


(Carol)
Carol by Marty McCall/Vickie McCall
candle in the window, cider in the bowl
holly in the garland, joyful songs of old
come hear the ringing of the bells
come join the dancing in the halls
sing now the season has begun
come celebrate the birth of the Holy One

December

No one is a stranger in dear, sweet December!

Photo by Albert Chevallier Taylor

Winter's Breath

The snowy,
The white,
Star in the sky
That burns bright.

The holly,
The evergreen,
Christmas angels
Move unseen.




The silver,
The gold,
Winter's breath,
And Truth retold.

Burning fire,
Glowing flame,
Wreath displayed,
In Heaven's name.


Photo Credit - Reader's Digest

The Sun Sets on November

I really wish I had a better camera. I really wish I were a better photographer. This was so much more beautiful in person, but maybe you get the idea. I am puzzled as to why some birds, including seagulls, choose to remain in cold places during winter. It will be about ten degrees here tonight - how on earth do they stay warm enough? Regardless, they are welcome companions right about now.

Gathering Up Fall

For the rest of November, I'll be the girl gathering up the remnants of fall, for winter dreams. I'll carry its visions proud and girl-like, as I roam my fields, still as the night and quiet as the hush of dawn. Farewell. For now.



Photo credit - Morgan Weistling, "Emerald Dreams"

Week of Thanksgiving

How did it get to be almost the end of November?
It was only yesterday that I stepped outside my back door
and saw leafy green trees neath the blue sky.
Now there is haze over the moon,
and most nights powder pink skies.
Turkey and pie are on the mind,
and the crowds are lining up at the stores.

Enjoy every moment this lovely week of Thanksgiving. Make memories, step outside your door, and breath in the brisk November air. It comes only once every year. It is thanks. It is giving.

Room Windows With Views

The only books that influence us are those for which we are ready, and which have gone a little farther down our particular path than we have yet got ourselves.
~E.M. Forster

This is so true, and we do find ourselves on a particular path that not everyone saunters on. Each makes his or her own way, and thank goodness, or the paths would be overcrowded. I love the path I am on, and wouldn't trade it for any other. I've walked with John Keats and Fanny Braun, been in a white tower looking down to Camelot, and looked out of lots of room windows with views. It's been impressive so far, and I cannot wait for more.

Pausing For Gratitude

Pausing for gratitude that is written on the heart.There is room to spare for an increase of thankfulness, for there is much to be thankful for.

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. ~Thornton Wilder

Windswept Raven Hills

Midnight on the open moor.
A nocturnal walk on windswept raven hills,
Rolled out like velvet carpet.
Stirrings of freedom ignite and awaken.

I'd walk that velvet carpet on the stroke of midnight quite Emily Bronte-like, if I could, (my obsession with moors). I imagine them to be sort of like this.

Roses Between Thorns

These photos were taken about a year ago - roses between thorns~ but you know, the thorns have their own stately sentinel beauty, too. It's all about evergreen this time of year. In December it will be all the rage. Drink it in.

Whose woods these are I think I know.
His house is in the village, though;
He will not see me stopping here
To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer
To stop without a farmhouse near
Between the woods and frozen lake
The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake
To ask if there's some mistake.
The only other sound's the sweep
Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep.

~Robert Frost

Sing Me Your Song

Little bird, sing me your song before you go away~

Photo credit - Steve Maslowski

The Rain Still Finds Your Face

Soft rain falling on a calm weekend makes me long to be far away from it all, living out my days like Thoreau, writing endless words while surrounded by walls of trees, hearing only the quietness that a cabin in the woods affords, and letting sweet raindrops fall on my face as the wind stirs.

But for now, I must retreat to my cozy little corner at home in the city, where bricks and mortar form the walls that surround me, and my ears remain accustomed to street traffic and other city noises. Fall and winter are seasons that encourage coziness, and I suppose you can be just as cozy in the city as you can in a cabin. You can live like Thoreau in thought and deed, if not physically, and the rain still finds your face if you step outside your walls. Still, one day, that cabin will be mine.

The Best Things...

... Are Found in Your Own Backyard

A Gathering

For man,
autumn is a time of harvest,
of gathering together.
For nature,
it is a time of sowing,
of scattering abroad.

~Edwin Way Teale

Listen to Your Heart

Sometimes it is not easy, but I love this little reminder to, "Listen to your heart." This beautiful little altered tin is one of my etsy treasures. Isn't it gorgeous!
Whimsypics

Pieces, Chunks, and Slices

In the fall when I was young, my dad would often take a nice ripe, red apple from the tree, and peel it off for us in one big, long piece. Then he'd cut off chunks and slices from the apple for us to eat. Man did those apples ever taste good. Sweet Memories.



“Even if I knew that tomorrow the world would go to pieces, I would still plant my apple tree.”
~Martin Luther


BAKED APPLES
This simple recipe can be made with dark or golden raisins instead of the pecans if you'd like. You could use any kind of nut too - try them with walnuts or cashews.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:

* 4 Granny Smith apples
* 1/2 cup brown sugar
* 4 Tbsp. butter, softened
* 1/2 cup chopped pecans
* 1 tsp. cinnamon
* 1/3 cup water
* 2 tsp. lemon juice

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the top off the apples to make a flat surface. Cut a strip of peel around the apple right next to the cut surface. Cut the core out of the apples, making sure to leave the skin at the bottom intact.

In small bowl combine remaining ingredients except water and lemon juice. Stuff apples with this mixture. Mound any remaining mixture on top of the apples. Place in shallow baking dish and pour 1/3 cup water and lemon juice around apples. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until apples are tender. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

From about dot com

The Yellow Wallpaper - A New Update

I have mentioned the movie, "The Yellow Wallpaper," several times here on my blog, which you can read about here and here. I received an update and a link from the movie's director, Logan Thomas, and wanted to share it with you. This facebook page will have any updates and will also release movie stills. I am really looking forward to this movie, which is based on a short story.
Here is what Logan Thomas posted about the movie~

Hello,

I'd like to follow through with an update about The Yellow Wallpaper. We have begun the studio courtship dance, and the big festival circuit. I'm happy to tell you that there is a FILMMAKER HOSTED, FACEBOOK PAGE "The Yellow Wallpaper (offical movie page)". We will post stills from the movie, events, releases, and even try to answer film and lit. questions for those interested. The page is brand new and we hope you'll come to visit us.

Logan

Literary England

Book Share Fridays:
"Literary England" by Richard Wilcox. It has been awhile since I've done a Friday book share! I found this book while searching Amazon, and to be honest, I am torn between recommending it, and not.

It is from the 1940's and was part of a 'picture essay on literary England' that appeared in Life Magazine. The concept of the book is brilliant, but the photographs are in black and white, and the author could have written the synopses of each featured place much better than he did. Having said that though, there is some merit to the contents, and if you love Albion like I do, it might be worth buying.

Here are a few of the literary spots they feature:

Canterbury Cathedral (The Canterbury Tales), Burrington Gorge (Rock of Ages hymn), Keats Grove (John Keats Hampstead home), Dickens' House, Assembly Rooms at Bath, Top Withins (Wuthering Heights), Wimpole Street (Elizabeth Barrett Browning), Doone Valley (Lorna Doone), and Stonehenge (Tess of the d'urbervilles).

Wind-crazy

The birds are going wild in the autumn sky. I saw two different flocks today, and they were wind-crazy, moving fast and furious as a single unit, in their respective corners of the sky. Amazing. Wish I were up there with them!

Photo Credit - Phil Schermeister
"Flock of Birds Swarming a Field in North Dakota"

Fallen and Found

Today after a thunder and lightening storm I went on a walk. As I turned the corner to come home, I saw this~
Beautiful and delicate, so perfectly woven on a base of tightly packed dirt. If I could, I would have climbed up the tree, and carefully nestled it back between two branches in hopes it might once again give warmth to the birds who created it. But the tree is far too tall.

The perfect solution came from an observant eight year old who found it earlier in the day where I had put it, and tenderly placed it between two branches of a small tree in our yard, where it fits perfectly.
There it will remain for the rest of fall and through winter, too. Come spring, I am hoping another set of birds might find it useful. If anything comes from it I'll be sure to post the rest of the story!

o little nest,
may you nicely rest,
nestled in the branches of my tree.
fallen and found,
rescued from the cold damp ground,
you'll live to see another spring.

Past Their Bloom

The October roses are long past their bloom, yet very welcome. This little rose bush that I bought over the summer, just never took off, but it's still trying, and occasionally a bloom appears here and there. It will need to be replaced next spring. The poor thing thinks it's a beautiful lush bush!

'Tis the last rose of summer fall left blooming alone; All her lovely companions Are faded and gone." ~Thomas More

Peter Rabbit

But Peter who was very naughty, ran straight away to Mr McGregor's garden and squeezed under the gate. First he ate some lettuces and some French beans, and then he ate some radishes. And then, feeling rather sick, he went to look for some parsley.
~Beatrix Potter, Peter Rabbit

Canyon Walls

We drove up to the mountains today, and pretty things greeted us on each side of the canyon walls.

"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, fluttering from the autumn tree" ~Emily Bronte~"My sorrow, when she's here with me, thinks these dark days of autumn rain are beautiful as days can be; she loves the bare, the withered tree; she walks the sodden pasture lane" ~Robert Frost

The breath of an autumn breeze.
Faint coolness on my face in the morning air.
Tingles as I breathe in and the freshness goes down deeply.
Reaching for warmth in the form of a blanket,
Wrapped almost tightly enough to keep out the delicious chill.
Drinking sunshine in the form of liquid warmth,
Flowing through my body to almost keep out the delicious chill,
Almost but not quite.
Crunching, crisp leaves that fall from the tree,
Fluttering like butterflies,
Looking like flecks of gold as they land on the ground,
Little gifts of yellow, red, and orange.
Beautiful Autumn, I have waited for you all these days,
To come back around in your time and season.

Copyright Bookish Kind, 2008

(Autumn Prayer) I Raise My Cup To Fall

I raise my cup to fall, to blessings given one and all.
The harvest bounty laid, before eyes and hands bent in Grace.
~Bookish Kind
Do you know "Lark Rise To Candleford"? This is one of my favorite episodes, I love how they all work together to bring in the harvest. Enjoy!

Cobwebs

Cobwebs~
Summer has flown right through me,
leaving her feathers trailing behind,
like cobwebs left to thrive
in a deep dark corner.
The labyrinth must be cleared away,
now that autumn is here.
One tangle at a time,
it will be removed,
to make room for thoughts
that flitter through,
quick as lightening,
which must be caught directly,
or escape and vanish into thin air,
never to be heard of again.


Photo Credit~
Ruth Marler, "Padlock and Cobwebs"

Old Ways Are Still the Best

It's time to pull out the fall clothes, which has always been a rite of passage, a sign of a season change, growing and moving on to a new thing. There is an old song by Sweethearts of the Rodeo that says, "The old ways are still the best and I cannot deny it." So true for many things, and I think it fits with fashion, too. Shall we say Victorian! These outfits are inspired from bygone era's, but are also modern enough that you wouldn't look like you were going to a costume ball, although there is nothing wrong with a ball, I long for a ball!A pretty Ruche sweater ~simply stunning, very classic. You can go as far as you dare with your fashion, but I just love the simple classic look. Feel like you are in your rightful era, instead of born in the wrong one!

Photo credits~
Modern Victorian
Ryan Enn Hughes For The Globe and Mail
Ruche