Faith Family Friends

Celebrating the Joy of Living & Home Making ~

Baking, Cooking, Decorating, Tea Time, and taking Inspiration from those I love and the world around me...

A sharing of my heart and my home from a Christian perspective

...with a wee bit of whimsy added.

Monday 6 November 2017

When November Comes A-Knocking!

It was November ~ the month of crimson sunsets, parting birds, deep, sad hymns of the sea, passionate wind-songs in the pines. ~ LM Montgomery - Anne of Green Gables

Good morning dear friends! Well, October is gone and a new month is here. When November comes a-knocking it tends to be rather dreary around here until the Christmas lights go up. Almost everyone leaves the decorating until after November 11th in honour of our veterans. After that, the Christmas music will start playing and the lights will be twinkling in every shop window. 

November is the most disagreeable month in the whole year. ~ Louisa May Alcott

I'm sure many folks would agree with that quote because the tree branches are bare, flowers are gone, and there is a sharper nip in the air than the month before. It is no surprise to awaken in the morning and find Jack Frost had paid a visit overnight. It is time to bring out those heavy jackets and coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. Yet today, it is warmer than usual for November. The temp is supposed to get up to a balmy 18 degrees Celsius so I certainly agree with Miss Alcott's quote. It is as though November can't make up its mind this year.


I usually start decorating mid-November and I'm looking forward to replacing the coloured leaves and pumpkins with lights and pretty holiday vignettes. Christmas is my absolute favourite holiday and the decorating always brings to mind wonderful memories of happy times. 

By the middle of the month I hope to have at least one of my fruit cakes made. I always make a dark and a light. At this time of year I always start craving spicy desserts too like the mincemeat tarts which I am serving today with my tea. I just buy my mincemeat in a jar but I try to make my own pastry for the shells because it is so much better. These tarts however are made with frozen pastry shells because I can't use my pastry blender right now. The CTS {carpal tunnel} is causing me quite a bit of grief these days.



When November comes a-knocking, I bring out my Friendly Village china. I'm an old-fashioned gal so these patterns appeal to me in a big way.


 The Covered Bridge

Every piece I have is vintage except for the teapot and milk jug. I love the red buildings set in the stark brown, green and cream background! Like the Johnson Bros. Rose Chintz pattern, I find this Friendly Village just charming. 



So, let's have some tea and tarts, shall we?

The Ice House

This china is so perfect for Autumn and the winter months.


I have four cups and saucers. Two sets which I bought at a shop that was closing so I got them at five dollars each. 

Each piece of Friendly Village depicts a scene from our past; an ice house, a covered bridge, a school house, among other things. A truly old-fashioned pattern which suggests a life of hard work yet such wonderful sentiment.


The School House

It hung on a pail that stood on a stool
By the door of an old-time country school,
And the water it dipped was cool and sweet
Fresh as mountain dew in the schoolroom's heat.
And never was water so good, so cool,
As dipped from the pail of that old-time school,
Along with the schoolhouse of another day,
The common tin dipper has passed away. - Margaret Neel

I am so glad that they have captured these olden day scenes under a glaze to be enjoyed forever.

Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty. ~ James Norwood Pratt



Sugar Maples teapot


As I sip my cup of tea I can't help but reflect upon the days of my childhood. With the Christmas season nearing, I tend to become very sentimental. I suppose a lot of us are like that around this time of year.



Many of you have seen the old pancake jug that my Granny used. It was once used by my great-great grandmother so it is well over one hundred years old. To some it may not be very pretty. There is a small chip in the handle and a crack in the body but to me it represents a life of hard work and the love of family. The fact that my beloved Granny used it makes it very precious!



I can still picture my Granny stirring up her pancakes in that jug and pouring the batter into the cast iron frying pan. She made stacks of pancakes and served them with baked beans every Saturday night for my mother, my Auntie P, and the rest of her family. Oftentimes my Granny fed a few boarders and a neighbour or two as well. For years, after Granny went on to her reward, my Auntie P kept the jug on display in her home until she passed it on to me. Today I use it to display my ivy in. Such wonderful memories are attached to that jug!

Memories are timeless treasures of the heart. -unknown


Savouring my hot cup of tea in an old-fashioned teacup and thinking about my childhood fills me with a sense of nostalgia which is hard to put into words. I only know how thankful I am for the blessing of a warm loving home and family, a warm cup of tea, and such lovely memories.

My beloved Auntie P took a very bad fall and has been in the hospital for a week now. I would appreciate your prayers for her.



My middle boy has a birthday tomorrow, on the 7th, so I am thinking about him today. Happy Birthday, Sweetheart! He lives out on the west coast so we won't be able to celebrate together. He is however very close in my heart.



The picture on the left is him giving his speech at his brother's wedding in July and the one on the right is when he was home in August.

I am also very sad to learn of the shooting in a Texas church yesterday. Our world seems to have gone mad and we pray for peace. When I was growing up I never heard of such things taking place, yet today our children and grandchildren hear about these tragedies every other day. Our little ones live in a different world today unfortunately. God bless them and keep them safe!

So today I am thankful for a quiet cup of tea and beautiful memories I keep tucked away and bring out every now. 

So where are your thoughts taking you this morning?

I am joining the following parties as well~

Tuesday Cuppa Tea
 Friends Sharing Tea
 Share Your Cup Thursday
 Home Sweet Home


 Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

23 comments :

  1. November is our gloomiest month of the year. Cloudy, usually, too.

    I love the Friendly Village dishes - mine are new, not vintage, but they are wonderful anyway.

    Happy Birthday to your son!

    We were so sad to hear of the shooting yesterday.

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  2. Oh dear - will pray for your Aunt Sandi. I love the Friendly Village pattern and it makes me smile. Your tarts look wonderful and your upcoming fruitcakes - delightful! I love this season and of course in the US we aren't even at Thanksgiving yet!

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  3. I love November because the holidays are coming, we can build fires and start to get cozy! I've even started watching the Hallmark Christmas movies! March, to me, is the gloomiest month. We're tired of winter, and it isn't going away.
    I have a set of Friendly Village china that I use for Thanksgiving too. I love it.
    Such sweet memories of that pancake jug. We have an old battered aluminum cookie tin that has special memories for my husband.
    Sorry to hear about you aunt. I will pray for her. And Happy Birthday to your son, too.
    xo Deborah

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    1. p.s. I just noticed the picture of you. I've only ever seen the photo of you bending over the flowers. You are so pretty Sandi! Just beautiful, inside and out!

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  4. I love November. I love the anticipation of Christmas and Christmas decor. Love your Friendly Village.

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  5. Prayers for your Antie P.. Such lovely memories of her, your mother and granny and your precious jug. I get nostalgic this time of year too. I have always loved that china pattern too. So perfect for the holidays. Still like the start of fall here with many warm days. It all goes so fast! But we can all unfold the joyful holiday season in our own ways. I'm so glad for the sharing of beauty and expressions of care from you and others in our blogging community. We need it more than ever.

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  6. I've always been a fan of the Friendly Village pattern. A few years back, I found a set of 6 mugs in pristine condition at a local thrift store. Since I didn't have space for them, I did the next best thing: I persuaded my mom to bring them home with her! HA! Then last year, I scored a set of 4 teacups and saucers at a church sale which I gifted to my mom. I'm still on the hunt for the matching teapot...

    I'm sorry to hear about your Auntie P's fall and will remember her in my prayers. Happy birthday to your son!

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  7. First off- praying for your Auntie P and hoping she makes a full recovery and that it happens quickly.

    I love the Friendly Village pattern but don't own any. I love the Christmas season, too, but don't decorate for Christmas until after we celebrate Thanksgiving at the end of the month.

    I hope you have a wonderful, blessed week. xo Diana

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  8. Love your Friendly Village collection - it is so perfect for these last two months of the year, Sandi.

    Hope your son had an enjoyable birthday, and keeping you and your family in my prayers.

    Hugs. ♥

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  9. Your Freindly Village china is one I also enjoy pulling out this time of year. It is so much finding great buys like your and saucer sets. Your family heirloom jug has a great memory of pancakes and home cooking. Have a great week!
    Pam

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  10. I'm so sorry about your Auntie P., Sandi. Yes, prayers will be lifted for her. Your son is so handsome! My oldest grandchild, Connor, has a birthday today, too. I will share his picture next week, along with two other grandchildren.
    Your Friendly Village pattern is such a cozy set, isn't it? I really don't mind November, because here in Texas, it finally cools off. Yes, our grandchildren have such a different world to grow up in, compared to ours, don't they?
    Thank you for the quotes, and sharing your sweet memories with us, dear Sandi!

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  11. Sweet post as ever...Your Friendly Village set is absolutely gorgeous!Happy Birthday to your son and I hope your aunt gets better soon.Best wishes!Maristella.

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  12. I love the Friendly Village. I should take mine out too.so pretty!....Christine

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  13. These plates, cups are my favorite. I love the artwork in them. And me too Sandi, very sad about the shooting in Texas. It's hard to think that sitting in church, worshiping God, this could happen and yet, it happened before. There is no safe place anymore. Your post comforts with its gentleness.

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  14. Hi Sandi. I was just thinking of getting out my Friendly Village after the 11th. It just seems the perfect think for fall! What lovely memories wrapped up in your jug. I will pray for your Aunty and am sorry to hear that. Thanks for a lovely post, and have a lovely week. Thanks so much for linking to Tuesday Cuppa Tea.
    Ruth

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  15. Dear Sandi, you stopping by to visit me meant so very much. Thank you. I love your dishes! It is still very warm temps at my home. In the 80's. We are suppose to have a little cooler temps by the weekend. It doesn't even feel like November to me. I too have thought about starting on decorating a little for Christmas. I usually wait until Thanksgiving weekend but girl, I have so slow at things. It takes me all day to do what it used to take me 3 hours to do! What's up? The shooting in Texas has broke my heart in two. I have prayed for the families that have lost loved ones and have praised with those that their family was spared. We live in a fallen world. I would have never believed we would have to use security in our churches today. Of course we both know that security is only a preventative action but I am convinced we need something. Wishing you a wonderful evening. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

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  16. Hi Sandi,
    I love the picture I saw of you on your about you blog page. So lovely. I am also saddened about all of the shootings. It's very hard to listen to the news now. I have been sentimental today too and also have put out my Friendly Village at the Cottage. It's such a cozy pattern. Blessings Sweet Sandi! Your son is so handsome! Karen

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  17. Sandi, I remember finding a cute pitcher at our local thrift a few years ago. I had no idea what it was, but it just appealed to me. That very day I visited your blog and you shared your Friendly Village pieces and I realized what I had found. :) I have added just a few pieces since then that I've ran across. Love your collection and the memories of your granny! Texas tragedy broke my heart as well. Happy Birthday to your son. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  18. Sandi, I love your reminiscing, and I am reminded of a new word I just learned - a Cornish word, "hireth" which is a certain kind of nostalgia. Love that pancake jug and the sweet story that goes with it.

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  19. I love the old schoolhouse poem. My grandparents had a cottage in Wisconsin. What the didn't have, was running water. So we'd take the metal pail to the neighbors well. We would all use the same tin dipper to drink from on the pail. Best water ever, and fond memories. Thanks for reminding me.

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  20. I love Friendly Village and use mine starting in the fall and into January. Prayers for your Auntie.

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  21. Happy November to you dear Sandi! It sounds like you are having better days and I am so glad! Praying for your auntie! I need to take my set of friendly village dishes out for the winter. Yours is displayed so pretty! I love your jug and all the precious memories it must hold for you! Such a nice post of your handsome boys! This time of year is always about family. So precious! Thank you for your sweet tea time and praying you have a wonderful week.
    Hugs,
    Nancy

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  22. How smart to mix pancakes in a jug. Your china pattern is perfect for this time of year. Thanks for sharing at Home Sweet Home.

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I am delighted to have you visit me and I read every comment. Please forgive me for not being able to visit you all as there are so many of you lovely bloggy friends now. I will visit as much as possible. I wish you a day filled with JOY!

Also, due to the amount of spam I've been getting, I have had to set Comment Moderation. ~ Sandi

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