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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.

Wednesday 23 January 2019

The Heart of Winter


There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you....In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savour belonging to yourself. ~ Ruth Stout

Hello my lovely friends! We are having very cold weather right now and although it is very frigid outside, the sun is shining which is always nice. I really don't mind the cold temps so much as long as I don't have to be out in it for very long. It's the snow storms I mind mostly; one of which we just had over the weekend. There was a lot of ice and rain with it. Quite nasty!

It is almost the end of January and it is the heart of wintertime. This is the time the snow mobilers like to get out and play on the trails and the back fields. Folks are skating on ponds and others are skiing. Still others who are brave enough to weather the elements will get out for a brisk walk on the boardwalk at the Park. 

As for me, I like to enjoy all this cold and snowy beauty from indoors. Cozied up on a comfy chair with my book and a cup of tea or coffee. 

I picked up a bug and wasn't feeling very well for about a week. I haven't been out of the house in over a week. There is a lot of flu here right now and I pray my mother doesn't get it. Last year she got the flu in March and they didn't think she would make it but she surprised us all and bounced back again.

There is a lot of ice around and one doesn't want to take a spill. My poor Auntie P took a fall on the ice just before Christmas. She didn't break any bones but she is still very sore. Bless her heart!




Someone who will keep your secrets and is always on your side....Only an aunt can give hugs like a mother, keep secrets like a sister and share love like a friend. ~ unknown

This is Auntie P on one of her adventures with her granddaughter. Her granddaughter takes her out about once a week to dinner or a drive. 

So other than her injuries from the fall a month ago, she is doing well and she is happy. She calls me about once a month. We still miss those days when we emailed one another our "books" as Hubby called them. What fun we had in those days! It's hard to believe she will be 84 on her birthday in a couple of months!

Do you have a special aunt or relative in your life?

Yesterday I had a friend over for company and so today I'm having a piece of apple pie left over from our visit. I just found out after visiting my friend Pamela's blog that today is National Pie Day. So apple pie is quite appropriate for today's post.

I had bought two apples pies from my neighbour up the street just before Christmas. She and her daughter had baked pies to raise money for a Youth Conference in Arizona later this year. I had served one of those pies for Christmas and yesterday I baked the other for my company. It is delicious!

Hubby likes his apple pie with ice cream but I prefer a nice cheddar cheese. This Applewood Smoked cheddar cheese is simply delicious and goes very well with apple pie.

When your day is topsy turvy and as stormy as can be
There is nothing quite as tranquil as a nice cup of tea. ~ unknown 

My thoughtful hubby surprised me with these pretty tulips and they remind me that Spring is coming. This time of year tulips really perk up a room, don't you think?

I must wrap up this post as it's getting a bit long. Hope your day is going well and do enjoy that wee bit of daylight lasting a little longer each day!

The shortest day has passed, and whatever nastiness of weather we may look forward to in January and February, at least we notice that the days are getting longer. ~ Vita Sackville-West 


Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

14 comments :

  1. Your Auntie is beautiful. I have one aunt on my dad's side but we've never been close, as we never lived near to each other. That apple pie looks wonderful, and the cheese sounds like it would be delicious with it!

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  2. Oh your poor Auntie P, but thankfully she is doing well. I love that her granddaughter takes her out once a week. How thoughtful!! Your tea looks so cozy and your neighbor's apple pie looks wonderful. Isn't your hubby so sweet to bring you such pretty tulips? I'm glad that you're feeling better, Sandi. You take care and stay warm. It's freezing here in Texas, but sunny today.
    P. S. Thank you for the quotes!

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  3. Oh, thank you for your mention above. Your apple pie looks delicious. I've never tried to eat cheese with apple pie before, but I've heard it is supposed to be good that way. I may have to try it next time. I didn't bake any pies today. We took a ride instead, so that kind of blew my day/pie baking time. But taking a ride with hubby on a lovely winter day is better than pie. We don't have snow here in Florida, and today is actually rather warm for January, in the low 70's. We are expecting colder weather to move in tomorrow after some rain, so maybe next week will be a better time to bake pies. Love your tulips. Yes, the pink is so lovely and I know it brightens your home up. I am enjoying my pink perfection camellia, but right now it is still attached to the plant outside my bedroom window. I may cut it and bring it in before the rains come so it doesn't get ruined. There are many more buds waiting to open. They are a winter flower, and this is their favorite time to bloom. So I have more to look forward to. I am sorry you haven't been feeling well. Praying you will soon be back to normal and feeling perky again. Take care my friend. God bless you.

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  4. Glad to hear that your Auntie P is doing well and gets to spend quality time with her granddaughter on a weekly basis.

    I also prefer to enjoy winter's beauty from indoors. It's been raining all day so most of the snow from last weekend's storm has melted already.

    Your apple pie looks delish! I don't think I've ever had the apple pie/cheese combo...

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  5. Hi Sandi!I have a dear Auntie too,her name is Julieta and she is 95 years old.She is so smart and darling!I love your pink tulips,just adorable.Your green transferware teaset is exquisite and your pie looks delicious...Blessings!

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  6. Good Morning, Sandi!!
    We had a snow/ice storm here over the weekend and now we are having a lot of rain as temps. have rose from below 0 to 40 degrees!! Crazy weather!! I am a Winter person. Except for being fearful of falling on the ice, I do better physically in the colder weather. I suffer from heat and sun sensitivity and the Summer is quite troublesome for me....I hope you feel better and stay safe but enjoy the quietness of the Winter....
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  7. It must be nice seeing people out and about with their adventures in the snow.

    Happy to see your Auntie up and about. My godmother was my aunt and we were very close. Unfortunately she passed. We used to speak on the phone often and we used go for visits.

    Stay warm and enjoy your tea

    Cindy

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  8. Lovely post. I do not do well with the cold weather, even here in Florida. We have had several weeks of cold (although nothing compared to yours). I did have a special aunt, one who took the place of my mother when she passed away over 30 years ago. My aunt has since passed, and she is sorely missed. Have a wonderful blessed day.

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  9. Yes, weather has us huddled and socked in --here in Chicagoland. Sun's shining, but that just means it's colder than........ LOL. Lovely table setting and hope you can enjoy your 'winter' where every you are.

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  10. Sandi,
    Thanks so much for taking the time to visit and comment on my posts especially the one about Blogging. I think you were one of the first Bloggers that I "met" when I started. I have found that Blogging is a stress Releiver for me and right now, I need one of those desperately because of my situation at work. I just need to get through a few more months until i have my knee surgery done and then retire but I just may have a nervous breakdown by then. Blogging also does provide a creative outlet for me both in sharing what i do in my home and in seeing what others do in theirs. If you missed my post on my One Little Word for this year and why I chose it, you will see what happened with my job.......Stay warm and stay safe , my friend!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  11. Beautiful photos and read, hope your aunti is getting better...
    Wintertime is a lovely time too.

    Love, Ida

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  12. Me again, my friend!! Just wanted to stop by to Thank You for your visits and your comments!! We are supposed to get more snow tonight into tomorrow night!! Stay warm!!
    Hugs,
    Deb

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  13. OMG I hope that your dear Auntie heals soon...How nice that she has family assist her and take her on some family outings.She sounds like she is very special. How nice of your hubby to bring you tulips...They are a beautiful sign of Spring and the JOY that is to come soon. I hope that you afeeling well Sandi.. You table and pie look so inviting.... bundle up and stay cosy because I know how cold it is in PEI...Hugs

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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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