Tradition and Family

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

It's November and we had a wicked storm on the weekend with hurricane force winds. The trees are bare and the leaves that were piling up in everyone's yard are no longer in sight as they too have all blown away. There are still some needles on the larches in our back yard and soon they will be gone. Fall has been very short this year. November is usually a dreary month but at least the sun is shining today.

On Monday Hubby and I got the painting done on one wall in the living room. He did the majority of it because I'm not able to any longer but I did do above the baseboard. I'm sore as a boil but at least it's done. It is a big change but change is good. This is just a sneak peek.

Tomorrow we will re-hang the mirror and get things back into place. Now we are pondering whether we should do another wall.

I have been in the kitchen all morning making my paternal grandmother's dark fruit cake. 

The cake is in the oven now and the house smells so good! It is my tradition to make both my dark and sultana fruit cakes every year. I always remember my grandmothers when I'm baking their cakes and I can almost sense them smiling while I bake. Both are heirloom recipes and I have no idea how old my grandmother's dark fruitcake recipe is. It could have been her mother's. Anyway it feels good to carry on a tradition.

I used to make fifteen kinds of sweets for the Holidays when my children were growing up. Of course, we had a lot of company back then. I won't be baking nearly as much this year but I like tradition and I will be happy to bake some favourite treats for my family.

Tradition gives us a sense of solidarity and roots, a knowing there are some things one can count on. ~ Gloria Gaither

Tea is on the table. Freshly dried hydrangeas from a friend, lemon tarts, and a pot of tea sit nearby. And no, I won't eat all those tarts. I just think the plate looks prettier with three on it. ;-)

I haven't used this Gracie cup and saucer for a while because I had it packed away. I think I'll leave it out because I like the mug-style cup. It's very comfortable to hold.

Tea is to the body as music is to the soul. ~ Earlene Grey

These tarts are so good made with lemon pie filling in them.

Yesterday was incredibly busy and I have to admit, it's lovely to sit and enjoy a cup or two amidst all this busyness.

When we sip tea, we are on our way to serenity. ~ Alexandra Stoddard

Our grandson played football on the weekend in that storm. Seems football gets played no matter the weather. You can tell he is drenched by his hair in the photo. It was a championship game and he won a trophy for best defence 2018. We are so proud of him! He is thirteen and really sprouting up. I expect he will be six feet by next summer. 

Our middle son celebrated his birthday yesterday. Wish we had been there to help him eat his cake! Happy Birthday, Sweetie!

Now and then I like a black and white photo, don't you? 

Next week, the decorating for Christmas will begin. I have a lot to do this year with family coming home for the Holidays. I'm rather pumped about that!

So how's your week going? I thought this little quote was a cute one to end my post with.

When you can't find the sunshine
Be the sunshine! ~ unknown

I am joining the following party~

Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi

Home Made Memories

When I was a little girl,
I always wanted to be in the kitchen
because it was warm,
and that's where my mother was.
You never lose that feeling. ~ Dolly Parton

Actually, that was where my grandmother was. My mother didn't like being in the kitchen. She preferred to paint or sketch. She was more artistic and she loved to decorate rather than cook. 
Although I did paint and I did a lot of sketching, it was my grandmother who I took after. I loved being in the kitchen creating a lovely pie or chewy molasses cookies for my family. 

I can still see my Granny's pantry off her big kitchen. It was always filled with jams, jellies, and pickles, cakes, pies, and her jars of cookies. Like most grannies in those days, she baked bread every day too. Her home was a real haven for me.
It was in my Granny's pantry that I decided as a little girl, when I grew up my counter would hold jars of home made cookies and other treats just like my Granny's. 

My children never wanted for home made goodies. It always gave me a sense of accomplishment to see their little faces light up when they got home from school to find Mommy had been baking. How I miss those days!

She looks well to the ways of her household, and does not eat the bread of idleness. ~ Proverbs 31:27

Last week I shared a war cake which I had watched my Granny make and today I am having tea biscuits with my tea. 

Why biscuits? Well, they are somewhat of a staple in our home. Hubby loves them with peanut butter or jam. I won't share the recipe because I have shared it before and I imagine most of you have your own.

Some folks call these scones but when I make scones, they have fruit and nutmeg in them and are sprinkled with sugar or a glaze. I also usually cut them into triangles. 

I have never made my own lemon curd. Now I realize, for Jean and others who take their cooking seriously, you may be surprised but for some reason I have just never gotten around to it. 
I do have a jar of lemon curd that I picked up at the tea room we frequent during the summertime. It comes from Britain and so far, it is the best I have had. 

I am sharing a beautiful vintage Royal Albert teacup which my Auntie P blessed me with. It is from the Regal Series.

The other teacup I shared last week and I thought the blues would go together nicely.

I pulled out these sweet Adelaide Blue plates to use for our biscuits. The butter knife is vintage and came with my mother's silver.

It is dreary out right now because the sun is taking its time coming out. So, my pictures are a bit dark, sorry.

The table is set. Won't you join us?

Through the doors, you can see the larches are bright yellow now and soon their needles will fall. I miss their splendid bright green and look forward to when they bud again in the Spring.

Today is a special day in our family because it is our grandson's birthday. Happy Birthday Brent! What a sweet young man he is!

Tomorrow is November 1st and soon the decorations will be going up. The most  joyous time of the year is almost upon us. Thank you for visiting and take care, dear friends.

Blessed are they who see beautiful things in humble places where other people see nothing. ~ Camille Pissarro

Sharing with :

Home Sweet Home

Sharing from my heart ~ Sandi