Showing posts with label tea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label tea. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Understated Holiday

 Understated Holiday Cottage
I am going very understated here for my embellishments for the season.

Understated Holiday Cottage
I have always preferred to forage my decorations in December. 

Understated Holiday Cottage
This centerpiece is comprised of two juniper sprigs, a blue ribbon, two tealights, a dough bowl, and a bag of pinecones I just got on clearance at Hobby Lobby for $1. 

Understated Holiday Cottage
I just made the table runner too, with a yard and a half of fabric from Hobby Lobby also.

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage
Just creating a cozy feel is a must. 

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage

Understated Holiday Cottage
No electric lights, just tea lights. Simple, understated, and nostalgic is the look I have created here in the cottage corner. The pine smells really good. I just cut it today. Breathe deep and breathe in, and have faith. 
 “O Israel, stay away from idols!
    I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you.
I am like a tree that is always green;
    all your fruit comes from me.” ~Hosea 14:8 

In Victory,
Sherry

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

Teapot & Roses

Teapot & Roses
I think that autumn roses might be my favorite! They have gorgeous, shiny green foliage and no bugs. 

Teapot & Roses
They were perfect today for an arrangement in my teapot. 

In Victory,
Sherry

Monday, November 4, 2024

Autumn Tea

Autumn Tea
I am taking tea in the brambly hedge today, where the blackberries grow in my garden. The leaves have almost all fallen, and just like that, some of the trees are bare. 

Autumn Tea
I have a library book I have been reading. I am a history buff, and I have been reading The Journal of Beatrix Potter. I taught my son high school, and we read a lot of primary documents sort of like this. This is a journal written by Beatrix between the ages of 15 and 30. Okay, here is the amazing thing: she never expected anyone to read it because she wrote it in a secret code. She never told anyone about the code or the key to deciphering it. So it was studied, and the translator Leslie Linder cracked the code. It was in fact the heading to verses 1-12 of the 90th Psalm, the prayer of Moses. I was fascinated all the more with her after finding this out. So many layers to Miss Potter indeed.

Autumn Tea
What lies behind the beautiful watercolors and pretty pictures she paints? 

Autumn Tea

Autumn Tea
Doing my part to bring you pretty pictures here as well. The afghan was from my great grandfather's house. It used to hang on the back of the couch. It was also at my grandmother's, and I can remember my grandfather getting under it after a Sunday dinner for a nap.

Autumn Tea
The roses that are still blooming are gorgeous! 

Autumn Tea
I have never kept pansies alive all summer, but these are still going strong and are just beautiful.

Autumn Tea
In nature, fall colors are my favorites. What is your favorite season?
In Victory,
Sherry

Friday, October 25, 2024

Autumn Story

Brambly Hedge Autumn Story
Brambly Hedge Autumn Story might be my favorite. I love the idea of the mice storing up for the winter and then, of course, Primrose gets lost in the brambles among the mushrooms in the dark of night. 
 
Brambly Hedge Autumn Story
The illustrations in the Brambly Hedge series are very likable. The Autumn Story is like cozying up with a good book on a stormy afternoon.

Brambly Hedge Autumn Story
I tend to opt for less words and let the pictures create the alchemy in my posts.

Autumn Story
Who knew muffins and a tea pot could tell a story. But, if you try hard enough you might see one with your eyes. 

Autumn Story
In Victory,
Sherry

Friday, September 27, 2024

Drying Roses for Display

Cottage Roses
I added more roses to the garden this year, and I decided to try drying a tiny bouquet for winter photos. 

Drying Roses for Display

It is really easy to dry roses. I have found the best way to get a nice look is to hang them upside down.

Drying Roses for Display
I have used a rubber band to hold the flowers together, and it works well. I have used this method before.

Drying Roses for Display
This is the same flower about two months later. They are now all dry and ready to style for any photos.

Drying Roses for Display
They make a nice addition to my tea tray. I think I need a bigger bouquet. I might still have time to harvest some before winter. 

In Victory,
Sherry

Monday, September 16, 2024

Cranberry Orange Cookies

 Cranberry Orange Cookies

I made these cookies this weekend and they were a real popular treat for my family! They were gone in 24 hours. This is a soft cookie with a cream cheese icing that highlights the flavors of cranberry, orange, cream cheese, and butter. The recipe made 24 cookies.

Cranberry Orange Cookies
Cranberry Orange Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies
 Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon plus or the zest of 1 orange
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup of dried cranberries, rehydrated

Orange glaze:
2 tablespoons of cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus orange juice (juice of 1 orange)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Measure out your dried cranberries in a small bowl and boil some water. Pour enough boiled water over them to cover them and let them set at least 30 minutes. This will rehydrate your cranberries and make them more palatable.
In a medium sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
In a large bowl add sugar, orange zest and rub the orange zest into the sugar with a spatula until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Beat the orange zest and sugar until light and fluffy, a couple of minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing until smooth. Add the flour mixture, mix until incorporated. Fold in the cranberries by hand. 
I used a medium cookie scoop and scooped out the cookies as balls and placed them on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake them for 13-15 minutes. Let the cookies cool some before moving them to a cooling rack. They are a soft cookie, sort of cake like.
To make the glaze, mix the sifted powdered sugar, (I sift because I always get lumps in my powdered sugar) orange juice, softened cream cheese, and vanilla together with a hand held mixer till smooth. You want to get a really soft consistency although it doesn't really drizzle. I put it in an icing bag or a zip loc bag with the end cut off to pipe on the cookies. The icing stays soft and you can't stack the cookies on each other. You have to store them flat. If you want an icing that will harden you will want royal icing. The original recipe (see link below) had that type of icing. Just make it with orange juice instead of lemon.
Store in an airtight container. I did not refrigerate these cookies and they were fine for 24 hours on the counter. If you want them to last longer or you think they won't be eaten right away I would refrigerate them. They will last in refrigerator for up to a week.

Recipe adapted from: What Megan's Making

Cranberry Orange Cookies
And of course, have them with tea! I love baking in the autumn! 
In Victory,
Sherry

Monday, August 19, 2024

Preparing for Fall

Preparing for Fall

Summer isn't over yet, but I am preparing for fall by bringing in some plants. I have brought in some ferns and ivy. I hope to bring in a few more plants and hope that they make it. 

Preparing for Fall

I have a keen interest in having a few living things in the house this winter. It adds a nice feel to the home to have something green from nature during the winter months. 

Preparing for Fall

Preparing for Fall
I have also brought in my little green baker's rack from the garden to give these plants a spot in the cottage corner. Do you have any house plants?

In Victory,
Sherry

Monday, August 5, 2024

Blackberry Chocolate Chip Crumble

Blackberry Chocolate Chip Crumble
The first of August is always blackberry season here, where I live. When I was young, there used to be a patch of blackberries down the lane from my house, and I discovered foraging. I would go to the patch and come home with a bowl of wild blackberries and make a blackberry cobbler. It thrilled me to know I had a yummy fruit like blackberries right on the farm. 

Blackberry Chocolate Chip Crumble
So this year, instead of just a cobbler or crumble of blackberries, I decided to switch it up a bit and try adding chocolate. 
Blackberry Chocolate Chip Crumble
The crumble right out of the oven with the chocolate.
This was the base recipe here, but I switched it up a bit.

Blackberry Chocolate Chip Crumble
So, I got mixed reviews on this from the family. Some liked it, and others just preferred blackberries. Have you ever mixed chocolate with blackberries? What did you think about it?

In Victory,
Sherry

Monday, July 8, 2024

Strawberry Tea In the Garden

Strawberry Tea In the Garden
When the weather is nice, there is nothing better than heading to the garden in the evening and enjoying it with a cup of tea.
 Strawberry Tea In the Garden
I have this little spot set up in the only shady spot left in my garden for just the very purpose of having tea.

Strawberry Tea In the Garden

Strawberry Tea In the Garden

Strawberry Tea In the Garden

Strawberry Tea In the Garden
Sherbet-colored flowers are now coming from the garden for weekly bouquets.

Strawberry Tea In the Garden
A sweet little niece who was just turning 11 came to my house this day and made a birthday cake with lots of sprinkles! The tea is strawberry lemonade with orange blossom.

Lantern Planter
Pleasure is very seldom found where it is sought; our brightest blazes of gladness are commonly kindled by unexpected sparks. ~Samuel Johnson

In Victory,
Sherry