December's Letter
Daybreak, a kindred spirit, and pumpkin bars
Nearly twelve months ago, I wrote this: One of my goals this year is to experience sunrise, outside in nature, with my camera and my Maggie Mae.
Loves? I just want to say that sometimes, things don’t go as you hoped or planned. But I also want to say, it’s never too late to try again. Recently, with a little nudge of inspiration from a friend, Maggie and I have experienced a whole string of mornings, outside, surrounded by nature, right when the sun spills into day. Golden morning sunlight does magical things to the landscape, the animals, the humans.
If there’s anything I continue to do, let it be this.
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Happy Holiday, loves! It’s been such a delight to share my days, my weeks, my years with you, here. I wish you all the warmth, care, and love you need this holiday season. This letter is filled to the brim with so much goodness. I hope you enjoy!
Moments Lately
Reading Lately
Are you ready for some delightful books to enjoy while snuggled under a throw in the glow of the Christmas tree? I’ve been waiting for a year to recommend these, and I’m thrilled for you to get to read them!
Christmas Chronicles by Nigel Slater. Nigel’s writing is simple, yet profound. Quiet, yet deep. Utilitarian, yet exquisite. From the first page, I felt that a treasure had been dropped into my hands. There, in black and white, were words describing a love of winter that were exactly how I feel, too. Words that made my heart ring with their honesty and beauty. I’ve often felt like the odd one out in my deep and abiding love of winter, but finally, finally, I’d met someone who felt the same, a kindred spirit. Here’s a taste, from page 1:
"I love the crackle of winter. The snap of dry twigs underfoot, boots crunching on frozen grass, a fire spitting in the hearth, ice thawing on a pond, the sound of unwrapping a Christmas present from its paper. The innate crispness of the season appeals to me, like newly fallen snow, frosted hedges, the first fresh page of a new diary. Yes, there is softness in the cold months, too, the voluminous jumpers and woolly hats, the steam rising from soup served in a deep bowl, the light from a single candle and the much-loved scarf that would feel like a burden at any other time of year." Part diary, part history, part cookbook, it is a chronological tome (that even comes with a ribbon to mark your place) that begins on November 1, and ends on February 2.
A Redbird Christmas by Fanny Flagg - An endearing story of fiction set in a small Alabama town in a bygone era, it has hope and redemption, love and loss, and characters that you fall in love with, especially a little redbird named Jack.
Starry Night by Debbie Macomber- This is the kind of love story that you want to read on a snowy day where time lays in heaps around you. It’s a light romance that’s not cheesy (or graphic), and the author made me easily fall into it with how she described Alaska so well. (We lived there for ten years, so accurate writing about it is so important to me!)
Eating Lately
Perhaps I’ve shared this one with you before. I know I’ve had it on the list. But, I need to be sure, so here you go. I’ll be making some this weekend!
Pumpkin Bars Preheat oven to 350°F Crust: 1 cup all purpose flour 1/2 cup quick rolled oats 1/2 cup butter, cold 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the flour and oats. Cut in the cold butter and brown sugar with a pastry blender until the mixture is the size of small peas. Pour the mixture into a lightly buttered a 9x13 cake pan and press down with the back of a large spoon. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Filling: 2 cups canned pumpkin (not canned pumpkin pie filling) 1 16oz can evaporated milk 3/4 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves In a medium mixing bowl, stir all ingredients together thoroughly with a wire whisk or electric mixer. Pour over hot crust. Bake 20-30 minutes. Topping: 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 2 tablespoons cold butter In a small mixing bowl, mix all ingredients together with a pastry blender until mixture resembles the size of small peas. Pour over the hot pumpkin you just removed from the oven. Return to the oven and bake 20 minutes more or until there is no jiggle in the center and the top is nice and caramelized. Set the dish on a wire rack to cool. Serve warm or cold with a dollop of whipped cream.
Favorites Lately
Lighting the table - I’ve decided I like tapers best of all, and this Hudson Grace hurricane is just magical on our dining table. It’s perhaps my favorite purchase of the year. If you’re curious, these are the beeswax tapers I keep on hand and use all over the house.
For all the sharp edges - there’s truly nothing like using a knife that’s sharp. And finding something that easily gives those sharp edges? Such a relief. Such a gift! (And if you’re looking to buy a lifetime set of knives, here are the three basics I recommend, the ones I’ve had for over twenty-five years: one-two, and three. If you have these knives, you’ll use the 15° side of the Tumbler magnet for sharpening).
For stuffing into stockings - these delicious caramels are the sweets I look forward to most in my stocking on Christmas morning.
A house for Mama - the Mama Kitty who wants so badly to be a house cat but just can’t pull it off (it’s SO scary in here), finally got her very own tiny house on our front porch, as near to the door as we could manage. It’s heated, too.
This show! This House on the Cape! - and so many of the other ones, too!
Mark your calendars! Our final Gather of the year is coming up on Sunday, December 19 at 3:00p, MST! As a gift for all my readers, this one will be available to all subscribers! I’m so looking forward to spending time with all of you!
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I read Nigel Slater's book last year, it was lovely and very atmospheric. Wishing you a very happy Christmas.