Winter, Frost, Tips, and Advent Day 9

 

Hello friends!

I have woken up this morning to frost all over my garden which means it is jolly cold in my area for my garden is quite sheltered so for me to have frost is an indication of how cold it is.

We have a rather brilliant money saving experts in the UK called Martin Lewis. He is well known on television and through his podcasts for his very sound and thoroughly researched advice on all matters money. I have been listening regularly to him and he confirmed in one of his more recent podcasts that I've done the right thing by installing thermal curtain liners, which I actually did in the summer to help reduce the heat in the living room, as an additional barrier. The other day I mentioned that there was a distinct difference in the temperature on the window side of the curtains to the room side of the curtains. as he pointed out one thing you can do is open the curtains when the sun is shining through the window because that will help each your room for free but make sure you close them as soon as it gets dark because that's when the coldest day is coming around the window. You don't have to have badly sealed or leaky windows for this to be a problem. I have got brand new double glazed units and it's still noticeable, although not as noticeable as with my old units that have been replaced. I have invented my own terminology for this a while back, I call it curtain chasing!

 I'm rounding up the Mary Engelbreit books with her winter book  It's only a small book and doesn't solely cover Christmas but the entire winter season. There are four books in this series the other three obviously being spring summer and autumn so I will be looking at those in future blogs.

Today's calendar picture is hidden behind some leaves just above the dear little Robin so I thought I'd include that in today's photo.  Upon opening the door we find a sweet little

Wren, one of our smallest and most endearing garden birds.

Until next time

Stay safe, stay well, and stay warm

Debbie xo

Mary, Mary, a Top Tip, and Advent Day 6.

Hello friends!

It's the 6th of December today which means it is also the feast day of Saint Nicholas, and if you would like to discover more you can click on this link I am struggling to type today, so you can read all the information should you so wish.

St Nicholas Day

Today's door was a little tricky to photograph as it's in the very bottom corner and it's quite a long door, which when opened reveals a frog very much ready to eat all those lovely blackberries it is surrounded by. It looks very like the frogs I get in my garden, and just about ready to jump off the page.

The Mary Engelbreit book I have chosen to share today is The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen. even the endpapers and the back cover have such attention to detail don't they?

 Another top tip I've got to share with you for keeping food and drinks hot is this. You can warm your bowls and cups before plating up your food by filling them with any surplus boiled, hot water that is sitting in your kettle. It takes the chill off the bowl or the cup so that when you pour your hot soup or drink into your bowl or cup the warmth from your food doesn't transmitter's quickly into the crockery thereby keeping it warmer for longer. Of course, you must always tip the water out before you tip your food in!

Until next time
Stay safe, stay well, stay warm
Debbie xo

More Mary, and Advent Day 5.

Hello friends!

Is it plagiarism if you use your own words? As a consummate recycler I think my opening paragraph from yesterday still applies!

It's another cold and frosty morning here today and it's barely 16C in the living room again.  I had to go outside this morning all I can say is brrrrrrrrr!!! chilly chilly chilly.  End of plagiarism! All I will say is I'm convinced I've now got frostbite from hanging the laundry on the line, but dried laundry in fresh crisp winter air smells wonderful.

Today's door is number five. December marches on relentlessly, doesn't it? Hidden behind foliage and what I'm going to say elderberries we find a little mole digging his way through the cold ground poking his nose up to see what he can find.

Continuing with my Mary Engelbreit books as promised, she has illustrated several classic Christmas stories, including this one today, the much beloved  'Twas the Night Before Christmas.  Again, it is beautifully illustrated, but comes with the bonus of a delightful piece of gift wrap sealed in the back cover!

 

Until next time

Stay safe, stay well, and stay warm!

Debbie xo

Mary Engelbreit and Advent Day 4.

Hello friends!

 

It's another cold and frosty morning here today and it's barely 16C in the living room again.  I had to go outside this morning all I can say is brrrrrrrrr!!! chilly chilly chilly and colder it's going to get, we may even have snow in a week or so. Funny how even just five years ago I would have looked forward to snow, but now I think you can keep it!

 

This morning’s door, number four, is hidden behind some lovely ivy, and hidden behind the ivy is today's picture of a sweet little mouse. I do like mice however much as I like them I don't want to share my house with them although if they come into my garage that's okay to shelter from this biting cold weather.

 

Yesterday I shared a photo that included one of my Mary Engelbreit seasonal books. I know some of you are very familiar with her but many of you are not, so I'm going to start adding in a few images from the books for you to see why she's one of my favourite illustrators. I am a huge fan of her work although I've stopped buying her books now, I think I've got enough!

Today I'll share some images from her The Big Book of Santa.  The image with the purple sack is probably one of her most well known and iconic images.

Right now, I am sitting in the window with the sun beating down on my back. And it just so delightfully warm, I cannot begin to describe the bliss of the warm Winter sun on my back.

 

Until next time
Stay safe, stay well, and stay warm!
Debbie xo