happiness – Page 24 – Jennifer Michie

November 30, 2016 / 0 Comments

Frost

It seems fitting that the last day of November should bring with it, such frosty conditions. I didn’t walk for very long this morning, even with my gloves on, my fingers were just too cold.

The ice on the pond was thicker this morning. A small portion, untouched by ice, still remained and the ducks were huddled in there together, paddling about. The air smelled so clean and fresh. The woods were quiet this morning.

So much happens in the month of November that it always goes by in such a blur. I hope December doesn’t pass us by in a whirl. I keep thinking where I was a year ago and where I am now and where we might be this time next year. Goodbye, November! See you next year.

November 29, 2016 / 0 Comments

Ice & Hot Chocolate

It was 25°F when I headed out for my walk this morning. The pond was frozen over, but one little patch by the reeds still remained swimmable, as a lone duck was paddling about. Tonight it is supposed to get even colder.

I made my way down to the edge of the water to look at the ice. I’m always fascinated seeing how it forms. This was a contrast of angles and rough edges. It was almost feathered in some spots. I love peering at things under the ice as well. One Christmas in Denmark, we were out for a stroll and I noticed that someone had dropped a bit of a tangerine peel in a small dip in the street. The water that was resting in that dip had frozen over and the peel lay underneath. You could see crystals around it’s edges, almost like sugar. There was a beauty to it, frozen underneath the blueish coloured ice. I never photographed it. I wish that I had. I think of it often. A strange thing to think of I know, but there was a quality to the light that day and a beauty to what lay beneath our feet.

I ran errands during lunch and treated myself to a gingerbread hot chocolate. Happiness is…

November 25, 2016 / 0 Comments

Leftovers

I can’t seem to get warm today, no matter what I do. If I drink any more tea, I think I might just float away. We had a lovely Thanksgiving. It is the first time, in I can’t remember how long, that we actually celebrated Thanksgiving on the day and not the weekend.

There is a fresh loaf of bread cooling on my counter for sandwiches tonight. Our fridge is filled to the brim with leftovers and it makes me giddy. I’m not always a leftovers girl, but Thanksgiving leftovers, I’ll never say “NO” too!

This weekend, I need to get stamps for our Christmas cards and Mr. Michie is going to help me carry a stack of parcels to be posted out. If the weather forecast stays at it is, we are supposed to be chilly and foggy tomorrow, so I think it might be the perfect day to head to the movies and eat tons of popcorn! But, we’ll just see how the weekend presents itself.

Here’s to the weekend, long may it last!

November 24, 2016 / 0 Comments

Happy Thanksgiving!

When nothing else will work, I guess you pull out your saw! Hopefully you won’t have to do too much improvising today and it will all be smooth sailing.

Wishing everyone a Thanksgiving filled with blessings, laughter, good food and lots of love! xx

November 23, 2016 / 0 Comments

Turkey Day Countdown

Well, the turkey has been bought. The stuffing is made and ready to be cooked tomorrow. There are cinnamon-brown sugar-clementine marinated carrots prepped and ready to be roasted and a pumpkin pie is cooling on my kitchen table. Lots of my other prep work has been completed, so that should make tomorrow pretty straight forward, fingers crossed.

I’m on Thanksgiving countdown and I can’t wait! What I’m most excited about is my leftover turkey sandwich and a slice of pumpkin pie.

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November 21, 2016 / 0 Comments

Dishoom

This weekend we tried a restaurant that has been on our list for a long time, Dishoom. All I can say is WOW! We got in just in time, when we left, the line was at least 60 deep heading down Kingly Street.

We sat in the bar while we were waiting for our table. I had an East India Gimlet and it was heavenly. The restaurant itself is old world charm meets 60s kitsch. The music was making me very happy! They even played one of my favourite songs, “Jaan Pehchan Ho”. (I don’t truly know if I love the song or the dancing scene in the film better. It’s just too good! Even my niece loves it. We’ve had a few dance parties on the rug together to this tune.)

We feasted on lamb samosas and far far, while we perused the menu. We decided we would mix and match dinner and share, so we had the best of both worlds. I ate the “Chicken Berry Britannia”. YUM, doesn’t even begin to describe it! Mr. Michie had the “Chicken Ruby”

I made sure I saved room for dessert and tried the pineapple crumble. Everything was just wonderful. We can’t wait to go back! I think I just might have our date night for this week already planned! 😉

November 13, 2016 / 0 Comments

Holly Jolly

Well, I’m not embarrassed to admit this, I don’t stop listening to Christmas music just because December is over. I actually listen to it all year long, just here and there. It has definitely been the theme tune to our lives at the moment. There is a lot of George Winston and James Galway being played around the house.

The season of Christmas adverts is upon us and they are truly putting me in a very festive mood.

Some are funny, some made me cry and I want the Burberry ad turned into a full length movie! I love that cape! What is it about a cape? I have long been enamoured with them.

This is just a little sprinkling of “holly jolly” so far. I hope you’re having a lovely weekend, wherever you are!

Aldi:

John Lewis:

Marks & Spencer:

Waitrose:

Burberry:

November 11, 2016 / 0 Comments

Good Morning

It was starting to rain as I headed out this morning for my walk. It was still dark and overcast. Along my way I was greeted by my favourite black lab. A very lovely old gal. Her person always lets go of the leash as soon as she sees me, as my furry friend likes to run to greet me and cover me with kisses.

I hit the woods as the sun was starting to rise. The rain and clouds seemed to disappear as if by magic. It was beautiful. There seemed to be mushrooms everywhere on my walk this morning and all the spiderwebs were glistening with rain drops in the morning sun. The wind was making them dance and sprinkle the droplets on the ground below.

I had the woods entirely to myself, I never passed a soul. It was pure bliss.

November 8, 2016 / 0 Comments

A Frosty Morning

When I left the house this morning the sun was just beginning to rise. My breath puffed out in little frozen white clouds in front of me. The thermometer said it was 26°F. The frost lay so thick on the ground that I didn’t do a lot of running. I was just trying to be careful not to slip and slide everywhere as I made my way down the street and to the woods.

As the sun began to rise the light was almost white. It was a Vermeer light. I could picture him leaping out of bed at the sight of the purity of the light this morning and racing around grabbing brushes and paints to capture it on canvas.

The pond had frozen over and the ducks were waddling over the sheet of ice, talking to each other as they went.

The robins were singing and I was greeted by a few of my furry friends. One of my particular favourites, a chocolate lab; who came bounding down the path to tell me “Good Morning” and give me kisses.

It was freezing, but it was glorious. Jack Frost had sprinkled my world in shimmering crystals and ice glitter last night and it was breathtaking.

November 4, 2016 / 0 Comments

Getting Ready

I’m getting ready for the weekend. It should be busy, there are lots of errands to run, a menu to plan and a trip to the grocery store. I have a few new recipes that I want to test out as well. Mr. Michie treated me to Ina Garten’s new cookbook, Cooking for Jeffrey, which should arrive today and I’m very excited. I don’t know if I have shared this here before, but I have a bit of a cookbook fetish. I don’t cook from all of them, some I use for inspiration alone. But I just love cookbooks. Especially vintage ones! I scored two great Christmas ones last year that are just the sweetest things ever.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend, wherever you may be! Here’s to the weekend, long may it last!

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