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I'd Like To Wish You A....

"So, I close
my eyes
to old ends
and open 
my heart to
new
beginnings."
~ Nick Frederickson

(The original image is from Dharma Crafts. I tweaked it a bit.)

On The Sixth Day of Christmas

On the sixth day of Christmas,

I'm sharing with you ....

Two Wise Guys!

The owls flew in from Wisconsin for the whole holiday season.
A gift from my pen pal.
It's the Little Things! 

Wishing YOU well and much joy in 2016! 

I Need It To Keep Me Warm

I realized that, as much as I like Emma Bridgewater,

I didn't have an Emma Christmas mug.

So, I got myself an early present and have been using

the mug and my Portmeirion Holly and Ivy teapot

all month, drinking Harney and Sons

White Christmas Tea

(a blend of white tea, almonds and vanilla).

When I'm finished drinking White Christmas,
I get to start on my new teas.

My BGD (beautiful god-daughter) and her handsome knight
sent me Fearrington House Afternoon Tea.
It smells so delicious: Black China Tea
 with carmel, grapefruit, and lemony bergamot.
Plus, Fearrington House Jam:Raspberry, Star Anise, Thyme.
The Fearrington House is one of their favorite places for a romantic get-a-way.
Looking at it in the magic of cyberspace --
it looks like a wonderful spot for tea and belted cattle gazing! 
You can check out the Fearrington Village and Inn here.




More tea!
Liliuokalani tea from Serendipi Tea:
Organic China Black Tea, Safflower Petals, Orange Blossoms, 
and Tropical Fruit Flavor.

Taylor Maid Farms: Pacific Coast Breakfast - Organic Yunnan Black Tea.

There is a cold front blowing through.
I'll need all of this tea to keep me warm!

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Thank you Martha for hosting
Tea Cup Tuesday.

Thank you - Tuesday Cuppa Tea.

Thank you Bernideen
for Bernideens Tea.

Thank you Sandi for hosting
No Place Like Home.


 

From My House to Yours

Merry Christmas

The Tropical Version of Christmas!

This is what Christmas looks like on my street.

The neighbors are ready for Christmas

and 80 degree weather!

"One can never have enough socks," said Dumbledore.
"Another Christmas has come and gone and I didn't
get a single pair. People will insist on giving me books."
-J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Love the simplicity!

"I have always thought of Christmas time,
when it has come round, as a good time;
a kind, forgiving, charitable time;
the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year,
when men and women seem by one consent to open their
shut-up hearts freely,
and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow
passengers to the grave,
and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."
~ Charles Dickens





"Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, 
and we are better throughout the year for having,
in spirit,
become a child again at Christmas-time."
-Laura Ingalls Wilder





"I heard the bells on Christmas Day
Their old, familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet
The words repeat
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!"
- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow




Wishing YOU well and much joy this Christmas season.

A Happy Yule and Solstice to you,too!

I'm joining Sandi at
No Place Like Home

and

It's The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

"Twas the night before Christmas when all through the house,
not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse."
~Clement Clarke Moore

"Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind.
To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy,
is to have the real spirit of Christmas."
~ Calvin Coolidge

"Christmas is the day that holds all time together."
~Alexander Smith

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold,
everything is softer and more beautiful."
~Norman Vincent Peale

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

(All the images were taken during a shopping trip with one of my sisters by choice.)
(No, I didn't buy anything! It was hard to pass up the skates!)

Santa Is Arriving

Santa is appearing around the house.

My forest Santa has taken his place by the teacups, 
surrounded by Christmas mugs.

My new mug is the Ho-Ho-Ho mustache mug.
I found it at Pier One and it made me smile.

Merry Merry and a Happy Happy! 

Thank you to Sandi for hosting
No Place Like Home.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Like Where You Are Planted

My new tree in Musashi's Garden is blooming.

It is a Hong Kong Orchid Tree.

It's timing is a bit off.

Winter is just a few days away,

but with temps in the 80s

anything would be confused!

I hope this means my new tree likes where it is planted.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Making Himself At Home

I ordered new bird feeders.

It took the birds a little while to find them.

They learned quickly they could hop inside and feast away -- even in the rain.

It wasn't only the birds who found the feeders.

We now have a new species of furry birds ---
Ha!!!!!

He has made himself right at home.
Chowing down.
Leave some for the birds, please!






Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Thank you to the hosts of:

(Edited to add: Several of you have asked about the bird feeders.

They are from Gardeners Supply Company, the moon drop feeders.)

This and That

The Good---
I don't think I'll ever tire of looking at my water garden.





The Random ---
Thanksgiving dessert?!!

The Fun ....
Zoo Lights! 


I'm joining The Good The Random and The Fun! 
and No Place Like Home.

On this Monday before Thanksgiving,
I'm wishing YOU well and much joy
during this holiday season.

Words of Wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Living is Not Enough

“Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”

- Hans Christian Andersen, The Complete Fairy Tales

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

Nothing Like Being Done!

My Spice of Life Afghan is all done.
There are over 6000 members in the Face Book group.
Some are just starting their afghan.
Everyone in the group has been so supporting of the new crocheters.
Even us "old-timers" learned a few new helpful hints.

I had a great time using my stash yarn.

(Still have plenty of stash left.)

I tried to follow the suggested Stylecraft yarn colors.

When I ran out of one color I changed to another.

(Dusty rose went from rose, to light purple, to pink.)

The edging is supposed to be green, but I didn't have any left.

I had plenty of light pink (not my favorite color) left

and so the edge is pink.

Not bad! 

The girls, Cassie and Mina, have given their seal of approval to this afghan.

Good thing.

Our first cool weather has arrived and the afghan and the kitties

will feel good on my toes! 

An afghan -- makes home even more comfy.

**

I think I'm finished with my cowls.
I have all the upcoming birthdays and the holidays covered.
I hope! 
This is the latest color way that I used.
This is a Red Heart pattern called Papillon.

This one is a little smaller in width than the others I made.
I was determined to use up the yarn and not add to the stash!
This cowl is mine. 

***

I made a dash to Trader Joe's over the weekend.
When I get home I always wonder why I don't shop there more often.
Great produce and today they had Teddy's (the oldest kitty) tuna.
They don't always have it in stock.
Much easier to give him his heart meds when there is tuna in the house! 

The other thing they had was 
Lemon, Ginger, Echinacea juice.
Oh, my.
Warmed on these cooler days -- divine!
Almost better than hot chocolate! 

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

I'm joining Sandi for No Place Like Home.

Busy Around Here

It's been busy around here.

If you've followed Twisty Lane for any length of time,

you know I mention Musashi's Garden often.

It is my postage stamp backyard and the garden named after

one of our beloved kitties.

I've always wanted a water feature and this year I took the plunge.

Everything in Musashi's Garden was removed and we started from the beginning.





All new plants to learn about.


And 6 new friends to care for ... goldfish!
Meanwhile, the birds are unhappy.
With all the demolition and building going on,
they haven't had their regular handout.
Now that it's all done ... the rains have come.
Good timing!
One more thing ...
when the lights come on in the garden --
it is a place of pure magic.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!

On The Menu

There is rain in the forecast ... lots of it.

So I thought it would be a good time for some soup.

I just happened to have a bag of baby spinach that I needed to use.
There was tortelinni in the freezer. 
 A can of tomatoes from the pantry.
And, I was lucky, 32oz of vegetable broth.
That's all I needed.

I found this recipe in Fine Cooking years ago and it remains one of my
favorite quick and easy recipes.
You can find my original post here.
And, it's pretty too.

I chopped a small onion and let it cook in some olive oil.
Added 32 oz of vegetable broth.
The canned tomatoes.
A bag of baby spinach.
Letting that cook until the spinach was wilted.
Then I added the tortellini.
Let all of that come to a boil and the tortellini fully cook.
Done!

Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese and serve.

Quick and easy.

Wishing YOU well and much joy!