cozy

Loving Lately

I love when the chilly outdoor air permits the perfect reason for a roasting fire inside. It’s something I wait for all summer long. I can get by with bonfires, on the beach or a backyard on a chilly night, but there is nothing like getting cozy with the kids, when all is calm and well, in front a the crackling warmth of a fire at home. I like to make tea, the kids beg for cocoa, and for the moment time slows down like in the days of old.

By the Fireside – Poem by Robert Browning

How well I know what I mean to do
When the long dark autumn-evenings come:
And where, my soul, is thy pleasant hue?
With the music of all thy voices, dumb
In life’s November too!

I shall be found by the fire, suppose,
O’er a great wise book as beseemeth age,
While the shutters flap as the cross-wind blows
And I turn the page, and I turn the page,
Not verse now, only prose…

Image courtesy of James P. Jordan

As a child it’s awe-inspiring; the heat, the danger, the excitement. As an adult… it’s just as awesome.

My baby, contemplating the phenomenon of fire

In the latest issue of the Magnolia Journal, Joanna Gaines shares her excitement about the season in an article titled Anticipating Nostalgia, “…I see Chip and me fireside with all of the kids snuggled in around us, gazing at the lights till our eyes are too heavy to keep open…”

Ideal.

It’s just a classic tale that never gets old. You don’t “outgrow” having a fire.

Image courtesy of classygirlswearpearls.com

Traditional Irish House Blessing:

God bless the corners of this house
And be the lintel blessed.
Bless the hearth, the table too
And bless each place of rest.
Bless each door that opens wide
To stranger, kith and kin;
Bless each shining window-pane
That lets the sunshine in.
Bless the roof-tree up above
Bless every solid wall.
The peace of Man, the peace of love,
The peace of God on all.

-courtesy of appleseeds.org

I love that, “bless the hearth, the table too…” I don’t take being warm for granted.

Image courtesy of nature.desktopnexus.com

Here’s to enjoying life’s simple pleasures, and hoping you are staying warm on these chilly nights.

Love,

Sadie

 

Featured Image courtesy of townandcountrymag.com (which also has quite a few more cozy pics if you are interested!)

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Loving Lately

It’s the middle of January in Southeast Michigan and we’ve traded in our usual snowfall for a grey, cold and blustery thunderstorm. That can only mean one thing: staying cozy. Who doesn’t love staying cozy? (And thank you anonymous for capturing the essence of my indoor warmth while the world is wet outside.) I won’t pretend being a stay-at-home mom is an easy job, but it does allot me this: the opportunity to stay in my pajamas and ridiculously oversized socks. I’ll take it. Am I turning my back on the mounting laundry and stack of dishes to blog? Yes. I am also daydreaming about my perfect kitchen. It might look something like this from French Garden House:

Or this from loombrand.com:

I love the simple French charm of the first, but I’m kind of Bohemian at heart.

And speaking of hearts, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. So naturally I have to gather ideas for the holiday. How cute are this donuts from Frau Zuckerstein? Ich spreche kein Deutsch, aber ich danke Ihnen Frau Zuckerstein!

 

But really, before I can get to Valentine’s Day, I have to get to my daughter’s birthday. She’s feeling the “Shopkins” theme this year. Nothing screams “Shopkins” like Chuck E. Cheese. Er, wait. Don’t worry about it, I’ll figure it out. It would just be easier if the person who made these cookies lived next-door. I would love to know you, My Girls Lolly Bouquets.

In other news, I made Pork Schnitzel with a Beer-Mustard Sauce last night. So, I can scratch that off the bucket list. I really think I got the whole schnitzel thing right out of my system. That’s a lot of pounding. I might be a wimp, but my arm is sore. And if I may… just pan fry those pork chops.

But I have to try things, it’s just my nature; like this “Life-Changing 30 Masala Sauce” from Pinch of Yum. I love Indian food. And in 30 minutes? Yes! And why is it “life-changing”? I HAVE to know!

If that’s not your thing, here’s one for you: Sticky Apple Cider BBQ Chicken from How Sweet Eats. Yeah baby, put it on the list.

And how fun would it be to eat that food in this kitchen from ink361.com?

Let’s just think about that on a day like today. Because outside it’s like this:

(Thanks for the pic Zeutch.com) And we need to stay cozy… even if it’s a state of mind.