Molly..Heather's Doggie:
Grizzly ..my other daughter's doggie:)
I had such a nice evening Thursday.. with my favorite people.
A wreath making evening.. at a gorgeous venue.. wine was served and a variety of cheese.. and breads.Top notch..charcuterie spread.Full house..
We all enjoyed making our wreaths..both girls and a dear dear friend..for 30 yrs at least..
I have pics lol so the doggies posed;)
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So much fun.. This is upon arrival..lol you should have seen the tables after:)
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I'll start my baking soon..not as much as usual:)We get the leftovers and we don't eat like we used to:)
I am going to be naughty and make Bits and Bites.. :) Those I cannot resist ..So this yr..I am going for it;)
No snow yet..just tiny flurries..here and there..tiny.
Tree and lights are on point..All decked out..Colonial candles in windows..been doing them for 30 yrs at least:)
Here's to December. May your hardships be very few..
If I could wish you all..only the best for this season and the new year..
It would be health..above all.. happiness and peace.
And love always.
What a lovely time of year! Beautiful pictures!
ReplyDeleteLove from Titti
Thank you Titti.xoxoxo
DeleteMy family loves Bits and Bites once a year! Your wreath came out nice. Did you make the gnome?
ReplyDeleteI saw those gnomes at the thrift shops recently, I always get my gnomes at the Goodwill and Salvation Army.
DeleteAdorable doggies, beautiful surroundings, darling family and friend, crafts!…what more could one want? Special memories for certain! We must head for the local mountains for snow, enjoy yours❄️❄️❄️ It’s the most wonderful time of the year ❤️💚❤️.
ReplyDeleteCheers, Virginia
Cheers to you Virginia.. parts of the US have had tons of snow..more on the way..Even Paris had snow..It was a lovely outing for me.Im pretty much a an introverted extrovert;)
DeleteI think Gravenhurst Ont Canada had feet of snow!
DeletePretty Wreaths, very festive and worth the effort. I always add food to my wreaths like packaged chips, cheez-its, candy bars and beef jerky in case people are hungry they can help themselves.
ReplyDeleteThat's an idea!
DeleteWhat a fun activity to do and have something to take home for your efforts. The days until Christmas are flying. My apt. is decorated thanks to the help of talented Collin! I am going to wrap some gifts this week. Spending a weekend in Chicago with my family taking in the the sights. Wishing you and your family peace and love.
ReplyDeleteDaina❤️
That Collin:). I bet it looks beautiful:) The same to you Ga:)
DeleteSo much joy and love in your life, dabbing my eyes...
ReplyDeleteI thought of you with pups:):): ) My outings are very few:) Trust me:)
DeleteWhat a beautiful venue Monique. I adore the stained-glass window hanging thing. All the pups are adorable as well. That sounds like a really fun activity. It is so fun to do creative things together with people you love. I really enjoyed the art workshops I did with Cindy last summer. I would do again, not that the art was spectacular, but that the event was fun to do TOGETHER! Your house is probably looking beautiful. I made bits and bites last year and will probably do so again. Only bad thing about them is they get into my mouth far too easily, lol xoxo
ReplyDeleteThey get into mine also! The salty side of me is far more than my sweet side..I got my neighbours recipe..I think they all resemble each other.Ill wait..one month is too soon lol I would have to make again.The company..teacher..venue all fun..I would do anything with them;)Having a sister would have been a dream come true for me:)
DeleteWhat a perfectly beautiful post in every way. I love the wreaths and the kissing ball. Gorgeous. And the dogs are enchanting! I love every image. It reminds me of my Southern Exposure workshop days. Bits and bites sound good. I might bake tonight -- planned to earlier and time got away but tomorrow I'm going to a greens cutting and would like to take some bread to our hostess. Oh, this is just magical. What a grand time you had!
ReplyDeleteI had mentioned that it reminded me of your NE workshops:) Thought of you:). Bits and Bites..Nuts and Bolts..Méli Mélo all the same..all I cant keep my hands off them lol:):):
DeleteWhat a lovely way to spend time with your girls and an old friend---plus---those cute pups. Such sweet faces. Your wreath looks great and that gnome stole my heart, right away. We've had several snowy days, but not much accumulates (which is okay by me!). I've decided not to overdo the cooking and baking this Christmas season. All of us adults are trying hard to eat well and keep the extra pounds at bay, so I'm going to try to behave.
ReplyDeleteThat venue is amazing!!
Me too certainly not as many treats at all..Brunch will have lots of carnivorous dishes lol.My grandsons are carnivores;) But I used to make boxes of treats well stored in cold room..but my husband eats far less that before..and I hate waste..so I am cutting down also:) Oh I had fun Pam..It was just great!.Have a good rest of week and weekend:)
DeleteA beautiful venue indeed. Love the stained glass. I think it is fabulous you and your girls plus a dear friend attended the class. Creating something so pretty and taking it home. The pups are adorable and they look like they are posing.❤️
ReplyDeleteThey are more posers than I am:) yes lots of fun!
DeleteWhat an enchanting, transporting place this is, on this sifty-snow morning! There's just enough on the car that the Aldi trip can wait, and I can simply delight in these photos. Your Molly's portrait is worthy of one of those Ancestor Galleries in any castle or Great House---her comportment and expression have the dignity of the QUEEN in one of her ceremonial ribands.
ReplyDeleteAnd what an evening at that magical Cafe' de Horloge---those exquisite rooms and gardens---this cannot have been your first visit. Sometimes just one special event lasts for a lifetime, and such an evening could resound for years---several such out-of-my-ordinary milieu moments are quietly and brightly tucked into my memory chambers, and echo lovely moments again and again.
Is Bits and Bites what it sounds like?---we are experts at THAT, and have had some fabulous results from an impromptu fridge-and-pantry raid, or even a well-planned party for crowds---we learned in our catering days in the South that great feasts can come of small ideas and imagination. (And we always seem to start with bacon-wrapped dates and my Mother's Cheese ball---she misread the "Dried Beef" in the little juice-glass in Kroger, and bought a hefty can of Hormel Corned Beef, which was so popular it's still making the rounds of soirees back in the Delta). We did our share of persnickety bits (after one HOT Summer wedding reception for 200, my helpers swore off Rumaki and we discontinued it). And my Crustless Quiche has been in more of those Church-and-Club spiral cookbooks than I can remember. Silly memories of days far ago and long away.
I read this and feast my eyes on your exquisite photography and still marvel. And the wonderful large print in your link enabled me to sit here and practice reading aloud really fast all the French---what fun to curl and stumble and roll my unused voice this Winter morning. I close with ONE line of the old Post Office's charming advertisement, paraphrased for YOU, Dear Friend: "Vous êtes le cœur de vos célébrations."
Bacon wrapped dates:) Heavenly even wrapped water chestnuts..
ReplyDeleteBits and Bites..also called Nuts and Bolts.. a plethora of dry cereals,pretzels etc..all baked in a slow oven mixed in with butter and garlic powder and salt..and worcestershire ..A big bowl of this..as munchies instead of just nuts..too good:)
It was my first visit there.. I would love o try high yea there as I am certainly not get married;)
Rachel..you published a book?:)Well churches did and added your recipe:)
YOU MUST be the HEART of YOUR celebrations.xo
We may have been discussing Chex Mix at the very instant you were describing that heady, salty, all-hearty-flavors treat that Leah makes every year by the gallons. I had just asked when she'd start her cooking while she was ribboning the tree this afternoon---that requires enormous pans and tupperwares and storage and voluminous amounts of ingredients.
ReplyDeleteOur "Bits and Bites" were anointed as "THINGS IN DISHES" by my Sis, once on a visit here---I like to make up lots of salads and spreads and dips so as to be able to set out lunch or come home from sightseeing with guests to a nice meal ready for the oven. She opened the fridge once while I was sauteeing something, saw all the different things in the TUPS, exclaimed, 'Things in Dishes!" and proceeded to set out a variety along with boxes of crackers to go with cocktails.
We catered parties and weddings for more than 20 years down in the Delta, and some of our favorite meals have always been leftovers, or the quiche that didn't set up quite right, or the big tray of 'unused" sandwiches. And the fund-raiser book recipes were old favorites I'd made for parties for years. I don't publish, but I have all of LAWN TEA in year-by-year volumes, done by a private company which does excellent work. I just wanted to hold a book in my hands.
HAPPY DECEMBER!!
Yes so much stuff..I bought it all lol..all the cereal etc.My neighbour brought me some last yr and vowed to make.;) Ill look on Lawn Tea..You ahve accomplished so much Rachel!!
DeleteWhat a beautiful and fun evening with your girls! Your wreath turned out so well, it looks like a florish shop purchase! It is a gorgeous venue. That stained glass! The doggies are all so adorable. I haven't thought about baking yet. We ate so at Thanksgiving dinner, everything was just so delicious. And then the pies I made were sent home with us, which we did not need. We both have weight to shed - LOL. I love Nuts and Bolts! We call it Chex Mix because it's mostly Chex cereals or various types. I could eat it every day! Have a lovely week, Monique! ♥♥♥
ReplyDeleteYou too! I will make that soon..I started baking today we had light flurries..snow overnight..I love that stuff Susan:) I bought most of my cereals in the US during my NY expedition with my girls..Your stores are PACKED with goodies.. we have Home Sense instead of Home Goods..And Winners instead of TJ..Our stores carry so little for Christmas compared to you.I walk in and out here when I have to go..There you can dawdle forever.
DeleteI love all the add-ins for the cereal mix, especially lots of nuts and pretzels - LOL. Now I have to make some too :) I know Home Goods and TJX are both great here and so well stocked for Christmas! Household and garden items too. So much to see. I wonder why it's so different in Canada...more expensive to import things? I hope that it doesn't change here if new tariffs become real. We have no snow on the ground. It's pretty to see the outdoor fairy lights on the snow but I sure don't like to drive in it. It's a lot of work for both our J's to snow blow and shovel. We're both lucky they are still able to do it. ♥
DeleteSo lucky! He just finished.. coffee and shortbread in order..Caro bought a candle warmer Cynthia Rowley 19.99 she loves it..We don't have them ..Only Amazon and they don't compare..One thing totally bugs me..I love EOS Vanilla Cashmere lotion in the big bottle..$8.99 Target..here on Amazon..only Amazon sells it ap $30.00 I will stock up next time..weird because we have the small hand creams..but not that big delicious bottle..
DeleteI hate to think of the future relations:(. Fingers crossed dear Susan..:)xo