Friday, December 23, 2011

All Is Merry and Bright

Thanks for stopping by on a day so close to Christmas.  I know you must be busy, so if you're reading this in the midst of this holiday season,  I  am especially thankful for your visit.  Today, our wish for a white Christmas was granted by a freshly fallen blanket of snow.   Here's a peek of my attempt at snowflake making. 





It's not that I'm fickle with my lighting, but I do admit this is the 3rd fixture in my kitchen that Henri has installed for me in the last few years.  This one's a keeper though.   I'm sure of it. I am totally in love with my new kitchen chandelier. 



So if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, a way to my heart is through bright and shiny things and Henri must know this. While I'm in the kitchen gazing at my new light fixture I might as well keep baking.  My freshly baked Russian Tea Cakes that I boxed up for Christmas Eve.



While browsing Pinterest I came across a recipe for pistachio cranberry cookies that are ridiculously easy to make.  Just add a small box of pistachio instant pudding & pie filling, 1/2 cup of dried cranberries and 1 cup of roasted pistachio nuts (shelled) to a Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix.  We've been sampling the cookies as I bake them and I have to say these are pretty darn good too.   



So yesterday, while we were out trying our best to walk off all this cookie sampling, here's a shot I took of some pretty red rose hips.   Later, when I loaded up my pictures,  I noticed I caught the blur of a couple lobstermen passing in a skiff as they headed out to their boat. 



Then today while it was snowing (and in-between baking) I snapped a shot of this cardinal as he briefly lit on a branch.  It's badly out of focus, but I like the contrast of color in the snow.



Henri took this one today, but we don't know what kind of bird it is.  (We only know it's not a chickadee.)  I haven't looked it up yet, so if you know and have time to comment, please do tell us.  



I just realized I have never even shown you a picture of a lighthouse in Maine before.  So here's a close second for you.  Our lighthouse bird feeder mounted on the railing of our deck.   And for your viewing pleasure, here it is in today's freshly fallen snow. 




Nightfall in my kitchen. 



I hope your holidays are all Merry and Bright too.  Merry Christmas everyone!


24 comments:

joanne said...

Merry Christmas Lili...everything looks so sparkling and new with the snowfall. Beautiful photos there, and some yummy looking cookies too! Enjoy!

Rosemary@villabarnes said...

Love the chandelier, and your goodies. Merry Christmas Lili!
xoxoRosemary

Polly said...

Oh my, that chandi is gorgeous! And you are a lucky girl with a fresh snowfall! We have had nothing but rain for days and days....it feels more like Easter around here! LOL!

Merry Christmas Lili!! Enjoy your holidays my friend!!

xo

Polly

Low Tide High Style said...

Lili, I can see why you are love with that chandelier, it's beautiful! And your snowflake cookies would make Martha proud. I love that shot with the lobstermen in the background, very cool, as are the bird shots.

Thank you for your wonderful comments, and your great friendship! I hope you have a Very Merry Christmas and a Healthy and Happy New Year!

Kat :)

regan said...

Your chandelier is gorgeous....I think I need one in my kitchen, too! Thanks for the inspiration!

And I made snowflake cookies, too.....I guess we conjured those real flakes up with our cookie baking! Yay! I was feeling 'out of sorts' until I saw the snow this morning.....now everything is as it should be! :o)

spindrift,maine said...

Merry Christmas, Lili! The little birdie is a white breasted nuthatch. I love them. Their call is "Yank, yank, yank!" I am in love with your image of the rose hips with lobstermen in the background. Perfect coastal Maine shot! Peaceful holidays to you and Henri!

jennyfreckles said...

Hi Lili. Happy Christmas to you and Henri. I'm glad we don't have snow this year - the long journey from London with a tiny baby was stressful enough for my daughter and son-in-law without snow. But I'm really happy to look at yours - your blog is so festive and pretty, I feel even more Christmassy now.

JoAnn ( Scene Through My Eyes) said...

Oh - everything is too lovely for words - but I'll give it a try. LOL The snowflake cookies are super pretty - I mostly paint the frosting on my cookies and put on some sprinkles. Your new chandelier is just perfect - I don't know anyone else that could pull off such a pretty one in the kitchen.

The lobstermen photo is amazing - isn't it grand when we get something unexpected in our photos?

Your little bird is a nuthatch - all fluffed up to keep warm in the cold temperatures. The one I painted was the one we have out here - red breasted nuthatch - yours has a white tummy. Wonderful bird photos - the cardinal is fabulous - I'd like to paint him if I may.

Merry Christmas to you and Henri - and happy bling!

Julie said...

There she is! :-) Lili, hoping you have a very very Merry Christmas...(and yay...a white one for you!).

I see someone told you that it was a little nuthatch. We have the blue feathered one like yours, and we have little tiny brown capped nuthatches in NC. I'm not sure if they are here in Iowa... but the little browncaps are so brave and sociable. They will actually hang out when you are right at the feeders filling them, and they talk, like the chicadees talk to you...The bluish, like in your pic are not nearly as bold. They fly away. They have longer beaks is how I recognize them. They will dig into bark with those sharp tools for bugs. Love love love the sparkley bling. (you knew that!) The light is beautiful. Yeah you'll be hanging out way more in the kitchen now. lol... and would I love to taste some of your results!!!!! pretty.!! The photos , as always, are prize winners...enjoyed them.~ such eye candy you give. Love these last two treasures you have added to the nest. the buffet and the chandy. AWESOME... Happy Holidays all the way through the New Year Lili. Have a blessed year ending and beginning! looking forward to many visits with you in 2012! Hugs.. Hugs...xoxo

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

Hi Lili, Your new chandelier is stunning! I would love to have some snow around here . . . Have a beautiful Christmas Lili & Henri . . . oh, don't let me forget Simon too! Sandy:O)

Crown of Beauty said...

Lovely pics, as usual... giving us a glimpse of your wintry world. I love the bird pictures, the chandelier shots, the lighthouse bird feeder...

the cookies,

the rosehips,

oh, everything in this post just fills my heart with delight.

Amazing how precious blog friendships can be, at any time of the year, yes, but more so at CHristmastime!

A blessed Christmas to you and Henri.

Love
Lidia

Heidi said...

Merry Christmas Lili...your pics are so beautiful!...Heidi

Sharon Lovejoy said...

My dear Lili and Henri,

Yep, that chandelier is a KEEPER. It looks so glorious and magical.

I have missed you and promise to do better this year.

I am counting the days until we return to Maine...the only problem is that I want a flock of hens, but I can't find anyone to help out during the summer.

Miss you and HOPE you and Henri will venture southward to our little island.

Love to you both,

Sharon

Sharon Lovejoy said...

Your photos are knock out...as are your cookies! Forgot to mention that.

XX

S

Country Girl said...

Oh, Lili ~
I hadn't seen this post until now and wanted to tell you how bright and cheery it's made me feel. I love your little cookies, the views inside and outside your home, and just knowing that you're having a lovely holiday.
I guess you know by now that it's a nuthatch. They like walking down the trunks of trees.

Elenka said...

Happy New Year sweet Lili.
Best to you and your family.

Vicki Boster said...

Hi Lili-
Such beautiful photos!! Your new kitchen bling is amazing! What a glorious addition to your kitchen!

Love the cookie recipe- that sounds like a keeper for me!im writing it down now!!

Love the winter photos-- gorgeous!

Happy New Year to both you and Henri. I've loved my visits here these past months- its a special treat for me to take the time to be here. I'm so looking forward to more "me" time here with "you" in this next year.

I love your beautiful blog -- and I love you-
Vicki

Anonymous said...

WOW!!!! Your pictures are truly breathtaking. I love the clarity against the background (and your chandelier is so fabulous as well)! Thanks for the inspiration.

Lee Weber said...

Hi Lili- hope things are going well! Your chandelier is lovely!! Our kitchen is very dusty from the stove... but maybe someday!

You know your bird is a nuthatch by now... you can always tell because they can walk down, beak-first, on a tree. Love them. We are full of jays and things here. It's getting cold, the fire is going, and the hens and the ponies are tucked into the barn.

Happy New Year!!

seanymph said...

Ive been busy thru this holiday season just like most and finally was able to get here. Love your sparkly chandelier, it will make your kitchen so elegant. And I love the shot of the lighthouse, the view is so pretty. We havent had any snow yet.....in fact they were worried we werent going to get rain either as its been a fairly dry month but its finally coming in now.

Your cookies look yummy. I didnt back very many this yr and I sort of miss that. Usually I make all kinds.

Rain said...

Lili your light is great-heck any light is welcome this time of year! The time between the rising and setting of the sun is way too quick!! You do know what I mean-haha!! Perfect shot of the lobstermen in the background of that pic! Hope you and Henri had a lovely holiday! Take care and wheres the snow now?! Need it back!!
~~Rain :)

Privet and Holly said...

Stopping in to wish
you a joy-full 2012!
Hope it's been a goodie,
so far : ) Loved all of
your beautiful pics, as
always, Lili!

xx Suzanne

Sandy, Sisters of Season said...

Hi Lili, Just stopping by to say hi and hope you had a beautiful New Year celebration. :O)

thistlewoodfarm said...

BTW....I wanted to invite you to stop by my blog. We are having an "impossibility" challenge for 2012!