And the list gets longer

Yesterday the dishes were all washed and
in process of being put away.
Wax scrapped from candle holder,
roses beautiful as always.

My buffet that I got years ago in Ottawa
holds all of my China dishes.
I got them for my beautiful green and blue
Ottawa apartment that I ended up only having
for 1 year, it was so beautiful.
Here are the first pictures of my then fairly new furniture.
I can see that I need to polish my silver candle holders,
I forgot how they gleamed years ago!

Tea cozies;
the thick sewn one was a gift from a friend
that I knew in Ottawa from my Calvin College years,
back in the mid-1990s.
The top one was a wedding gift and the middle
blue and white was the second tea cozy my Oma
hurried to knit for me,
as I asked her for one as the other one I thought I had lost,
but happily later found.
She would push herself with her knitting,
wanting the family member to have what they requested.
*
Looking back at the old blog posts like I have done
has brought back so many memories.
It's funny how one cannot stuff oneself back
to an earlier time.
I still miss Ottawa, esp. in Autumn.
It just does not get cold her in NJ
or not that often and I find myself pining for
Ottawa's autumns, as I remember them...
*
There is something powerful that
I am seeing as I look through my blog.
First, what wonderful friends I have had along the way.
Second, the first dinner party I had and photographed
was just about two weeks after I lost the job
I had for about 9 months in the corporate world as
a librarian.
So I see now how in the time of great distress,
and that year was a year of deep struggle for me,
something beautiful came out of it,
that I hope to continue for the rest of my days ~
opening my home to others,
to feed, invite conversation and provide not only
good food but a beautiful table and setting.

To that end...
I got my first Amazon order of
Gluten Free flours, starches, etc.

I hope to make some GF bread for book club
this coming Tuesday.

 

I am loving hearing about the book 
joy of cooking
especially as it is a book about how
beauty was created in a time of hardship and loss.
*
I am making lists for what to do with my days.
I had a rather bad night sleep
again last night and today
I am just dragging...
*
Time to put the kettle on,
brew some mint tea
and get on with it.