A Haven for Vee

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Cozy Down

The rainy cold weather has kidnapped me and taken me back to the beginning of March. It's all about cozying down around here. Books are read, recipe books are read, baking is considered ;>, general tidying is done, and there's a whole lot of puttering going on. Not only that, we flea marketed for the first time in several weeks.

My finds:

a book and shovel

A book and shovel. (I am making no editorial comments with this picture.) I found the book; John found the shovel. He reminded me that back in his day, toy shovels were made out of steel not plastic and stood the test of time. With two little grandsons, boyhood is receiving a nod around here.



A cookbook was also purchased—The Modern Country Cook by Leslie Land. It joins more current cookbooks in a place of honor. (Anything displayed with The White House Cookbook is held in high regard.) The first paragraph of the Introduction reads this way:

The kitchen is cozy and bright, washed in the pure light of coastal New England October, warmed by the big black iron stove. As usual, the place is more or less decorated with food. There's a bowl of apples on the table —tart Northern Spies from the farmstand down the road. Ripening tomatoes laid out side by side make an abstract sculpture on the countertop; and on the windowsill there's a bouquet of feathery dill branches, dark parsley, late asters and chrysanthemums in pink, purple, and white.
    
In the pantry...

If you want to know what's in the pantry, you'd enjoy this book. I always appreciate a good essay and Leslie writes exceptional ones. Her chapter entitled "The Dairy Defended" is fascinating and explains a lot. Did you know that there is no way to use modern dairy products in a home kitchen and have the result be the same as if you purchased dairy straight from the farm? (I imagine that Judy knows something about this. She and Elmer run a dairy farm in British Columbia and she and a few friends have written a cookbook themselves, a nice blue one.) I have permission from Leslie to share a recipe from another cookbook she wrote. Now that I actually have maple syrup in my pantry, I should do that tomorrow. Leslie can always be found in my sidebar. She is an extraordinary gal with lots of recipes, tips, gardening ideas, and more.

Have yourself a cozy day...

29 comments:

  1. I DO want to know what's in the pantry!!! Loved this post Vee :)

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  2. Fun finds. I love that the kiddos will get to use a sturdy shovel.

    We are headed out into the dark, rainy, dreary day. But there are sunny smiles waiting at the other end of our drive. It is our last day of childcare at MOPS.

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  3. Another cookbook to feed my addiction... This one sounds perfectly wonderful. Your excerpts make me want to just read on!

    I love the shovel and book (I have that one!) As for the shovel they quit making them so sturdy because of sibling rivilry. My girls were throwing hairspray cans at one another the other day! UGH!! School needs to end. Soon.

    Have a lovely Tuesday. It is supposed to warm up a little more today.
    Jen

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  4. The milk in my fridge comes straight from the farm. It has slightly higher butterfat content than what you would be drinking...and much higher if you are drinking skim milk. It has not been pasteurized...but other than that, it is the same as what you drink. I'll have to check out what Leslie says about milk. I've have lots of that at my disposal! Did I ever tell you that I don't drink milk...in any way, shape or form. Never have.

    Enjoy your 'curled up with a book' day!

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  5. Glad the rainy weather has you into "Cozy Down." Here, yesterday, we just had to fight off being "down." Rain, and our plumbers couldn't finish the job outside, and the day it was... Bleahhh... We did good, though! Must be positive. :-)

    But today, I don't care if it still rains on and off --- I have GOT to get back out in the "garden" with my RoundUp and spray those damn Binder Weeds and other weeds!!!!!

    I am actually afraid to seeeeee how many have popped up through the mulch, since last I was out there. Ugh!!!!!!

    But you know me! There's nothing like whacking rogue vines on a fence, and spraying RoundUp on weeds, to perk me up!!!!!!

    And that wood chuck of yours, who eats your tulips, he better be very glad he isn't around here!!!!!!! What an excuse for me to finally get a real shotgun! :-)

    ~♥~

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  6. I would definately enjoy that book! Wonderful writing.
    Hugs,
    Penny

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  7. I remember those steel shovels. : )
    I'm staying home today and getting that housework done that I didn't yesterday.

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  8. I remember growing up we always had a guernsy cow for our milk supply. Store milk tasted so funny to me. The books sounds good. I also see your Orangey Red Betty Crocker covered in plastic. My cover should have had plastic on it too. ..it might have fared better.
    OH. ..I see it Vee. Top shelf at that. I love it that it sits beside the Pioneer Woman's book.

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  9. What an absolutely beautiful post! I am going to try to find a copy of that cook book on ebay!

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  10. I found the book on ebay and BOUGHT it!! I LOVE this kind of book!
    Also Susan Branch....I am looking at one of her calendars on my wall as I write!

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  11. The cook book sounds wonderful.... funny that I love cook books, but I don't love to cook.......I wish I did.

    I remember the metal shovels.... that was a good buy too.... the boys can dig in the dirt...what fun.

    No rain here.... only sunshine. We're still needing rain.

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  12. Love this post! I need a cozy down day. Can't remember when I last read a book...too long! And I also want to go flea-marketing again. Love those great finds. Cookbooks are always fun to read and I have such great intentions to try out the wonderful recipes. :D Have a great day. It's back to work I go trying to find something I've misplaced.

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  13. I have that sweet little LOVE book by Susan Branch! I have always been a fan of hers and I love her "Willard" e-mail newsletter updates.

    I also love cookbooks, Vee, and my collection is always growing. It's so nice to have the Mennonoite Girls Can Cook cookbook and feel as if a friend wrote it just for me :)

    I tasted "raw" milk in Ireland as a sister-in-law grew up there in County Cork, and her dad had a dairy farm. It was very creamy and as it was unpasteurized it smelled a little "earthy," like a cow.

    I know I will love looking at Leslie's web link! Her writng sounds so lyrical. You always share such loevly things with us.

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  14. Hello Vee...I had to tell you that I found an old copy of the White House Cookbook at a garage sale this past weekend, it has been fun reading through the old recipes! :)

    Blessings!
    ~Nadine

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  15. mmm...wonderful captivity:)

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  16. Vee,
    I know what you mean. I spent the first half of the rainy day reading and covered with cats. Then I got a little motivated and went out in the drizzly day. Spent the afternoon putzing around the yard. Great weather for weeding and transplanting.
    I do love a good flea market. But my house is....full.

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  17. we've had a cool spell, too, and i love to nestle
    in with a great book . . . well, three or four
    books!

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  18. Cozying down sounds good to me, Vee, I almost meet myself coming in the door,as I am so busy. I am suppose to be outside working but came in and stopped by my computer and well, you know what happens... Dh came in a few minutes ago to check on me. LOL Oh! to be missed.!!

    Great finds you have there, and the shovel looks like some from my childhood. This cookbook sounds delicious, I enjoyed the introduction, and will check this out. it is nice to find someone who enjoys reading cookbooks too.
    Enjoyed catching up on your last two posts. Should I call you "Annie Oakley". Lately I have had a few unwanted guest here too.
    Your mosaic Monday was precious, that grandson is adorable with his cap turned backwards.
    I guess I better go or I might have someone knocking at the door.
    Hugs,
    Sue

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  19. Beautiful writing:) And you know what? We have NO flea markets in Utah!

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  20. Hi Vee...we've been doing inside projects also for the past week, but NO because our weather has been cold and rainy, but warm and sunny! Staining window casements and (need windows open for that task, the smell is overwhelming) and putting up door trim. Progess!

    Flea markets are always fun, such an adventure and treasure hunt! :)

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  21. I love Susan Branch's artwork! Great find!

    Have a lovely day!

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  22. We would never be able to shop together. It would be a race and that just wouldn't be any fun!

    I love your finds. I too love to 'read' great cookbooks. One's that make the kitchen seem cozy and the food seem simple and wholesome. Congratulations on a successful hunt!

    Blessings, Debbie

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  23. Sounds very cozy...that's the kind of weather we have been having here as we have a late Spring...I am so tired of it though and I want the bright warm sunshine.

    Love the little shovel :)
    Hugs,
    Robin

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  24. Sounds like a great day to me. I like how you and John both found a treasure at the flea market.
    That quote from Leslie Land has me swooning with coziness. I must go check her out on your sidebar and keep my eyes open for a copy of that cookbook.

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  25. Wed.

    But Vee, I found out about "Once Upon A Time" on the lovely blog, which you told me about.

    ~♥~

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  26. Ahhh, a steel shovel. A memory of yesteryear, when we had keys for our roller skates and 45 rpm records. We've been getting the deluge of rain as well, since last Friday...grass seems to be growing by the foot not inch. Sunny days are coming, I just know it.

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  27. I just loved your post. Thank you for the nice pictures your posted. They sure made me smile.

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  28. I love Susan Branch! Do you remember when she used to have an illustrated recipe page in Country Living magazine?

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  29. I do! Thanks for the nudge, until that, I had forgotten. Must go dig out some of my old copies.

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