Monthly Archives: December 2009

My 100th Post!

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I’m celebrating penning my 100th post with a chilled glass of wine by the fire.  I’ve been hard pressed to pull myself away from it the last couple of  days.  It is 5 degrees right now in Sun Valley and the moon over the mountains is fantastically bright and blue- I’ve never seen such a sight before. They say tomorrow night will be a true Blue Moon.  I only wish I could capture it in a photo.  As I write, I am counting all my blessings on this last evening before a new decade arrives.  To have my parents living so close to me and my siblings and husband and children all happy and healthy,  I feel deeply and incredibly blessed.  Mix in all the laughter, comfort and support of my amazing friends, including their encouragement in this newest endeavor, and I feel not only grateful, but truly humbled.  We perch ever so precariously on the edge of this New Year filled with hope as always, but also with the vigilance and fear that comes with being parents, partners, informed and caring human beings.   The onslaught of news we are inundated with can often become so overwhelming that sometimes it’s nice to just escape for a minute or two to a lighter place, which is the sole intent of my blog really; a little visual sorbet after a bad day.  The gift of sharing a beautiful piece of music or a great book.   A simple something to coax a smile when The News has taken the spring out of your step.

Here’s to hoping you enjoy the next 100 posts with me

and wishing you and your families a Happy, Healthy and Safe 2010 FILLED with Laughter, Joy and Peace.


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Cozy places to escape to and read a book are a must in every environment- If you don’t have one already it’s time to create one,  or add something special to the space you already have.  Practice seeing your surroundings with a new eye in the New Year.

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A Reading nook in Sun Valley  (or as my husband calls it “The Confessional”)

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Furry pillows, soft throws, warm amber lighting…  HEAVEN

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PS. – And Remember- Don’t be too hard on yourself when  composing your Resolutions!



Perfect Movie Perfect Day

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Our front porch, Sun Valley, Idaho

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So happy to be back up in the mountains of Sun Valley.  No skiing for Slim.  Didn’t even leave the house today and let’s not talk about what I ate, or rather, what I didn’t.  What could possibly be more perfect than a lazy afternoon in front of a roaring fire watching “To Kill A Mockingbird” ?   And may I pose this question; does there exist any more beautiful realization of a great book into a film than this? Perhaps I’m feeling particularly sensitive, having just seen the new Sherlock Holmes movie last night… a film at the opposite end of the spectrum, but just click on the link below and tell me if I’m wrong…  (impossible :)  )

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Slim Paley Photo……………………

Peeking out the front door at night

To Kill A Mockingbird music and stills click here

The Respite Between Christmas and New Year’s Eve

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Calm…

I love the period of respite right after Christmas Day and before New Year’s Eve when everything feels so much calmer, like a clock slowly winding down and being left to sit, before rewinding to commence another year.  I adore the laziness of leftovers, playing with the toys, the tactile excitement of sifting through new books.  Other than the week we spring forward for long summer days, I think this could be my favourite time of year.

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Last night the roast beef and Yorkshire puddings were a great success.  I made the Yorkshires both ways- in muffin tins and a loaf pan and I must say for about 15 seconds the loaf was absolutely spectacular, before deflating in the centre like the Balloon-Trash Family’s Misadventure.

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Back in October I wrote a post called “Paper Weight” in which I mentioned, amongst other things, that all the catalogues I receive, especially at this time of year, drive me insane. So I decided to keep all the ones I received  from December 1st to December 25th just to see how much paper was wasted (I never ordered anything BTW)    CATALOGUE JENGA anyone?!!

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And meanwhile, just outside my desk window…

 

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3 times I have removed this spider’s web (I call her Rachel U.), and 3 times she has returned in a matter of a day!  Exposing her squishy underbelly with some sort of black tattoo indicating “Deadly Poisonous” at me through the window by my desk-ugh-revolting.  My plumber assures me that she is not lethal (I didn’t call the plumber for the spider, BTW).  I haven’t seen her catch one thing yet so I’m quite convinced that despite her size, she is either anorexic or one of those midnight closet-eaters.  I know it is hard to tell in the photo, but I would estimate her size to be, oh about 16 catalogues.

But then again,

This is also what we get to enjoy living in Santa Barbara in December…

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All from my garden, December 26th

 

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Rachel

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Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays To All!

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Slim Photo

I finally broke with tradition and instead of a wreath I hung a simple string of pinecones on the door.


Always use real fruit – it allows you to go over the top with the decorations a little more without looking like a demented florist.  I think…

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Watch your candles carefully.  It could have been soooo much worse if Granpa hadn’t walked thru the living room when he did…  I’ll leave it at that.



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The little white flowers are still growing profusely in my garden (I used them on the Tartan Thanksgiving table several posts back)  I love to fill this antique  church “offerings bag” with flowers every Christmas.  Remember- no rules!

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Merry  Christmas and Happy Holidays To All!!

And many, many  thanks to all my Slim Paley readers for your comments and support these first few fledgling months of my blog.  Its been great fun for me.  You’ve been the wind at my back, not the spit in my face  (oh, alright, I’ve been watching “Modern Family” So funny!)

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Roast Beef, John Currin and Divine Yorkshire Pudds.

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See?  I told you I wasn’t organized.  I haven’t had a moment to post anything the last couple of days.  Next year….oh, next year will be different!  I am finished my house now though- tree trimmed, mantle hung, banisters festooned…  and Roast beef and Yorkshire Pudding it will be for Christmas dinner.  Visions of crispy golden puffs of Yorkshire clouds with lashings of dark, rich gravy are dancing in my head.  My mother always makes her’s in deep muffin pans and they reach dizzying heights.
Yorkshire pudding originated in the north of England in around 1737.  The traditional Yorkshire was made as a loaf, in fact way back when, the loaf would sit directly under the roasting meat and catch the drippings.  The first recipe recorded is found in“The Whole Duty of a Woman” 1737;

“The whole duty of a woman, or, An infallible guide to the fair sex: Containing rules, directions, and observations, for their conduct and behavior through all ages and circumstances of life, as virgins, wives, or widows : with … rules and receipts in every kind of cookery”

And btw, how fabulous does this book sound?! I just tried to find it online, so far no luck (so I guess my husbands out of luck too :)   ) however, believe it or not, you can pull up the entire contents to read online and and although the old English is a little difficult to follow,  I read just enough to whet my appetite for the search.  Anyway, back to the pudding Wenches!

Yorkshire Pudding

This yields about 12 Yorkies

2 cups of milk, 5 eggs, 2 cups of flour, 1 teaspoon (and a small dash) of salt, 1/2 cup of roast beef drippings straight from the oven. 2 large deep muffin pans.

Preheat oven to 375-400 (depending on your oven and your altitude).  It’s important to let the eggs and the milk come to room temperature, so set them out about 1 hour before.  Place milk, eggs, flour and salt in blender and blend until smooth, with some bubbling.  Pour aprox. 2/3 teaspoon of drippings into each compartment of the muffin tins and slide into oven until hot.  Remove and pour an even amount of batter into each compartment. Put straight back into oven and bake for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.  Don’t get alarmed if your Yorkshires start to deflate almost immediately- it’s just God’s way to capture gravy.  Enjoy!!


Another version, and a video (Yorkshire Pudding recipe link)

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John Currin’s “Thanksgiving ” Wenches 2003