HIGH TEA VS AFTERNOON TEA

I came across a great video that

explains the difference between 

Afternoon Tea and High Tea.

Hope you enjoy !

Unlike last year, we did not have any

 snow for

Christmas!

This was last year in

a neighbor's yard!

HISTORIC COLONIAL FRUITCAKE

 So with my sewing projects done for

 this week, I decided it still was not

to late to do some baking and to make 

some Historic Colonial Fruitcake.

Do you have any Pickled Watermelon Rind sitting around the cupboard?

Unfortunately, I always get it from House of Webster and would you believe that they have discontinued making it.  But, alas, I still found I have a jar!

So I spent my day baking today.

Here is the recipe:

HISTORIC COLONIAL FRUIT CAKE

Pickled watermelon rind was called American citron in the 18th century.  It adds its special flavor to this chock-full-of-fruits cake.  Bake this cake at 300 degrees for 45 - 50 minutes if using a 10" tube pan or if  making these using eight 4 1/2 x 2 1/2 x 1 1/2" loaf pans.

Here are the ingredients:  2 jars (10 oz. ea) pickled watermelon rind - drained, 1 carton (8 oz.) candied red cherries, 1 carton (8 oz.) candied pineapple, 1 -15 oz, box golden raisins, 2 cups slivered almonds (8 oz.), 2 cups chopped walnuts (8 oz.), 3 cups sifted all purpose flour, 1/2 tsp salt, 2 tsp baking powder, (reduce to 1 1/2 tsp in high altitude)1 cup (2 sticks) butter, 2 cups sugar, 6 eggs, 1/2 cup of brandy or orange juice. (I use brandy and also brush it on top after baking and once a week for about a month)

Thank you all for following 

 along with me on this blog!

STARTING OUT WITH LIMITATIONS

 As I start typing this post, a flood

of memories comes over me of

places where my husband and I have

lived.  I remember them all.

I remember a tiny 2 bedroom furnished house we lived in back in 1968 in Mansfield, Ohio - $65.00 a month rent.  I don't have a photo or at least it's not conveniently located.  We will be married 53 years in 2021.

Our wedding was extremely modest since we did not have the blessing of my Mother and step Father.

Unfortunately

I wanted to marry a poor preacher or at least that was what she thought we would be.  I still remember holding up a cheap plastic orange juice pitcher at our wedding and being absolutely thrilled.

Lately, I have been sharing some videos 

done by creative people that I 

came across on YouTube.  

There are so many to watch.  Some are wealthy women living in Chateaus in France and others are young women showing us their mansions in America.  Some are young women positioning themselves as experts.

I think I know which ones I like best. 

It's the charming ones that burst with creativity, contentment and modesty.

As I am 

 In my search I found a young couple

 that certainly won't impress you with their affluence or CEO jobs. 

 They don't live in a Chateau in France 

but rather a tiny cottage in rural New York:

You can find them here:

A White Christmas in

A Tiny Cottage

and

A Slow Living Christmas Time

YOUTUBE VIDEOS CONTINUED

 I want to suggest 

 some more videos I have

come across:

#1Victoria and Albert - A Love Story 

# 2

This one is with Kirsten and is

called Tea with Jane Austen

And my last suggestion is

CHRISTMAS AT HIGHCLERE 2020

I hope you enjoyed these

videos and got some decorating

ideas you can enjoy.

And this is a late addition 

I couldn't resist - I would

love, love to visit the

Cotswold's:

Kirsten and Joerg in the Cotswolds 

LOVE TO SEE "YOUTUBE" VIDEOS

I love to look things up on YOUTUBE 

and learn new things.  Here are

some recent favorites: 

#1  Jeri Landers of Hopalong Hollow

Jeri does many videos you will love

and has a website as well as she sells

her creative designs.

This is a very fun young couple who

live in the UK:

#2  This is KIRSTEN AND JOERG

AT A VICTORIAN TEA in the UK

Hope you enjoyed these!

And I came back to add one more

#3 A Corgi Cottage Christmas

with Tasha Tudor