LEMON POUND CAKE for "Friends Sharing Tea"

There is something so satisfying about a  pound cake and the ingredients are usually right in the pantry and refrigerator.  So I baked one this week!

Now that Christmas is put away, we have more time to sit and have tea and do "not too much".

I have been growing some Paperwhite Narcissus but just moved them to the basement as the sweet smell was
taking over and my Hubby has allergies.

The Paperwhites will love it down there amongst the teapots:

As you can see, we had green grass
 on Wednesday before the snow
when I took this photo.

Sometimes I have trouble getting pound cakes out of the pan without sticking but on Wednesday I turned the cake pan over on the platter and then I used a meat mallet to tap the warm pan and it
 dropped right out.
→Here is the recipe.

BIRDS OF SNOW

This morning we woke up to a little snow in Missouri

 - this of course is nothing like Colorado and

 why would I even mention it?  The snow plow

 has been by at least three times.  Can you imagine that? 

 Never on the sides streets in Colorado

 even with three feet of snow.

I have been watching the birds come to the feeders 

and spotted nine female cardinals in the

pussy willow out front.  Only one male.

 This picture - taken through the window

as they all were:

Staying in today!

THE WHIPPOORWILL AND THE CUCKOO BRING IN 2017

Now that the New Year is coming,
 two birds have 

returned to our house.

We now have our Whippoorwill - Cuckoo Clock back

from the clock shop.  The a

woman who comes from Germany several

times a year to repair Cuckoo clocks so ours has been at the shop since May waiting I think

for her visit and

finally - done.  I love it!

Someone might remember when I painted this

Shabby Chic in Colorado, however, it never

worked (with our limited knowledge).
  We got it at one of the indoor

flea markets in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

The bird on the left is the Whippoorwill and he

tweets his own sound on each quarter hour going

up to to the 4 tweets on the hour.  The Cuckoo 

to the right tweets once on the half hour

 and then on the hour - however

many according to the time.  Of course there is a gong
accordingly on the hours and 1 at the half hour.

So...........yes,
a whole lot of bird tweeting going on!

HAPPY NEW YEAR AND TREASURES

A few years ago I noticed other bloggers collecting old vintage alarm clocks to use as mantle and buffet display pieces for New Year's decorations.

I picked up one here and one there mostly

drawn to ones with lesser prices.  I saw

some along the way that I loved but were

ridiculously priced so I passed them by.

So, since last year I have added
a few more and here's how they look to the right
 and left side of my mantle this year:

I am also sharing some teatime treasures I found this week while out with some friends.  We found out about an antique/gift shop that was closing in Lexington, Missouri so we took a trip there.  On the way we passed through Higginsville, Missouri and I found the pansy cup and saucer below left

at a small antique mall for just $5.00.  

It is Royal Staffordshire and I have seen

 pictures of handles like this but this is my first.

The other two to the right above are Royal

 Albert's that I got for $8.00 each

at an antique mall in an old bank building

in Lexington.  I wondered if this was

one of the banks that Jesse James robbed

and since I'm telling prices today - the lovely glass compote was just $11.00.

I imagine scones piled high in it.

My Snowlady loves everything!

I want to thank everyone who participates in my blog party each week.  It doesn't bother me that I only get a few participants.  I really enjoy

the tea focus.  I wish you all a Happy New Year!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

I want to wish all my blogging friends

a very Merry Christmas!

Also, I want to thank everyone
 who takes 
the time to read my blog!

My heart and prayers are with those of you
who face physical challenges this Christmas
and enter the New Year wondering how things
might be.  I do pray for those of you I know about!

I wish you all joy this season!  Many of you
who participate in my blog party have been so
loyal and faithful and I thank you so much!

Happy Birthday Jesus!