Saturday, November 11, 2023

Weekend: Old Photos, A Book, Apple Recipe




"Photographs are the reflection of untold stories,
unseen beauties, unexpressed emotions, and the
unheard songs of life."
DEBASISH MRIDHA, as found on GoodReads


Another week has flown by. As for me, I'm in the middle of another sorting project. Last week it was dealing with my growing collection of old greeting cards and letters; if you haven't already, you can read about it HERE. This week, I'm gently working through 25 years worth of pre-digital photos; thankfully they are neatly filed by year in three containers. They start from when Rick and I married - the beginning of our new life together - until we got a digital camera in the 2010s (which changed everything in the world of photography). It's high time to get these paper copies out of their developing envelopes and into simple albums for the time being - may digitalize them down the road. I'm culling as I go, discarding any pics that don't add to the story. Hopefully making my home a little less cluttered and my personal world simpler to caretake.

The photos above were taken when Rick and I got engaged 25 years ago. No grey hairs then yet, and I don't think any wrinkles. But the love was there in spades... it still is.  

Haven't been feeling well this week. It's some kind of dizzy going on in my head - and I am in doctor's care. Please don't worry, I'm doing okay, just have to be careful how I go about my days, no rushing to and fro.

The weather has been beautiful, no sign of any more white stuff for now. Fingers crossed for a few more days. The sunrise was a glorious fiery red across the eastern sky this morning. But with its grand work done for the day, the sun must have booked off for the weekend - it's turned grey and overcast as I type.

A good day to cozy up inside, I'd say. Just started the new book by SJ Bennett, Murder Most Royal in which Queen Elizabeth surreptitiously solves another mystery as she goes about her queenly duties. I've had the book a while but held off reading it. The story is set in Sandringham and it's Christmas time. Which makes it a perfect read for this season of the year. It's Book 3 in the series.

Plus, for an afternoon tea treat, I'm going to make a baked apple dish. Saw the recipe on social media, and I jotted down the ingredients; it's simple and sounds delicious:

Simple Baked Apple Dish

Turn oven to 400 F
Butter a baking pan

four apples, sliced or wedged
handful of sultana raisins
handful of flaked almonds
3 Tablespoons coconut
4 Tablespoons sugar
1/4 tsp gr. cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 Tablespoon butter

Scatter apples in pan
Sprinkle with raisins, almonds, coconut, sugar, spices 
Dot with butter

Bake 25 minutes, or until apples are tender
Serve warm in bowls with ice cream
  
 


On this November 11th,
"Remembering"


Wishing you a beautiful day,
Brenda

Photo credit:
Top photo by Brenda @ It's A Beautiful Life
Poppy Image by Illuvis from Pixabay






16 comments:

  1. Anything with apples is a winner in this house! Hoping you will be feeling 100% very soon! I really need to do something about the collection of pictures here. It’s an ambitious project you have begun.

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    1. It was a larger undertaking than I first anticipated. I thought it would be easy to put pics in a large album, but there's still the time it takes about culling - what to keep and what truly can be released. Thanks for your good wishes too, Nellie! xo

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  2. I'm so sorry that you arent feeling too well, take life slowly, take time to build up your strength.

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    1. Thank you, Barbara, I'm feeling better than I was - hopefully we're on the mending trend. xo

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  3. Saying a prayer for you now, Brenda. Hope that you are back to rights very soon. Love the pictures of you and your hubby! Going through photos is pleasurable work.

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    1. Thank you so much, dear Cheryl! Appreciate your prayers. xo

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  4. The weather is feeling definitely fall-ish here, too, with chilly winds and spells of driving rain. No snow in the forecast yet, but I hope it will arrive at some point, preferably in December! I'm sorry for your dizzy spells, and am glad that you are under a doctor's care. I have several boxes of photographs that I sort through from time to time. I really want to get them all sorted and dealt with. The apple dessert sounds light and delicious. Do take good care.

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    1. Thank you for your good wishes, Lorrie. We are doing better than before - hopefully it's an upward trend to feeling well again. The apple dish was delish!

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  5. Dear Brenda, I will be saying prayers that this dizziness goes away! Glad to know you are under a doctor’s care. It could not be as simple as too much eye stimulation as you are culling through so much , online visual demands or an inner ear issue?
    Just hoping that “this” is simple and can be resolved. Meanwhile , prayers!
    What a BEAUTIFUL collage you created of you and your husband’s love 25 years ago ! ( Made me wonder if you do Soul Collage cards very much. What a beautiful reminder of your love together that one is!!! I hope you will be feeling better when the day arrives to celebrate your 25 years together!!!!!! 💗
    My book club meets this week and thanks to you I will have a “Christmas “ book choice suggestion!!!!! Sounds very fun ( and “Christmasy” which is what I wanted! 🤗🎄
    Take good care today! Thank you for even “coming to us” when you are battling this dizziness.☺️
    Love to you! ~ Ann from Ohio

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    1. Dear Ann, Thank you for your good wishes and prayers on my behalf. I am starting to feel better than before. Trusting for those better days ahead. Hope your book club enjoys the Queen's mystery.

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  6. I spent almost a month culling through old photos 2 years ago. They are culled and sorted but not in albums ... yet. Sounds like a good winter project. Thanks for the book recommendation. I read the first one in the series and enjoyed it. A Christmassy one is just the ticket! Sorry you're not feeling well and praying for quick solutions and health restored. Rest well, friend.

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    1. I spent a lot of time working on culling and sorting, but there's such a long way to go yet. It just takes time, doesn't it? Feeling somewhat better than I was - looking for those better days ahead. Thanks, Joy!

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  7. Such a lovely and worthwhile project. Photos truly are treasured memories. :) Your apple recipe sounds wonderful! Blessings on your week. xoxo

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    1. Thank you so much, Carrie, for your lovely comment. The apple dish was delish!

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  8. Brenda, please do follow doctor's orders! The photo from your engagement time is precious. I recenetly pulled our a big box of old photos, meaning to organize them but actually just got lost for hours looking at them with no idea at all what to do with them. Perhaps bring them to the family Christmas party and let everyone go through them and take what they want? I've jotted down the author you mentioned as I didn't know there was a series with the Queen as a sleuth! Again, Brenda, take care of yourself!

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    1. I like your idea to bring photos to your family Christmas gathering and letting everyone take what they want. There is something about handing them down to interested parties. I have no one to hand down my old pics - nephews and nieces all have photos from their own parents to keep them in the loop. Thanks, Dewena, for stopping by. xo

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To My Beautiful Readers,

Some people come into our lives, leave footprints on our hearts, and we are never the same. ~ Franz Peter Schubert

Thank you so much for leaving your 'footprint' here in my comment box. I do appreciate you taking a moment to share your thoughts today.

Brenda xo