Nothing Says Christmas...

Like a tree covered in pretzels!

Sesame and Lilies

"The chance and scattered evil that may here and there haunt, or hide itself in, a powerful book, never does any harm to a noble girl; but the emptiness of an author oppresses her, and his amiable folly degrades her.  And if she can have access to a good library of old and classical books, there need be no choosing at all.  Keep the modern magazine and novel out of your girl's way; turn her loose into the old library every day, and let her alone.  She will find what is good for her; you cannot; for there is just this difference between the making of the girl's character and a boy's: you may chisel a boy into shape, as you would a rock, or hammer him into it, if he be of a better kind, as you would a piece of bronze; but you cannot hammer a girl into anything.  She grows as a flower does, - she will wither without sun; she will decay in her sheath as a narcissus will if you do not give her air enough; she may fall and defile her head in dust if you leave her without help at some moments in her life, but you cannot fetter her; she must take her own fair form and way if she take any, and in mind as in body, must have always -

'Her household motions light and free,

And steps of virgin liberty.'

Let her loose in the library, I say as you do a fawn in the field.  It knows the bad weed twenty times better than you, and the good ones too, and will eat some bitter and prickly ones good for it which you had not the slightest thought would have been so."

Tea for One

Flowering jasmine green tea and tea set from China (thanks to MIL).

It all just seems extra pretty tonight. :)

Sunday Recipes

Paula Deen's Beef Stroganoff

Pineapple Upsidedown Cake (minus the brandy and cherries)

I hope everyone's having a wonderful week before Christmas!

The Temple of the Holy Ghost

"The lanterns gilded the leaves of the trees orange on the level where they hung and above them was black-green and below them were different dim muted colors that made the girls sitting at the table look prettier than they were. "

"She could hear the distant sound of the calliope and she saw in her head all the tents raised up in a kind of gold sawdust light and the diamond ring of the ferris wheel going around and around up in the air and down again and the screeking merry-go-round going around and around on the ground."

"She had since changed and decided to be an engineer but as she looked out the window and followed the revolving searchlight as it widened and shortened and wheeled in its arc, she felt that she would have to be much more than just a doctor or an engineer.  She would have to be a saint because that was the occupation that included everything you could know; and yet she knew she would never be a saint."

"The sound of the calliope coming through the window kept her awake and she remembered that she hadn't said her prayers and got up and knelt down and began them.  She took a running start and went through to the other side of the Apostle's Creed and then hung by her chin on the side of the bed, empty-minded."

~  All quotes from the short story: A Temple of the Holy Ghost by Flannery O'Connor

Guest Post

Wazzup blogosphere?! Ralphie here...you can call me Goose, my friends do. And I consider yous my friends.

See here, it's time to get festive, folks. Get your Christmas on. Light some logs in that fireplace, cozy up at the hearth, lap up some hot cocoa, and howl a carol or two. A favorite of mine is The Holly and the Ivy.

Peace out and puppy on.