Live Simply Simply Live
  • Blog
  • Studio
  • Home
  • Cards
  • Coronation Wood

Simply..2018

31/12/2017

28 Comments

 
Picture

A gate, a path and
light on the far horizon.
I wish you gladness.



28 Comments

Simply..impulse buys....

30/12/2017

16 Comments

 
 at the supermarket today..

Picture
A set of storage drawers for the studio for £23. I never can resist a rainbow.
Picture
And a  GIANT pineapple.

I did enjoy a tour of a Swiss town's lights by Swissrose and a tour of the advent windows in Saltaire by Viv.

About to finish the address book :-)
16 Comments

Simply..your word....

29/12/2017

10 Comments

 
..is your bond, you keep your word, the word is God upon my word! There are crosswords and cross words. Lucille writes about words (or lack of them) in this post, being 'wordy' is not usually a compliment. I treasure the comment made by a student at my Drawing for Non Artists course. He said that the course in the evening was 'such a relief from the wordiness of the day'.

I've chosen a 'word for the year' for a number of years now. See here and here

This was my first one I think (2011) and here are some of yours! Remember?

I think I have decided on my word for 2018 but thought it would be fun to try Susannah Conway's free course in choosing a word before I settle on it. Join me?  You can sign up here.

Picture
More snow today. I love being in this house when it is snowing. And I've got as far as 'C' in my new address book..
10 Comments

Simply.. before the year is out....

28/12/2017

19 Comments

 

Before this year is out I will.....

How would you finish this sentence?

(Keep it simple. There are only three days left! I am going to fill in the new address book which has been sitting around for about a year....)

Picture
The Christmas tree sparkled in the sunshine today!
19 Comments

Simply..a red van....

27/12/2017

12 Comments

 
..a yellow gate, a Christmas tree and the lichen in the forest all made a beautiful composition the other morning when I looked out of the front door..

Picture
12 Comments

Simply..a white Christmas!

26/12/2017

8 Comments

 

Quite unexpectedly, it snowed on Christmas night

Picture

and left this beautiful Christmas star on the table!

Picture

Thank you all for your kind wishes. I hope you all had a lovely day.
8 Comments

Simply..Joy to you....

24/12/2017

11 Comments

 

..this Christmas.
Picture
May it include a little sparkle. x
11 Comments

Simply..a Christmas muddle....

23/12/2017

16 Comments

 

I am inspired by Viv to get sorted today!

(Two posts today - even my blog is in a muddle.)

The essentials are done and plans are made, though I've sent two presents to one person - does that mean I've missed someone else? - and who knows what cards I've missed and whether all will arrive before the day. A book I ordered for a friend on 24th November has not arrived yet... My decorations are as I want them (except I have not had the heart or the energy to get up into the loft  and fit   the lights in the apex window since Barry died...) but the ones I haven't used are spread around the guest room. The rest of the house is a mess, a muddle, a guddle....to extend the dining table I had to remove a chair and a heater to another room, the large dishes I used for the last big meal are still sitting around the kitchen, wrapping paper and stray cards are on every surface and there are dead flowers in the kitchen. I've still to launder and return the huge red tablecloth I borrowed from my daughter before she even got it home from the shop :-)

No, no photographs! (You know I only show you the nice bits.) It looks too much like the before photos in Marie Kondo videos - well not that bad perhaps.

Outer order means inner calm, and they're playing Bach on Radio 3 today.

So instead of sitting here in my dressing gown writing this, I had better get up and at it. I just put the water on to heat for my egg and forgot to put the egg in. Really. Heeelp!

Oh, and on Monday I took the vacuum cleaner to bits and I can't get it back together again.

Viv will cheer me on I know.
16 Comments

Simply..nature's gift....

23/12/2017

12 Comments

 
It all began around 2010 when a little seed germinated in the top of an old fence post...
Picture
Picture
Somehow it survived and eventually put down a root which reached the soil, since when it has grown more rapidly... and now makes this year's Christmas tree!
Picture
Picture
The little 'crystal' ornaments are actually quite sparkly (will try to get a better photograph tomorrow...).
12 Comments

Simply..the feasting and the fasting....

22/12/2017

14 Comments

 
Picture
Picture
Two recipes which  I made the day before made a lovely lunch for friends. This aubergine and parmesan bake and Nigella's passion fruit ice cream cake....Yum
Picture
Then the fasting next day with apple carrot and spinach juice for two meals (and the leftovers for the third!)

Works for me.
Picture
Setting the scene is the most fun bit for me (though I am beginning to quite like cooking..) I borrowed the tablecloth and brought out all the old favourites..
Picture
and lots of candles!

Have you set the scene? Or do you enjoy the cooking more?
14 Comments

Simply..pause....

21/12/2017

4 Comments

 


Pause for a moment
on our great ride round the sun.
Shine your little light.




4 Comments

Simply..are you there yet?

20/12/2017

6 Comments

 
Picture
We all are in some way, don't you think?
6 Comments

Simply..Christmas greetings....

15/12/2017

12 Comments

 
I love this sculpture at Oran Mor (where we watched the play the other night).  It's as if the angels were playing hoop-la!

It is my Christmas card to you to simply wish you all a  truly happy time over the holiday season, wherever you are and however you spend it.

I leave it with you for a few days while I catch up with myself....


12 Comments

Simply..walking like a penguin....

14/12/2017

12 Comments

 
..on sheet ice! Three days, eight buses, two cars, two ferries, two 20 minute walks which would normally take 6 or 7 minutes, rain wind sleet and sheet ice, a wonderful play and a party at Glasgow School of Art, good food and drink, and great company, and I am so glad to be home!

How are travel conditions where you are?
12 Comments

Simply..if ever....

11/12/2017

16 Comments

 

..a painting was meant for a particular spot, this one was.

Picture

 It is a Christmas gift from my friend Lynne Cameron, and feels like a burst of wonderful energy rushing into the otherwise fairly static room..

You can see more of her vibrant work here

Talking of energy doesn't this just make you want to get up and move?
16 Comments

Simply..home baking....

10/12/2017

8 Comments

 

 a marble cake. Which is really just a Victoria sponge with chocolate added to half the mixture. Here is how I made the one on yesterday's post.

Picture

For the first time I used gluten free flour.This one is a blend of rice, potato, maize, buckwheat and tapioca, and it made a lighter cake so I will use it again.

Picture

I always have a jar of caster sugar with a couple of vanilla pods in it and I use this to line the cake tin. After you grease the tin, put in a couple of teaspoons of the vanilla sugar and lifting the tin tap it lightly till the base and sides are coated with the sugar. It gives the cake a slight yummy crunch on the edges. I use granulated sugar in the cake itself.

Picture
Picture
Picture

I beat the eggs lightly with a splash of vanilla essence, before adding half of it with half the flour, beating (lightly) with a wooden spoon into the creamed marg and sugar, then add the rest and spoon half the mix into the tin.

(That spoon is my very favourite spoon. It's the one my patient and kind Mum taught me to bake with when I was a child. This is her recipe.)

Picture

I then sieve a tablespoon or two of cocoa or drinking chocolate to the rest of the mix and dollop it into the tin smoothing it over slightly.

Picture
Picture

In my oven this cake takes about 25 mins near the top at 180. To check if it is ready I open the oven door - slowly - and feel the top of the cake. If it has a slight crust and springs back when I press it a little it is ready to come out  and cool for 5 minutes in the tin before turning it out.

This amount makes one in an 8 inch tin, but for a birthday cake, which yesterday's was, I make two and sandwich them together with strawberry jam and dust the top with icing sugar.

Here is Mum's recipe

4oz marg
4oz sugar
4oz SR Flour
2 med eggs
few drops vanilla essence
1 - 2 tblsps cocoa or drinking chocolate.

Oven 180  20 -25 mins

It's taken a long time to explain (though it gave me a nice excuse to make another!) but it really is a simple and quick basic cake. It freezes well too..which is what will be happening to this one.
8 Comments

I guess..

9/12/2017

11 Comments

 
..they liked the cake....

Picture
Picture
11 Comments

Simply..home spa....

8/12/2017

11 Comments

 

I've treated myself to two large ultra-soft towels

Picture

and a room spray that smells of fir tree...

Picture

turning my simple bathroom into a luxury spa retreat

Picture

with the aid of a few candles...

Picture
Picture
Picture

A single rose and some pine branches brought in earlier (put some tissue on the cut ends!)

Picture
Picture

What could be nicer on a snowy night?
11 Comments

Simply..a mystery....

7/12/2017

9 Comments

 


Haiku opens a
tiny window on my soul.
How does it do that?



9 Comments

Simply..a wet walk....

6/12/2017

10 Comments

 

The rain was gentle, it wasn't really cold, and I was getting almost too comfy indoors!

Picture
I had a short and rather one-sided conversation with this sheep
Picture
and sympathised with these ones which only seem to have reeds to eat. Everyones' lawns (already full of moss) are coming up with reeds because  it's been such a wet year here.
Picture






I enjoyed the misty view

Picture
and the sound of the waves.

Storms are forecast.

Connecting with nature refreshes and restores me.
10 Comments

Simply..smaller gifts....

5/12/2017

4 Comments

 

..bigger donations. This has been the trend in our family in recent years.

I like it.

Arianna Huffington talks here about taking some time to disconnect from the world in order  to connect with yourself, so that you can explore your values and know what you want to do.

I think that can apply to Christmas. Who needs the frantic stressful excess and commerce-driven experience that the media would have us believe is what Christmas is about?  We do have a choice and we can choose to switch off both literally and metaphorically to all of that, and create our own meaningful and spiritual experiences,  around this wonderful midwinter festival


Picture

Connecting with distant friends as I start to write the cards this evening.


NB I apologise if my replies to your comments are sometimes out of sync with the comment. I blame the system (but it might be me)!
4 Comments

Simply..Christmas cards...

3/12/2017

15 Comments

 
Sometimes it seems everything has become an 'issue' or an ethical dilemma, but my position on Christmas cards has not changed since I wrote about them here, and here.

I love Christmas cards, the choosing, the giving and the receiving!

I know where the ones left over from last year are, but am trying to remember where I put the ones I bought recently...somewhere logical and safe of course, but where?

Picture
15 Comments

Simply..advent....

3/12/2017

14 Comments

 
.. with a small a the word means a coming into view, a coming into being, an arrival. With a capital A it is the period of prayer and fasting (that's fasting not feasting!)  leading up to the celebration of the arrival of the Christchild. Presumably the Christmas Day feast was to celebrate the end of fasting as well as the coming of the precious baby. I must find the balance between fasting and feasting...

My first task in preparation was to find the Advent calendar which involved moving quite a lot of stuff to get into the cupboard in the eaves where I put all the Christmas things not so very long ago!

Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
 
Ah, here it is. Fun to fill it with sweets, balloons and silly Christmas jokes...

Picture
What do you get when you cross a snowman with a shark?

Frost bite!

Are your Christmas things easier to access than mine?

And have you got them out yet? I might find a handier, separate place to keep the advent calendar next year.
14 Comments

Simply..giving at Christmas....

2/12/2017

8 Comments

 
 ..though I received far more than I gave at this year's Glasgow Hospitals' Christmas Carol Concert. It raises funds for Clic Sargent who look after children with cancer and their families, and the choir, conductor and the Glasgow Chamber Orchestra and special guest give their services for free.
 
 A meal out, the excellent concert, and drinks till 3am with the friends who sing in the choir made a wonderful start to the season!

Picture

Scottish pianist Steven Osborne played Beethoven, Brahms and Oscar Petersen. I love his website and blog and his playing was superb, but joining in with the traditional carols -In The Bleak Midwinter being my favourite - and listening to children sing always brings a lump to the throat. So beautiful.

This is what I want Christmas to be about this year - the nicest traditions, generous giving, and the company of all the people I love best.

Picture

The planning starts now.

How do you want your Christmas to be? And how can you make it happen?
8 Comments

    Categories

    All
    Live Simply
    Live Simply
    Simple
    Simply Art
    Simply..A Student Of Old Age
    Simply Beautiful
    Simply Bin It
    Simply Chill
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Christmas
    Simply Do A Good Deed
    Simply Draw
    Simply Draw
    Simply Eat
    Simply Fitter
    Simply Fun
    Simply Get Rid
    Simply Grow
    Simply Headspace
    Simply Holiday
    Simply Home
    Simply Home
    Simply Inspirational
    Simply Laugh
    Simply Learn
    Simply Listen
    Simply Live
    Simply Low Maintenance
    Simply Money
    Simply Move
    Simply Move
    Simply Organise
    Simply Paint
    Simply Routine
    Simply Seeing.. Or Not
    Simply Stylish
    Simply Venice
    Simply Write


    Author

    An artist seeking a simpler life - (but not too simple!)

    All words and images copyright Freda Waldapfel 2010 - 2020

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.