As the current year winds down, I find myself craving a bit of "ordinary", the non-festive pursuits such as picking up the newspaper from my front steps and enjoying it with a cup of hazelnut coffee.




All is snow-covered outdoors, but that means I have a greater appreciation for the African violet which has decided to bloom after a long reluctance to do so. It must like its new home under the countertop lighting.




It's about time to return books to the library and find a new stack of reading material. The collection in the photograph seems a rather incongruous one, but I've been thinking about whether I'd go to see Saving Mr. Banks (have you?) hence the Mary Poppins book. I saw the Mary Poppins movie as a child and distinctly recall leaping over the basement furniture in a girlfriend's house while she played Chim Chimney on the record player.

As for the Louise Penny mysteries, I think I have a bit of a crush on Inspector Gamache.




One little treat to look forward to is this book, a present I gave myself, one that will carry me off to the English countryside.




A bit of reading, a bit of blogging, a bit of walking in the crisp winter air on this sunny day . . .