The Old Granite Step looks back at 2015.

2015 brought snow and more snow and more snow!  This female cardinal weathered the first storm in January.

More abandoned houses.

You know that for some unexplained reason, I am drawn to abandoned houses.  I wonder....did children live here?  Where did they put the Christmas tree?  Did they have a cat?  A dog?  A garden?  May these images invoke the same sort of questions for you.

Pressing cider on Christmas Day.

When we made our cider last year, it was the day before Thanksgiving.  A snowstorm blew in from the west and while everything was covered with a beautiful blanket of white, it was a bit chilly in the barn!  This year however, was very different.

A handmade Christmas dinner favor....make them for any event!

There were 13 of us for Christmas dinner this year!  I wanted to create a keepsake that all of the travelers could take when they departed for home after dinner.  This is a simple, yet creative remembrance of our time together.

A view from the kitchen window; will it really snow tonight?

We set all kinds of warm temperature records during the past week but things are changing.  We expect some snow tomorrow before turning to an icy rain.  I snapped this photo this morning and it reminds me of the rhyme we said as children:

Pink sky at night,

Sailor's delight.

Pink sky in morning,

Sailors take warning.

The plow is on the Jeep just in case!

Memories of Santa's Land in Putney, Vermont

We were lucky enough to have relatives in Vermont so Santa's Land was an annual trek.  Enjoy these photos from the mid sixties.

A few Christmas Eve pictures.

Despite the 60 degree weather, it is Christmas Eve!  Enjoy these images from my home to yours.

This morning's Christmas Sugar Cookies.

 These are the cookies before being decorated....

Some seasonal decor in Boston's Back Bay.

A trip to the city isn't complete without a walk around Back Bay.  While many things have changed over the years, some things seem timeless. 

It's a grilled cheese and tomato soup day!

It's a chilly day in New England and the wind has been whistling all day.  After waiting in line at the post office (yes, Christmas packages that should have been sent last week), a cup of tomato soup and a nice grilled cheese on wheat bread warms the soul.  The heavy pottery of my old LL Bean blueberry dishes seems so fitting at a time like this!

We wore red on Christmas.

Red tights, red dress, red romper; 'tis the season!  Christmas 1964.

Catalog gifts for the bird watcher in your life.

I love to watch the birds!  If you know someone who enjoys the same past time and might like a gift to encourage the hobby, here are a few suggestions.

Placing tinsel on our Christmas tree in 1969.

I'm not sure what struck me first when looking at this photo....the plaid skirts?  My blue tights?  My sisters' red knee socks with the decorative lace top?  The Hi-Fi?  The light bulbs that got so hot but were so much better than LED lights?  Or perhaps it's the tinsel that's not made anymore.  Such a classic 1969 Christmas.  I miss those days!

A pair of old spoons and some new curtains.

When rummaging through a big old barn full of dusty antiques in Vermont, we stumbled across this idea for the kitchen and loved it!

A picture to ponder.

The little wren living in this house comes to the feeder for suet and is a delight to watch.

Catalog gifts for the gardener.

Some gardening gift suggestions from The Old Granite Step.

A tasty cranberry & chestnut brioche recipe.

I have to admit; brioche isn't a word I use often!