Comfort Foods and a Giveaway!

Dark Chocolate • Tortilla Chips with Melted Cheese and Salsa • Meatloaf • Sweet and Salty Popcorn • Ice Cream • Pizza • Rye Bread and Butter • Cheesy Pasta • Chocolate Brownies • Cherry Pie • Chocolate Cake • Chai • Pot Roast • Red Wine

This Giveaway is now closed. The winner has been announced here. Thanks to all who played along!

These are some of my favourite comfort foods - so soothing on a cold winter day. Another comfort is settling in for the day and reading your wonderful comments so generously bestowed upon me with each blog post. How can I thank you all for always being so supportive? I know - I'll host another giveaway!

The good folks at CSN have once again come through with a generous offer. CSN stores has a huge variety of housewares at a wide range of prices. You could purchase linens, vases, towels, mirrors, kitchen gadgets and cookware. They have large items like furniture or you could arrange unique seating at your bar with their adjustable bar stools. For this giveaway, they will provide one lucky reader with a $75 gift certificate toward any merchandise you fancy (shipping would be extra) at any one of their 200+ online stores.

Unfortunately this giveaway is only open to folks who reside in Canada or the United States but if you live elsewhere, you might want to consider a friend or relative who qualifies. The same goes for those of you who don't necessarily want something for yourself but might want to help a bloggie buddy double their chances.

So how do you qualify to have an opportunity to win? Simple. All you need to do for a chance at a $75 gift certificate for yourself or someone in Canada or the U.S., is to tell me your favourite comfort food(s). This will get your name into a random draw. It's as simple as that.

The contest closes at midnight, Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, January 18. I'll randomly draw one name from all of those who qualify and announce the winner along with the Posts of the Week on Wednesday, January 19. Please make sure that I know your email address. If I don't receive an email and/or comment reply from the winner within 5 days after that announcement, I'll redraw and award it to someone else.

So good luck to everyone. Now, tell me, what's your favourite comfort food?

Below are a few photos taken over the last few days.

Remember the Coneheads from Saturday Night Live? Anyone for ring toss?

A couple of months back, when autumn colours were so splendid, I posted a photo of this tree and promised to bring you back to that spot once the snow settled in. Consider that promise kept.

Another favourite tree of mine. With the sun so bright and the sky so blue, it cheers me to see it.

This fluffy little darling sat on a slender branch high above me. A curious eye kept watch on me and my camera.

A few moments later, I watched as this cutie fed on seeds which someone had left on the fence. If you look closely, you'll see a sunflower seed in its mouth.

Late in the afternoon, the last of the sun's rays bathed this tree and fence with warm, golden comfort.

Morning Walk

Care to join me for a walk around the pond? The sun has been up for a couple of hours but cloudy skies have kept it from spreading its warm, colourful hues.

Until just now, that is. This is one of my favourite trees along this pathway. I've never known it to to sprout a leaf but its dead branches are often inviting to many varieties of birds. I'm sure they'll be by soon. We could wait for a few minutes but it's cold out, and I think we should move along.

There was a light dusting of snow overnight - the only snow that's out there right now. It's been a fairly dry winter, so far. These lovely orange seeds belong to the spindle berry. They keep their colour through much of the season.

Spent Queen Anne's Lace forms a cup to gather fallen snowflakes.

Wispy foliage peers over the edge of the icy pond.

This sweet sparrow basks in a spot of morning sunlight.

One of my favourite faces waits patiently for our return home.

Thanks for joining me on this morning walk.