Amy Boucher Pye

Category: Finding Myself in Britain

  • The twelfth day of Christmas

    Artwork by Leo Boucher.

    Happy twelfth day of Christmas!

    And Jesus will be born in our lives – a thought Adrian Plass observed in his book of the name. How is Jesus being born into your life in the early days of 2017? During this waning Christmas season?

    For me, I hope he is being born into my life as I press forward with my writing projects – an MA essay due on Monday that I’ve been flailing around with and some other writing deadlines in the middle of the month. I hope he is being born into my life in my response to our youngest announcing at 2am that she’s been sick – and again at 3.30am and 6.30am. I hope he is being born into my life as I cling to him for meaning, love, and hope.

    May he be born into your life this last day of Christmas, before we celebrate Epiphany.

  • The Eleventh Day of Christmas

    Happy eleventh day of Christmas! I’m so heartened by the number of people who are enjoying my dad’s watercolors. Here’s another landscape – one he sent to me just last night, in fact, which he uses with his art students in the retirement community. For those of you in Minnesota, or able to get there, I think he’s thinking of making some of his work available. I said I want first dibs!  Thanks Leo Boucher for the inspiration.

  • The Tenth Day of Christmas

    On the tenth day of Christmas… many people return to work and school. Let’s keep the celebrations going in our hearts and homes. For me, I’m dreaming of a Minnesota white Christmas! Artwork by Leo Boucher.

  • The ninth day of Christmas

    On the ninth day of Christmas… this is when we start to become countercultural, for many people are taking down (or have taken down) their Christmas trees and are embracing new sugar-free regimes of fitness and abstaining from alcohol. But people, we’re still in the season of Christmas! Jesus has come into our lives! Celebrate and rejoice! (Artwork by Leo Boucher)

  • Happy Eighth Day of Christmas

    Happy new year – and happy eighth day of Christmas! On this first Sunday of the year, we wish you joy and peace and wonder. (Artwork by Leo Boucher.)

  • The Seventh Day of Christmas

    It’s the seventh day of Christmas, and the skies in Londontown are grey but not as foggy as yesterday. Thinking of the light of Christ who has come into the world, whatever the weather. Artwork by Leo Boucher.

  • The Sixth Day of Christmas

    Happy sixth day of Christmas! “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed” (Matthew 2:10). Does the sky seem foggy and dark, with no stars out to behold? Praying that the light will shine through the cracks; that the veil will be lifted; that our eyes can see the glory. (Artwork by Leo Boucher.)

  • The Fifth Day of Christmas

    Happy fifth day of Christmas! We woke up to a thick frost and sunshine, which is lovely. Thinking about the Son as the Sun and the light he brings. What light do you see today? (Artwork by Leo Boucher.)

  • Celebrating the Days of Christmas

    Happy Christmas!

    In our culture it’s easy to think that Christmas is now over, but actually it’s just begun. We like to enjoy these days of Christmas relaxing by the tree, watching cheesy movies, and eating yummy leftovers. During Advent we eat in the kitchen, lights darkened and candles strewn around the table, waiting for the coming Christ. We move to the dining room in the Christmas season, the shining tree behind us and a lovely embroidered tablecloth (by my mom) gracing the table.

    During the 12 days of Christmas on social media I’ve been posting artwork each day of Christmas by my dad, Leo Boucher, and I realized I should share it here too. Here are the first four days.

    Happy Christmas!

    A painting my dad created for the classes he teaches to older adults. Perfect for the second day of Christmas.
    A winter river scene that reminds me of my youth.
    The fourth day of Christmas is perfect for relaxing by the Christmas tree, spending time with family.

  • Oreo truffles

    By popular request, here’s the recipe for Oreo truffles. Very simple and so wonderfully scrumptious. The key is using high-quality chocolate. When I made these this year, I used Green & Black fairly traded chocolate (70%), and then ran out towards the end so threw in some Costco chocolate chips (less than 50% chocolate I think). My goodness, that chocolate sure didn’t melt and became a sticky mess. Enjoy!

    (See notes below for the British conversion.)

    Makes 48 truffles
    36 Oreo cookies
    8 oz (250 g) cream (soft) cheese, softened
    16 oz (450 g) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

    Crush the Oreo cookies (or Bourbons if you can’t find Oreos) – crush finely if you prefer a soft interior, or leave big chunks if you prefer some crunch. Add to the cream (soft) cheese, and mix until blended. If you prefer a smooth, non-crunchy interior to your truffle (which I do), chill for an hour. Roll cookie mixture into 1 in (2.5 cm) balls. Dip in melted chocolate (using two forks) and place on wax paper/baking parchment to cool. Refrigerate until firm; about an hour.

    My notes: The first time I made these, for the ingredients I included four 154 g packets of Oreos, half a packet of Bourbon biscuits I had in the house, and two 250 g tubs of soft cheese – one full fat and one half fat. For the melted chocolate, I used up some leftover plain and milk cake covering. But I thought the nicest of the truffles were those made with the fairly traded dark chocolate that I used when I ran out of the others.

    Make sure you don’t scorch the chocolate when you’re melting it – I did, even though I thought I was being careful. (Melt in a bowl over gently boiling water.)