Sunday Funday

It always amazes me how many hours it takes to prepare my home and the food to serve when a holiday arrives and the family gathers.  OK well what amazes me is not just the time it takes to prepare but the contrast of the prep time to the time of the actual gathering.  A day for picking up the groceries and cleaning house.  Hours of food prep.  Luckily, I made a Turkey which does a lot of sitting around first in the brine and then in the oven.   That leaves plenty of time to set the table and conduct the final clean sweep...you know, that dog hair that just keeps on appearing.

 

The guests began to arrive just before 2pm to enjoy some appetizer. Not everyone can appreciate chopped liver but cousin Ronnie makes it so well and I love it. My 84 year old mother prepared a delicious Matzo ball soup that we served at about 3, then the main meal, side dishes contributed by sister and mother in law, and finally the desserts also provided by the guests.  Those chocolate covered strawberries made by my niece were just YUMMY.  Seems like everyone puts in there time to enjoy the family company.  By 7pm the last guest departed. So approximately 2 or 3 days in prep time and 5 hours to enjoy the group....or I guess I should say, serve the group. 

I wont even get into the after the gathering clean up.

I love my family and the days it takes to prepare for a gathering of 12 is well worth the hours I get to enjoy them.

Foodie Friday and the Wooden Bowl

I was chopping up some spinach the old fashioned way with an oval wooden bowl and a rocking blade.  That would not be very interesting if it wasn't for the fact that both belonged to my maternal grandmother.   While I was prepping the spinach, I wondered what my grandmother made with these  tools.  I felt comfort in knowing I was the third generation in my family using them.  Somehow it connected me to the women who came before me and prepared meals for their families.  We are entering into another Holiday season and I will be glad to prepare a holiday meal for my family.  It will be a very different celebration from that of my grandmother as far as the food and traditions go.  It matters not, the food will be prepared with love and the family will gather to share it.  That part will be the same.

Something Special

There really is Something Special about this time of year between Chanukah and the secular New Year. Here on the east coast it is usually cold and this year we even had a nice little snow flurry to whiten things up for Christmas. Warmth is derived from family and friends...and a little bit of the bubbly.

 

Beautiful decorations and ornamentations are everywhere...I made my own.

 

 

We wake and rise with the sun.

 

Head over to the farm.

 

Start the food fest with the best ever sticky stuff.  This year made in a bundt pan

and maybe the best yet.

 

Sometimes it is the little things that bring the most pleasure.

 

This is really little and I love how each year the mini town seems to grow.

 

As the morning wanes and the sun starts to set we make our way to the next feast.  We are always greeted with smiles, delightful chatter, good food and drink.

 

 

 

Sue this last image is derived from your dining room chandelier.

So I would like to conclude by saying to all,

may your days be merry and bright.

 

 

CELEBRATE

It was a LOVELY evening

 

It did not snow and that was fine with me...

but it poured love and that is what made it such a fine evening

with a friend of over 40 years...(hmmmm should i stop counting),

her daughter and her adorable grands.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Ruthy

 

 

People Get Ready

 

After Sandy, it seemed like even the trees were disoriented and confused.  This Maple in the front yard was sporting its greens, reds, oranges and yellows.

 

The east coast got a second hit with ATHENA, right after Sandy, but this time around the guys came BEFORE the storm.  Cut down limbs anywhere near lines and even cleaned up after.  Now that is what I call PUBLIC SERVICE.

 

Our first snow.

 

There will always be light...peace to all as the season of eating, drinking, shopping and gifting begins.